Hi All,

 

Unfortunately I was recently burgled and my Roomster stolen. The good news is the police did a great job finding it and picking it up and safely taking it back to a compound and its now back in my hands but the thieves, sadly, still have a set of keys. 

 

So, what would you do in this situation? Has anyone any experience of how much it costs to get keys recoded? Presumably this is a possibility for my remaining key? Or even a new ignition barrel fitted and new key cut? Am going to go down to Skoda on my next day off but keen to hear suggestions from the community first - quite wary things could get very expensive and after the burglary I'm not exactly flush for cash!

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Cheers,

Sorry to hear this.

 

I take it your insurance excess means you are not claiming on that to have the locks changed and get keys.

Risky not changing all as they might be back. Then again the keys are maybe chucked.

A Skoda dealer can order a new key precut and then code it to your vehicle and in doing so delete the transponder code from the missing key.

 

I have just had a price to do this from a Skoda dealer in France and it was (€'s converted to £'s) £133 for the key, 10 day delivery and reg document needed, and then £50 for the workshop time.

 

It can be done cheaper by a car locksmith but that would simply be cloning your existing key, the missing one would still start the vehicle.

 

If it were burgled from my home I would want the locks changing.

I'd want the locks changing, and I'd expect to be able to claim that against the home insurance, not the motor insurance, in these circumstances.

Hi All,

Thanks so much for the helpful steer on this - much appreciated! I only rented a room in the property a few days prior to the burglary and sadly had not organised home insurance yet, my car insurance excess is £650, hence being so keen to try and reach a more cost effective yet still secure onward solution... Thanks in particular JR for finding out the equivalent cost in France! I'll give my local dealer a call...

Cheers,

R

Probably safest to get the locks changed

 

You could just get the key re-coded (but if the missing key ever gets used, could open the car, but not start it)

 

There is a possibility if you have all risks on your home insurance (items taken outside the home) that you could claim on that (I'm aware you hadn't arranged on new home, but if that is case, then might not have got around to cancelling insurance on previous home either)

 

As the police found it (good on them), did they investigate the burglary, if you rent a room and someone used an old key because the landlord hadn't changed lock or recovered all the previously issued keys, might be able to claim against him (or his estate agent) for his breach of care.

 

 

Edited 26 February, 20206 yr by SurreyJohn

57 minutes ago, SurreyJohn said:

Probably safest to get the locks changed

 

You could just get the key re-coded (but if the missing key ever gets used, could open the car, but not start it)

 

 

Do you mean buying a new key and having it coded from Skoda?

 

If so then I agree, if its by anyone else like a mobile locksmith then the original key would still start the vehicle, to my knowledge only VAG can remove a transponder from the ones that the vehicles ECU will recognise.

1 hour ago, RobertH said:

 Thanks in particular JR for finding out the equivalent cost in France! I'll give my local dealer a call...

Cheers,

R

 

Please post the price quoted because I could get mine done in the UK before bringing it over, my gut feeling was that it would be less here in my area, not a lot of money being thrown around but lots of gullible people nonetheless and no alternatives to Skoda main dealers.

43 minutes ago, J.R. said:

 

Please post the price quoted because I could get mine done in the UK before bringing it over, my gut feeling was that it would be less here in my area, not a lot of money being thrown around but lots of gullible people nonetheless and no alternatives to Skoda main dealers.

 

Sure thing JR: Was quoted c. £50 for recoding of the key I have left, £160 for the purchase of a second key and the recoding of both and £440 for new locks all round and two new keys. I'm based in the north so guess it could vary a bit from dealer to dealer...

I must be missing something, what does recoding of the existing key (presumably the one in your possession) achieve?

 

Was the quote from VAG/Skoda whereby you can be sure that the missing key will no longer be able to start the vehicle but would of course gain entry? - Looks like it was from reading your previous posts but please confirm, then I can get quotes in the expensive sarf of england where the car is at present.

 

Once again I apologise if I am missing something obvious.

2 minutes ago, J.R. said:

what does recoding of the existing key (presumably the one in your possession) achieve?

That will permanently desynchronise that key and the car from the one that may be in the theives' possession.

1 minute ago, J.R. said:

I must be missing something, what does recoding of the existing key (presumably the one in your possession) achieve?

 

Was the quote from VAG/Skoda whereby you can be sure that the missing key will no longer be able to start the vehicle but would of course gain entry? - Looks like it was from reading your previous posts but please confirm, then I can get quotes in the expensive sarf of england where the car is at present.

 

Once again I apologise if I am missing something obvious.

 

If the (remaining) key and transponder are recoded, then the old key won't be able to start the car to allow it to be driven off

Tends to be done where someone might have lost or mislaid a key, and want a bit of security, without expense of changing all locks

 

However where the other key is likely to be in hands of undesirables that know where it is likely to be parked, its better to get lock changed

Still confused, pay £50 to have a vehicle that cannot be started with any of the keys? 🥴

 

I know I must be missing something, perhaps my current belief is wrong, please correct me if it is. - I thought that only VAG could add an entirely new key transponder ID, rather than cloning and existing one and remove another lost or stolen transponder to the vehicles ECU.

 

I am not speaking of a keyfob being able to open the central locking, I can understand that the vehicle can be programmed not to accept an existing keyfobs coded radio signal (think I can actually do that in VCDS) but preventing a lost key from manually opening a door and starting the engine.

 

My belief is that only VAG can delete a key transponder from those allowed in the vehicles ECU and that deleting one does not delete the others so cant understand how "recoding" a key by anybody would have any effect on another missing/stolen key, again please correct me if I have misunderstood. Security is an important issue.

No,  a different code is entered on the car (like changing the number on a combination padlock), and existing key recoded to match this, so only the newly coded key starts the car

It is an electronic coding change, which is programmed in, not physically replacing lock barrel or transponder

Edited 26 February, 20206 yr by SurreyJohn

Got it, - thanks! - good explanation

 

Am I right that only VAG can do this not the mobile locksmiths etc that can only clone existing  keys?

I had a new  ignition lock barrel fitted at Skoda main dealer recently. £168 including recoding 2 keys to suit it.