After some advice and recommendations here, please.

The Skoda main dealer I bought my Octavia from at the weekend 'kindly' neglected to mention that there was NO spare key included until I was ready to drive away. I'm not impressed but wasn't going to lose out on the car or delay delivery as there was a 150 mile round trip on the cards if he would of provided a spare. Anyway.....

I'd like a spare key for my Octavia. It's a 2005 Octavia TDI Elegance. How much will it cost me to purchase and have the key reprogrammed? Vindis in Cambs have quoted £130

Is this about the normal price? Is it a main dealer job or can an auto lock smith do it and what price should I expect to pay?

Thanks in advance

Edited 7 June, 201016 yr by penguin17

A locksmith usually will not be able to make you a key. AFAIK the only way to get a spare is through the dealer, and £130 sounds about right, Here in Saudi a spare key is around SR 550 so just over £100.

Remember the key is not just a key - there is a chip inside the key to disable the immobiliser.

140 Euros here.

If you already have one working key you should be able to get one from a lock company

I just got a genuine one, coded to the car for under a hundred including VAT from a local company in birmingham. Cut and coded whilst I waited

ps. If the main dealer didnt tell you till after you'd done the deal he's in breach of the contract ( offer and acceptance ) as you'd reasonably expect a spare key and you could make him pay for a new one. Take it up with him and threaten them with trading standards

If you already have one working key you should be able to get one from a lock company

I just got a genuine one, coded to the car for under a hundred including VAT from a local company in birmingham. Cut and coded whilst I waited

Thanks for this mate. I wasn't sure if it was a main dealer job due to the chip/immobiliser programming. I think there's someone in Stamford who should be able to do it for cheaper than a dealer. Will give them a call for a quote.

ps. If the main dealer didnt tell you till after you'd done the deal he's in breach of the contract ( offer and acceptance ) as you'd reasonably expect a spare key and you could make him pay for a new one. Take it up with him and threaten them with trading standards

Yeah, I'm not impressed with the dealer at all. I phoned them up and paid a deposit on the 28th May, so I probably just got the salesman an extra sale in time for month end. After this, he didn't care less. Missed one delivery date and "I promise to phone you back ASAP" was a common statement. Two days later......

TBH I should of just said "fu** it" and walked away but it was a good car/deal/spec and it's what I've been looking for. I just wouldn't expect a main dealer to intentionally provide a used car without a spare key and to only tell me once I signed for it. I'm already on the case with SCS about the whole experience. The Tax disc with 10 months on it, from my vRS should cover the cost of a new key.

Cheers for this, much appreciated.

I'm already on the case with SCS about the whole experience. The Tax disc with 10 months on it, from my vRS should cover the cost of a new key.

To be honest, I would politely talk to the dealer/salesman about it to sort this out. I don't think legal action would get anywhere as you bought a used car. I wouldn't "expect" a spare key with a used car when it was not explicitly specified in the description or advertisement. If you had asked about it before paying, I'm sure they would have definitely made one for you, free. In your position now anything the dealer gives you is above and beyond their obligation. I would be happy with a discount on a replacement key.

Of course, I wish you the best, but I'm being realistic based on personal experiences.

Didn't the rules all change on June 1st?

Manufacturers now have to (under EU law) make all technical information available to independent garages (and locksmiths) and must also release OEM parts too.

I would reasonably expect a spare key with a car.... Why wouldn't you - how many of you have lost a spare key. When trading in the dealer always asks if you have the spare key and if not will reflect this in the trade in for them to replace it. I would hound the dealer for a new one. They can get in touch with a dealer local to you for them to supply and code it.

This saga is outrageous behaviour on the part of the dealer - is it a franchised dealer?

There are several points here. Firstly, Skodas sold now, (2010), come with 2 sets of keys, in my case with the Octavia I recently bought, both remotes. However back in 2005, the year of your car, when I bought my Fabia Vrs, it came with 3 sets if I recall. 2 with remotes and one plain key with no remote. Therefore on my reckoning, there should be 2 other sets with your car as it is a 2005 model.

The dealer is of course having you over. However he came to acquire this car, as a trader, he would have known what I have outlined and if the other 2 keys were 'lost', you can bet your bottom dollar that he would have adjusted the price he paid for the vehicle, downwards to account for this. Replacement keys can be hugely expensive on modern cars.

Then of course there is the worry of exactly who has got the other key(s) in their possession for this vehicle? I would be having a conversation with the dealer about the whole matter. I can't imagine that there is a single vehicle sold on the planet that only came with one new key. The dealer has probably assumed that you might not know this.

