Lost your car keys and you're mad at me?

[rzr800]

A guy called me today and said he lost the keys to his 2002 Ford Windstar.

I was pretty sure it was chipped but I asked him anyway, "do you know if there is a chip in the key?" He said, "Yes the last 2 locksmiths I called said there was and they couldn't do it."

I said, "Ok I can be there in 30 minutes." He said how much is it going to be I said $225.00. He said, "oh hell no" and hung up.

3hrs later He calls me back and he starts over like he never talked to me. He says I lost my keys... its a 2002 Ford Windstar.

I said, "Ok its going to be $225.00"

He became ghetto on me real quick and said, "Why does it cost that much I only got 90 bucks!"

I was nice as possible to him and explained that I have over 10K invested in my code machine and programmer and that his car is older than 10 years and if you tow it to a dealer they wont make a key cause they don't keep keycodes after the vin is 10 years old and I have to use my other resouces to obtain your code.

He said, "I seen those machines cut keys before it don't take much to run those machines."

I then went the insurance route and said, " Call your insurance sometimes they cover lost keys or they'll pay half of it."

He got real mad and said his cars only worth 3K and he is on disability and he only has $90.00 and then he hung up on me and never called back. I felt sorry for him, but then I thought to myself hmm what if I pulled up to his Windstar and cut a key and was about to program it and he suddenly found his key would he pay me for my key?? I don't think so screw him!

[DR2]

Tough times make for tough people. Times are tough. My boss was complaining to me, bitterly, about his little Switchblade Mercedes Key and Remote being a bit over $400.00, if I remember correctly.

I understand your POV and the guy that called you as well. I totally understand both of your situations and basically, there is no easy answer to it and it does suck.

Vehicles are the biggest rip-off going right now in our modern life. While everyone understands what it is like to be "upside down" or "under water" in your mortgage, they don't quite grasp, for the most part, the total rip-off of vehicles and car loans. Barring an extreme minority of vehicles like some sports cars and SUVs, as soon as you drive a new car off of the lot, you are completely and irretrievably upside down in that car loan. The people peddling them know this all too well and everyone still plays the game, but make no mistake, it is a racket and it is a racket that needs to be corrected. But it won't ever be. This sort of stupidity keeps this country going now. If you pay $22,000.00 for a new compact car, which is like a "bargain model" now, if you take all of those parts and paid for them from the factory, if you disassembled the car in a parking lot and matched it part for part, that $22,000.00 budget vehicle would probably cost you $80,000.00 and why does this matter? A lot of people might not have thought of it in this manner, but they know that it is true, they realize the dynamic I am talking about, because they have been screwed by car dealers, used car dealers and mechanics. Unfortunately, you are just another guy in the long Conga Line that has probably bent the guy over.

I had an '89 S-10 Pickup Truck once upon a time and the first summer I had it, 1990, I locked my key in it. It had a sliding rear window and I palmed it and slap-popped it open and grabbed the keys out of the ignition with a coat hanger. Ever since then, I have carried two sets of keys. I have encountered people who think that is "paranoid" or whatever, let them pay for the 'Smith to let them in. It's an incredibly minor inconvenience to carry two sets of keys and it's a hell of a lot cheaper to have a spare key cut and get in the habit of doing that...instead of paying for a lockout.

[mdc5150]

Don't feel bad for people. Don't feel anything when it comes to business. People make poor choices in life and never reap the I'll effects until something like this. They always want everyone else to take care of their problems that they create. Whose fault is it his keys are lost? I used to hear whining from people all the time about the cost of originating they key for their truck that was towing the jet boat. They have a summer house at the river with $250k of toys and bitch about the cost of originating.

Did you make this guy disabled so that he can't afford a decent van or afford the keys? No, most likely he is disabled due to something self inflicted. Stick to your guns and never feel bad about it because the moment you do you will just get played.

[JA_Pruflock]

The start-up cost to have a mobile bench that can provide 80% of the keys you guys come across is just shy of $10,000.00 just for 2 of every blank you think you need for your area. That's just nuts. I know the man/woman who invests what it takes in Auto work and is skilled can do quite well by anyone's standards.

