Spare Car Keys in Portsmouth

Why bother before anything goes wrong

A single key is a single point of failure. It gets dropped in the sea off Southsea, left in a locker, or simply stops responding one morning. With a working key present the job is straightforward and planned around you. With no key at all, more work is involved.

Used cars are the usual culprit — many change hands with one key and the paperwork never mentions it. Worth checking what came with yours.

What can be cut as a spare

• Plain blade keys for older vehicles
• Transponder keys that must be programmed to the immobiliser
• Remote keys with locking and unlocking buttons
• Non-remote spares where a cheaper backup is enough to open and start the car
• Smart and proximity keys on keyless vehicles
• Spare keys for vans as well as cars

Remote or non-remote

Some drivers want an identical second fob. Others prefer a simpler key that lives in a drawer purely as a backup. Both are options on many vehicles, and the difference is worth discussing before the key is ordered.

Programming and testing

The spare is paired to the vehicle — see car key programming — then tested on the doors, boot and ignition before it is handed over. Adding a spare does not stop the original key working.

Vans

Spares matter more when the vehicle is also the workplace. Van owners across the city, from Baffins to Farlington, use spare keys as insurance against a lost day's work — see van keys.

Already lost it?

If the only key has already gone, go to lost car keys or replacement car keys instead.