To be honest, I would politely talk to the dealer/salesman about it to sort this out. I don't think legal action would get anywhere as you bought a used car. I wouldn't "expect" a spare key with a used car when it was not explicitly specified in the description or advertisement. If you had asked about it before paying, I'm sure they would have definitely made one for you, free. In your position now anything the dealer gives you is above and beyond their obligation. I would be happy with a discount on a replacement key.

Of course, I wish you the best, but I'm being realistic based on personal experiences.

Just because you're soft mate. I recently had exactly the same scenario and made the garage pay for a spare key, hence my answer to the OP re: Price

The car comes with two keys, so unless clearly stated otherwise in the terms of the sale then you can reasonably expect them to be there. Legal Fact.

Would you take delivery of it with no engine because the salesman forgot to tell you it had blown up and been removed and be happy to pay for a discounted replacement? Thought not

Too many retailers/garages take the p155 these days, consumers have rights and there are laws there to protect both retailers and purchasers alike. Use them, they are part of the fabric of a decent society!!! unless you are happy to be made a mug of or ripped off at every turn

Trading standards and the small claims court are very very effective and very very cheap ;-)

Just noticed you're not in the uk but in Saudi, I assume the law is different out there but i'd still bet my ass that it doesnt just let retailers have carte blanche to rip folk off

Edited 8 June, 201016 yr by VRsMatt32

I have a spare key from my written off Octaiva vRS.... It is brand new!!! Not sure how you would go about getting it coded for your car mind!

Terry

I have a spare key from my written off Octaiva vRS.... It is brand new!!! Not sure how you would go about getting it coded for your car mind!

Terry

Hi Terry, cheers mate. Sorry to hear about the Octy right off! Was yours the white one I seen in another thread?

There may be light at the end of the tunnel.....

An update on this whole saga - I've been on the phone to the General Manager of the dealer in question (yes, a Skoda main dealer) this morning. He's agreed that the Sales person should of made this clear before signing for the car and it's not good practice for a car to be sold without a spare. He's now looking into the matter on my behalf.

I explained that I wasn't happy with the fact I would have to source and pay for a spare key, not to mention that there's a spare key floating around for my new car. I doubt the missing key would ever be used in malice, but you never know. Anyway, due to the fact the selling dealership isn't local they have proposed to have my local dealer purchase and reprogram a new key. Apparently the key I do have will also be reprogrammed and paired with the new key so the missing key will be rendered useless. This will all be done at their expense, which it should be IMO. Just waiting for a call back now.

In hindsight I shouldn't of taken delivery until this was all resolved but after being messed about already I just wanted to get in the car and get home. [Note to self: Be more patient]

Will keep you posted.......

Yeap... that was my car..... probably going to order another one very soon.

Glad your spare key is being resolved.

Hi Terry, cheers mate. Sorry to hear about the Octy right off! Was yours the white one I seen in another thread?

There may be light at the end of the tunnel.....

An update on this whole saga - I've been on the phone to the General Manager of the dealer in question (yes, a Skoda main dealer) this morning. He's agreed that the Sales person should of made this clear before signing for the car and it's not good practice for a car to be sold without a spare. He's now looking into the matter on my behalf.

I explained that I wasn't happy with the fact I would have to source and pay for a spare key, not to mention that there's a spare key floating around for my new car. I doubt the missing key would ever be used in malice, but you never know. Anyway, due to the fact the selling dealership isn't local they have proposed to have my local dealer purchase and reprogram a new key. Apparently the key I do have will also be reprogrammed and paired with the new key so the missing key will be rendered useless. This will all be done at their expense, which it should be IMO. Just waiting for a call back now.

In hindsight I shouldn't of taken delivery until this was all resolved but after being messed about already I just wanted to get in the car and get home. [Note to self: Be more patient]

Will keep you posted.......

Great result, and i'd have expected no less in my dealings with Skoda dealers who are on the whole very good compared to their counterparts from other manufacturers!

Result

I've just had a call from the General Manager. They will be sending a brand new key to my local Skoda dealer who will then programme the key. All done at their expense. The new and existing key can then be paired and the missing key can no longer be used on my car.

I hope this will cost the dealer more than if they had just replaced the key when they initially got the car in stock. Then hopefully they'll learn from their mistake and another customer won't encounter the same problem in future. At least they have resolved the matter in a professional and courteous manner, with minimal inconvenience to me. Which is what I expect from a Skoda dealer.

Thanks to everyone for your advice.

Terry - Hope you get your replacement vRS soon. I was gutted for you when I read through that thread. Good luck