My hat's off to you guys, sincerely.

[DR2]

It is astronomical. That's why I say that I can understand both sides. Just taking the other guy at his word, because people do lie about how much money they have under some circumstances, but what if that really is all he had? I'll say this, any business where cutting a key for a decade old Ford Minivan becomes a $225.00 proposition is pretty goddamned sad.

[rzr800]

I hope this thread doesn't get locked, but insurance companies had a big influence on car manufactures to make there new vehicles security chipped. If the manufactures didn't chip there new cars then the customer wouldn't be able to afford the insurance on that car. When ever a chip key needs to be replaced the customer has to pay the price it out weighs the cost of insurance prices everyone pays.

[DR2]

Well, the vast majority of big business is bleeding everyone. Car insurance is a big one, as you point out, second only to the healthcare insurance racket. Most of us participate in business rackets every, single day. That's how we pay the rent. I'm just trying to point out that once someone has paid off what is essentially an overpriced piece of shit to start with, then they start getting it put to them with every repair, because every customer has a sad story and every business owner has one, too...people like that guy are just tired of yet another expenditure on a ten year old piece of equipment. And none of this should be construed as - I would give him a key! All I am saying is, think about what the other poor bastard is dealing with...and if you cannot do that, well, like I said, sooner or later you will get your turn ass-up and face down, it is inevitable.

[GWiens2001]

Yes, but I see the other side of being a mechanic. Somebody has a 15 year old vehicle with 220,000 miles that they have not done squat to care for, and they bring it in for a free recall repair and a free inspection. It is not my fault that the vehicle brakes pads are gone and rubbing metal on metal (all four sets), there is absolutely no coolant in the radiator because the hoses have rotted to the point that they crumble and the power steering system has more leaks than the White House. This is actually from a vehicle brought in to a dealership where I used to work. It does not matter how much money they have or do not have. My job is not to tell them what they can afford, but what the vehicle needs. It is up to them if they can and/or want to spend the money.

The same thing goes for those who lose their keys and call a locksmith. The locksmith did not lose the customer's keys, and is not responsible for the cars having a chip in the key that needs to be programmed for the vehicle to start. It is also not the locksmith's fault if the customer has the vehicle ignition replaced and the key code attained by submitting the VIN does not fit both the doors and the ignition, requiring a second key to be originated by the mobile locksmith, or for the other locks to be rekeyed to fit.

Sorry for the rant.

Gordon

[DR2]

Everyone always makes assumption after assumption. The other guy that is hot in here has this guy being a total choad cheating on disability and the whole nine yards. Of course there are people who don't take care of their vehicles! There are also mechanics who need to tell their customers, especially women, that they need to get a new car or a new used car instead of pouring money into their bank account there at Joe's Garage...some mechanics will do that...a lot of them will NOT do that. I have a friend at work, female, I have to get her oil changed for her because when she goes to get it done, they perform all the shit that they want to do and present her with a bill for over a $100.00 smackers and bully and browbeat her...when I take it, they suggest what needs to be changed, etc. So, you can point out extremes where mechanics and just about everyone else is looking for a mark or are also the salt of the Earth and wonderful people. I'm trying to actually say that in here, but nobody is getting it apparently.

[mdc5150]

Did you make this guy disabled so that he can't afford a decent van or afford the keys? No, most likely he is disabled due to something self inflicted. Stick to your guns and never feel bad about it because the moment you do you will just get played.

Hopefully a drunk will never hit you or some other malady befall you.

I had a malady befall me, I got married. I brought it on myself too, poor choices.

I don't care what someone elses story is, it is not my job to be an investigator and find out if they are telling the truth or not. It is irrelevant if they are in a bad spot. If I don't charge full price I am out of business. I don't know if you've noticed but most locksmiths are not exactly rich. The prices are set to remain competitive and still put food on the table. And another thing, once you give a break to a sad story, they will tell all their friends who will bring some sad stories with them.

