So over the past couple weeks ive been doing a lot of shopping around for new parts to throw onto my mini. Exhausts, CAIs, clutches, superchargers, aftermarket and stock ect. ive looked at seemingly every part and realized something terrifying and awful. I havent worked out all the math due to lack of specs but it seems like the most expensive part per pound on my car is.........MY FREAKIN' KEY REMOTE ! $330+ for a new key programmed and mine only weighs 34g, thats like $10 per gram not as much as some illicit products but not even close to reasonable imo. So essentially i can add 10hp+ to my car or get a new remote, more hp is a no brainer for me so looks like ill prob never get a mini key remote again. Id love for my maths to be wrong on this so if someone could correct me that be great cause this just seem wrong. (ok ive seen superchargers for like $3k and that might take the cake but at least u get a ton of extra hp from one of those)

I have heard of diy job on keys to make new bodies ect but i like the way mine looks and doubt i could make one id be happy with. Id still have to get it programmed too for $130+ if the dealer is even willing to mess with diy keys (wouldnt surprise me if they dont). Ive tried to reprogram mine using the manuals instructions but it doesnt work and the cover on my 'lock' button broke anyway.

If anyone has other options let me know but really i just needed to vent to someone who cares about minis.

thx

 

If you have had a car in the past few years most keys cost about that much. The one for my wife's Mazda CX-5 costs almost the same and it isn't comfort access. The MINI key has way more data and is much more complex too than most keys so for the price I get it. Storing all your AC, Radio, interior light color, blinker settings as well as all your service/maint records and what's required. It's decent.

 

My mini is a 02' so not sure if it has all those options. Even if it does i rarely use my a/c, never use my radio (removed antenna), interior lights are only 1 color far as i know, blinker settings? lol, and i do almost all my own maintenance and when i cant i dont go to the dealer. Even if my mini has those options im the only person i allow to drive my car for any more then one trip so those setting never need to change. so for me its still unreasonable. If i needed all that stuff and it adjusted seat/wheel, unlock when i get close and everything else like luxury cars id be ok with it but i dont and mine doesnt.

I can put an equivalent RFID chip in my cat with all the same info for about $50 and he at least kills stuff for me. I think i can get a door popper kit for less then a new key lol so may be ill just do that instead.

They key itself is about $200 not too terrible for a neat lookin' german car brand key remote and was fully prepared to buy one this morning. The additional $130 for programming is what erks me since im sure they just put it into a pc and type in a few numbers. They are prob making well over $300/hr on keys and that is bs. Thats almost as bad as apple and their peripherals.

 

Several years ago we owned a Jag XK8, bought used, private seller. The car only had one key plus the valet key. I decided that I wanted "my own" key (it was my wife's car) so the first time it went to the dealer for something I had them make one up for me. IIRC it was in excess of $200 and that was maybe in '05 or '06. And THAT key was only a special cut and a remote.

 

I believe the most expensive part of my Mini must be the car jack and lug wrench since my MA told me they are no longer provide it with run flat tires. That said, the my Owners Manual does not even show how to change a flat, it say to call the 1-800 number.

 

My wife paid around $200 for a key for my '06 Chrysler 300C. We then promptly found the one we had "lost"

The most expensive part of my MINI? Easy - the driver, my teen daughter.

 

Yeah I lost my key one time about 5 years ago or so. I had a 02 Protege 5 at the time and was dreading having to get a new key made for it. Luckily though it wasnt the high tech keys of today so it was only like 10 bux or so I think. Also had my keys reprogrammed on my 08 Speed 3 one time cause someone broke into my apt and stole one of the sets of keys. That was like 28 bux I believe.

But to answer your first question... the most expensive thing on my Mini to date is the fJCW exhaust that I bought for it a while back.

 

Weird, my coded BMW cut key for my 97 328i cost me $35.

 

headlights:

new facelift lights 750$
HID proejctors used to retrofit 150
bulbs 80
ballasts 110

soo.... yeah. just over 1100 for my headlights!

-B

 

Most "expencive" part??? Don't know, I'm $15k in.

 

So the cost of the key should take into account exactly how each person intends to use it (or not use it)?

The price they charge probably has a lot do with their fixed costs and sales volume. I don't see a line wrapped around the building to get to the parts counter at the MINI dealership to buy new keys so probably low volume business. From a profit perspective, it's likely a loser for them even at the price they're charging you.

Mini vs. Cat? I'd take the Mini as it can take on larger projects. The cat is constrained by it's size and won't take any direction no matter how many RFID chips you stuff up it's butt.

