I don't think anyone brought this up. The little key inside the remote for opening the door in case the battery runs out...Is it the same key for all the cars? Let say if you order extra one from Sewell they give you the whole remote with little key inside right? If every key is unique to yours how do they know which one to order? I never thought of it until my dealer ordered one and what do you know it fits my car key hole.

 

if it was the same key for all IS's, you would have access to every IS on the road with it.

 

No. That has to be specially cut or ordered. It ain't the same one for each car...

The question now becomes: is it cut, or is it a coded special ordered key (like a wheel lock)?

 

I'm not sure how that works. If someone orders a spare key from Sewell would find out how they know which key for which car. When my dealer ordered one from me they didn't ask anything but my name. I assumed that if it's all custom then they must check my record for VIN number or something.

 

You are right Vin is the key, thats how crooks still cars the easy way get the vin and get the keys from there contacts at the dealer.

 

Good thing the key cannot start the car unless they know how to wire the remote starter.
VIN is visible on all cars in the front windshield. I heard it's illegal to hide the VIN. Kind of a stupid law.

 

When I bought my car the dealer gave me a small metal plate with a number on it. The salesman said to keep it in a safe place away from the key, because the dealer would use it to cut a key should i lose the originals.

 

why is that stupid?

 

Why is it stupid to not be able to hide the VIN? because it's easier to steal the car if the VIN is visible.

On my last car I had a quarter wedged down by the windshield that covered part of the VIN... it was there in such a way I could plausably claim it just got stuck there rather than my "hiding" the VIN though

 

The VIN must be visible from the outside of the car. That's how law enforcement is able to locate stolen vehicles. Car thieves getting VIN numbers off of cars and running to the dealership to get keys cut is a very uncommon practice. It is so uncommon, in fact, that in the 25 years of being in the biz, I've never seen or heard of this being a problem. That's not to say it NEVER happens.

If a dealer is to order a cut key or cut a key himself by VIN he is required by law to get proof of ownership. Obviously, some dealers or more lax than others.

The point is, car thieves don't look at dealers as wonderful opportunities to make fraudulent keys so they can steal cars.

 

lol so now we have visible vins and mobile computers scanning for remote key codes driving huge auto theft numbers in america. have you even seen the common auto thief lately? he doesn't own a computer and he can't read and he carries a crowbar.

 

..and, if he's going to the lengths we are dreaming up here to steal your car, a quarter over the VIN isn't stopping him.

 

ya have been watching too much Gone in 60 Seconds.

 

The car I used the quarter trick on wasn't a Lexus with smart key stopping the ignition from working... it was a much easier car to get a key from a VIN with.