[mdc5150]

Everyone always makes assumption after assumption. The other guy that is hot in here has this guy being a total choad cheating on disability and the whole nine yards. Of course there are people who don't take care of their vehicles! There are also mechanics who need to tell their customers, especially women, that they need to get a new car or a new used car instead of pouring money into their bank account there at Joe's Garage...some mechanics will do that...a lot of them will NOT do that. I have a friend at work, female, I have to get her oil changed for her because when she goes to get it done, they perform all the shit that they want to do and present her with a bill for over a $100.00 smackers and bully and browbeat her...when I take it, they suggest what needs to be changed, etc. So, you can point out extremes where mechanics and just about everyone else is looking for a mark or are also the salt of the Earth and wonderful people. I'm trying to actually say that in here, but nobody is getting it apparently.

I never said the choad was cheating on disability I said you don't know if he is.

Why does the mechanic have to be a business manager for people? Shouldn't people have an idea of what their own car is worth and make those kinds of decisions for themselves?

And I've heard this before about women getting taken advantage of. Instead of perpetuating your female friends weakness why don't you teach her how to be assertive and take care of herself? That would do far more good that doing it for her every time. Then when she runs into someone somewhere else she will have the confidence to handle the situation rather than being taken advantage of because no one was there to deal with it for her.

[Kezo]

The customer didn't have to be rude, and belligerent on the phone. He also didn't need to insult the locksmith by telling him that the work he does involves little skill.

[elbowmacaroni]

The guy is an asshole and you made the right call! Plain and simple.

A guy called me today and said he lost the keys to his 2002 Ford Windstar.

I was pretty sure it was chipped but I asked him anyway, "do you know if there is a chip in the key?" He said, "Yes the last 2 locksmiths I called said there was and they couldn't do it."

I said, "Ok I can be there in 30 minutes." He said how much is it going to be I said $225.00. He said, "oh hell no" and hung up.

3hrs later He calls me back and he starts over like he never talked to me. He says I lost my keys... its a 2002 Ford Windstar.

I said, "Ok its going to be $225.00"

He became ghetto on me real quick and said, "Why does it cost that much I only got 90 bucks!"

I was nice as possible to him and explained that I have over 10K invested in my code machine and programmer and that his car is older than 10 years and if you tow it to a dealer they wont make a key cause they don't keep keycodes after the vin is 10 years old and I have to use my other resouces to obtain your code.

He said, "I seen those machines cut keys before it don't take much to run those machines."

I then went the insurance route and said, " Call your insurance sometimes they cover lost keys or they'll pay half of it."

He got real mad and said his cars only worth 3K and he is on disability and he only has $90.00 and then he hung up on me and never called back. I felt sorry for him, but then I thought to myself hmm what if I pulled up to his Windstar and cut a key and was about to program it and he suddenly found his key would he pay me for my key?? I don't think so screw him!

[elbowmacaroni]

Don't feel bad for people. Don't feel anything when it comes to business. People make poor choices in life and never reap the I'll effects until something like this. They always want everyone else to take care of their problems that they create. Whose fault is it his keys are lost? I used to hear whining from people all the time about the cost of originating they key for their truck that was towing the jet boat. They have a summer house at the river with $250k of toys and bitch about the cost of originating.

Did you make this guy disabled so that he can't afford a decent van or afford the keys? No, most likely he is disabled due to something self inflicted. Stick to your guns and never feel bad about it because the moment you do you will just get played.

THIS! +1

[elbowmacaroni]

It is astronomical. That's why I say that I can understand both sides. Just taking the other guy at his word, because people do lie about how much money they have under some circumstances, but what if that really is all he had? I'll say this, any business where cutting a key for a decade old Ford Minivan becomes a $225.00 proposition is pretty goddamned sad.

So what if it was all he had? Then maybe he'll learn not to lock his shit in or lose his keys. Maybe he'll learn not to be a douche to people. Maybe if he wasn't a complete cockwrenchroll he'd maybe just maybe find someone who against common business sense decided to feel bad for him and hook him up for what he had IF that is really all he had (which I doubt as people lie like motherfuckers when they think they can save a buck.)

In all honesty, if he acts like that he can piss right the hell off and enjoy his lockedoutedness!

- Elbow