Gaucho KeysYou just bought a used car and the seller handed you a single key, or maybe none at all. It is easy to drive off and not think about it again, but that one key is now the only thing standing between you and being stranded. Whether it was a private sale or a dealer lot, getting a second key made early is one of the smartest small moves you can make after the purchase. Here is why it matters, what to do, and roughly what it costs in Winnipeg.
One key is a risk you inherited, not one you chose
When a car changes hands, keys often go missing along the way. The previous owner may have lost the spare years ago, kept it by accident, or never had one. So you start your ownership already a step behind, with no backup if that single key is lost, broken, or stops working.
The trouble is that one key works fine right up until the moment it does not. If it goes missing on a weekend or at the lake, you are not duplicating a key anymore, you are paying for a full lost-key job and waiting where you are. Making a spare while you still have a working key is simpler and cheaper than recovering from having none.
What to do right after you buy
First, find out exactly how many working keys came with the car and test each one, including the lock buttons on any fob. A key that turns the ignition but has a dead remote is worth knowing about now, not later. If you only have one, or none, that is your signal to get a spare sorted.
Second, jot down your year, make and model, since that decides what kind of key the car uses and what is involved in copying it. Then reach out for an up-front quote. As a mobile auto locksmith I come to you anywhere in Winnipeg and the surrounding area, so you do not have to drive a one-key car across town to get a second one made. Before any work I check your registration and matching photo ID, which is standard procedure and protects everyone.
What it costs, and the second-key discount
For most cars from 2000 and newer, a spare needs both cutting and programming because of the chip inside. Many vehicles from the 2000s use a transponder or chip key, while newer ones often use a remote-head or smart push-to-start key, depending on the year and trim. A spare or duplicate starts from $160, and key fobs and chip or smart keys are quoted to your exact vehicle so you know the price before I start.
Here is the part that helps if you have no working key at all: if I am already making one key, the second key made at the same visit is 50% off. So if your used car came with zero keys, doing both in one trip is the cheaper way to end up with a spare. You pay only once the new key works, at a price we agree up front, with no call-out fee, and the key is backed by a 3-month warranty.
Quick recap
- Test every key you got with the car, including the fob buttons, before you assume you have a working spare.
- Note your year, make and model so the key type and price can be confirmed up front.
- Sort it early while you still have one working key, when copying is simpler and cheaper than a lost-all-keys job.
- No working key at all? Make both in one visit and the second is 50% off.
- We come to you across Winnipeg and nearby, so a one-key car never has to leave your driveway.
Frequently asked questions
- I bought a used car with only one key. How much is a spare?
- A spare or duplicate key starts from $160, and because most keys from 2000 and newer need programming, the exact price depends on your vehicle. Key fobs and chip or smart keys are quoted to your specific car. Tell me your year, make and model and I will confirm and quote you up front before any work.
- My used car came with no keys at all. What then?
- No problem, I can make a key from scratch, which is a lost-all-keys job starting from $200. Since you will want a backup too, the second key made at the same visit is 50% off, so it is cheaper to end up with two in one trip than to come back later. Everything is quoted up front and the key is backed by a 3-month warranty.
- Do you come to me in Winnipeg, or do I have to drive in?
- I come to you. I am a mobile auto locksmith and work on-site anywhere in Winnipeg and the surrounding area, at your home, work or wherever the car is, so a one-key car never has to be driven across town. I just check your registration and matching photo ID first as standard procedure before making the key.
Need a car key, fob or lockout in Winnipeg?
Mobile auto locksmith — we come to you, 7 days a week.
Not sure what you have? Send a photo of your key or VIN on WhatsApp for an exact quote.