 

The value of anything is obvously highly subjective. No key is currently worth $330 for me, it doesnt even flip out like other fancy cars !

Yes! It should definitely cost less for me specifcally cause i dont use the superfluous function...... It would be nice though if they would stop being proprietery ****** and let other people cut/programm their keys. Im taking programming classes now so may be ill hack their system and start an underground mini key programming service and make a fortune !

Ill have to get a new key one day and in return ill just start stopping by a couple times a week and helping myself to their cofee, fancy seating, cable TV and A/C. At $3 a cup of coffee it will only take a couple months for me to recoupe costs....crap i dont drink coffee, there goes that plan. Thats why everything costs so much from the dealer anyway and if i start getting funny looks oh well. If the number of minis i see is anything to go by Orlando Mini aint hurting in the sales department not even a little.

Although my cat may not be able to do as much as my mini he is far less likely to get me a speeding ticket too, though i havent had one yet "knock on wood". His maintinance costs are also far lower. Had my mini for over a year now and ive spent well over $2k on it. In the same time my cat has cost me may be $200 on various products. They both make me smile a lot so i wont be getting rid of either for anything.

 

And don't forget all of the $ you're saving by posting your frustrations over a key on NAM instead of a therapist's couch!

 

Just need a couch next to my desk and some of that dragon speech to text software and ill be set for life !

 

The most expensive part in mine is the "loose nut behind the wheel"...

 

The most expensive part on my MINI - The DuelL AG Krone v2.22 front bumper $2560.

 

I was going to say "the passenger".

Keys aren't cheap. If it's not worth the replacement cost, don't get it.
FWIW, I'm guessing the DME or BCM would be more per pound. Fortunately or not, they don't sell cars by the pound. How much does labor weigh?

 

OP-

What leads you to believe it's your key? I have heard of the remote receiver going bad, or maybe both of your actuators have gone bad- that's not unheard of.

What happens when you hit the lock button? When you hit the unlock button? Lock the car, hit the unlock twice and you should at least be able to open the hatch- I've never heard of that actuator going bad.

Have you tried putting in a new battery? It's a CR2032 and is easily replaceable. A red LED on the circuit board should light up if the remote is in working order.

I would suggest doing something because that door lock in your driver's side door isn't really meant for continuous use- it's made out of a rather inferior pot metal and easily breaks where the shaft connects to the cylinder that the key spins (I know from experience). If/when that breaks you are kind of done for as far as locking/unlocking the car (let's hope it's unlocked at the time).

I understand your frustration about overpriced dealer parts- I'm putting a new thermostat/gasket/housing in my wife's '03 tomorrow and just about fell over at the north-of-$100 price of those three things a couple of weeks ago.

If your key is in working order having it re-programmed at the dealer might be the best option, as expensive as it might be. Better than being locked out if the door lock fails.

There are new clamshell shells as well as flip key shells out there for the first generation keys if you do decide to repair your key. I can do some additional repairs and tests to see if your key is in working order and transmitting the proper signal. Programming is dealer only however unless you find the right BMW or MINI independent shop.

Hope you find a solution to this- one key with out remote functions is kind of a precarious situation in a MINI.

Val

 

Valvashon, thank you so much for you helpful responce. I was so frustrated with my key that ive avoided spending much time thinking about it beyond the basics.

Unfortunately Im almost positive something is wrong with the key. My unlock/lock switch in the car works fine as does the unlock function of turning the key in the lock. When the key started acting up it had symptoms of any electonic items battery going bad. Working intermitently, requireing multiple button pushes, reduced range ect. I did replace the battery and that just caused the funtions to reduce to nothing. When i tried to reprogramm following the manuals intruction it did nothing.

I hadnt thought of looking for new shells cause when it was open looked like everything was kinda plastic welded in place. I just spent $1k on other parts for my car so im at my budget for a time but i will keep new shells in mind for the near future. The unlock button somehow got punched out so the key i have is out of commission even if i got the electronics working.

After so long without the remote functions of my key i hate to say that im just kinda getting used to it but may be ill put it on my parts list after my exhaust to return some luxury to my car. Luckily i am a AAA member so if i were to get locked out somehow i would be totaly out of luck.\

@Eric_Rowland

Labor could certainly be the priciest thing on any car luckily for me however im doing all the that i can myself and my time is nearly worthless.

 

Ha ha!

As far as parts are concern though I'd have to say, for now, the upgraded R112 wheels with new Michelin PSS - $2280