Short answer: if you only have one car key and you are heading out of the city — to the lake, a cottage, or on a road trip — cut a spare before you go. Losing your only key far from home turns a great weekend into a tow and a long wait. A spare is cheap insurance, and the second key for the same car is half price when made at the same visit.
Why a spare matters most in summer
Manitoba summers mean lakes, cottages, festivals and long drives — often well outside Winnipeg, where help is hours away. With a single key, one drop in the sand, one key shut in a locked car, or one fob dunked in the lake can strand you far from the nearest locksmith. A spare you leave in your bag, at the cabin, or with someone you travel with removes that single point of failure.
A spare is far cheaper than losing your only key
- Spare key — from $160, cut and programmed from your working key.
- All keys lost — from $200, because I have to generate a brand-new key from scratch.
- Half price on a second key for the same car, made at the same visit — the cheapest time to get a backup.
Making a spare while you still have a working key is faster and cheaper than an all-keys-lost job after something goes wrong on the road.
I come to you, before you leave
Gaucho Keys is a mobile auto locksmith — I come to your home or work in Winnipeg and the surrounding area and cut the spare on-site, usually 20 to 50 minutes of work once I arrive (30 to 60 for a push-to-start smart key), for most makes and models, older cars included. No dealership trip, no towing. Get it done the week before you travel.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek — two spare smart keys · more on my channel
Frequently asked questions
- How much is a spare car key in Winnipeg?
- A spare car key starts from $160, cut and programmed from your existing working key. A second key made at the same visit is half price. A transponder (chip) key or a key fob starts from $160, with the exact price given up front.
- Can you make a spare for my key fob or chip key?
- Yes. I program spare key fobs, remotes and transponder (chip) keys on-site for most makes and models, older cars included. Tell me your year, make and model for a price before any work.
- Do I need my original key to make a spare?
- A spare is made from your existing working key, so having one key makes it faster and cheaper. If all keys are already lost I can still generate a new one from scratch, but that is a lost-key job (from $200), not a spare.
Get a spare before you head out.
Mobile auto locksmith serving Winnipeg & nearby, 7 days a week.
Save my number to your phone — so it is there next time.
No Fix = No Pay · 1-year warranty on my work · exact all-in price up front
Not sure what you have? Send a photo of your key or VIN on WhatsApp or Messenger for an exact quote.
Related
- Bought a used car? Get a spare key
- Locked keys in a hot car (Winnipeg)
- Locked out at a summer festival or lake
- Why get a spare car key
- Lost your only car key? What to do
- Dropped your fob in the lake?
- Spare & duplicate car keys in Winnipeg
- Lost all your keys? What it costs
- See my up-front pricing
- More articles on the Gaucho Keys blog