Evening all

Having quite a bad day, so apologies if this and other posts today have been a bit incoherent.

The one plus point today was that I had a third key cut for the Rapid this evening. I still have the two factory remote keyfobs (one is completely unused and is safely put away, the other is used every day). However, in the winter when it's extremely cold, I would like to be able to start the car and lock it while it's ticking over - so it can warm up while I'm finishing getting ready for work without fear of an easy drive away theft. I don't want to use both keys for this, so I've had a third key made up, allowing me to keep the unused spare key as just that, and then use the other two keys during winter (using just one in the summer naturally).

Dealer price for an extra key was not too bad, but the labour for coding it meant the whole package was going to be way more money than it was worth.

So, instead, I got one of these:

It's a Bentley-style remote fob, with a freshly cut key blade. All coded to the car with VCDS and fully functional. Feels much nicer, heavier and more solid in your hand and better made than the genuine VAG one that Skoda supplies.

Sourced from the Matt the VW Key Man (can be found on Facebook if you search for VW Key Man). Very nice and extremely helpful chap.

I will be getting the black & silver Skoda logo for the back of the fob in due course as he only had the old Green design ones with him this evening.

So, if you want extra or replacement keys for your Rapid or any other VAG vehicle, I can thoroughly recommend him.

Thanks

Chris

Sent from my iPhone 6S Plus using Tapatalk, please excuse any typos.

Can you elaborate on the coding procedure please? Also, how much did it cost? Does it have better range than the old key?

A new key needs to be coded to the ECU before you can use it, so that the immobiliser disengages etc. when you go to use it (and if you ever lose or break a key, you can have it deleted from the system so it won't start the car if it is ever found and used). This can be done with VCDS or the dealer diagnostic system - can't tell you the exact process as I was letting the guy get on with it.

 

Cost was £120 all-in. Can't comment on range as have done no experiments. My genuine VAG keys have excellent range, though range is more about where the key remote antenna is located in the car more than the actual key fobs.

 

For example, the key fob range on my Rover 75 was awful (you pretty much had to stand right next to it for a keypress to be picked up. However, when they did the facelift on that car, MG Rover listened to feedback and moved the location of the remote antenna up from within the centre console to behind the A pillar, increasing the range by about a factor of 20. I have no idea where it is located in the Rapid, but wherever it is it works well already.

Nice key at a cost [emoji4]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nice key at a cost [emoji4]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, not cheap, but still cheaper, nicer and acquired faster than from main dealer. Even th fob for the Jag I had wasn't as substantial as this.

Shame I can't recase the two genuine keys I have in the Bentley-style bodies.

To my knowledge, to register a new key you have to do the 433 MHz matching (for central locking) and the immobiliser matching (for starting the engine).

The first one is easy and can be done with VCDS via adaptation of the body control module.

The second one usually needs a PIN or some other security challenge to register the new key. Or one must use proper equipment to copy the immobiliser ID from a working old key to the new one.

 

Am I right on these thoughts? Does anyone know anything more? I would like to buy one extra remote as my car came with only one (plus a non-remote key) but locally I don't have any other options except for the dealer.

Does anyone remember the Top Gear episode when Clarkson held a remote against his head to demonstrate how it dramatically increases the range?

It does work, but heaven knows what it is going inside your brain.... any ideas?

Not sure, don't believe it - just try it;)

I've done it many times, and it amazes and worries me every time as it really does work.

For example, the key fob range on my Rover 75 was awful (you pretty much had to stand right next to it for a keypress to be picked up. However, when they did the facelift on that car, MG Rover listened to feedback and moved the location of the remote antenna up from within the centre console to behind the A pillar, increasing the range by about a factor of 20. I have no idea where it is located in the Rapid, but wherever it is it works well already.

My Astra was like that. The range on the Rapid is excellent though. Sometimes I've been so far away from the car when I unlocked it that it has locked itself again by the time I try to open the door!

One thing to note, not sure if it can be coded or even applies to the Rapid, but if the engine was running on my Audi A4, you could not lock the car using the other key remotely.  if you tried to do it via the door lock the alarm would sound.

 

Also, i would never leave the car unattended with the engine running.. pretty sure its illegal in the UK if on a public road.. Cars with such small engines dont take long to warm up once driven anyway,

Not sure if it is illegal, but certainly unwise to leave an unattended car running on the public road. I have a driveway. Alarm needs to be paused before locking when running, and locked via the keyhole.

Sent from my iPhone 6S Plus using Tapatalk, please excuse any typos.

Well, after some research, the Spaceback is either IMMO IV or IMMO V (as per the VCDS nomenclature here), so coding the immobilizer part of the car cannot be done with VCDS.

So how did he do it?

Edited 3 April, 201610 yr by eyegr

There are many key programming software programs other than VCDS and ones that will also cover other makes of vehicle.

Also you can clone an existing key with the right equipment.

Of course, but Chris mentioned VCDS in his original post.

Of course, but Chris mentioned VCDS in his original post.

True, however VCDS can't obtain the SKC anyhow so I assumed the chap had used something else to do the key.

Can't help but think this is a massive waste of money. You got a key cut so you don't have to use your spare? Just use spare and get a knew one if you loose it.

I'm happy with my purchase and the decision to have it done.

Sent from my iPhone 6S Plus using Tapatalk, please excuse any typos.