I just recently bought a 2003 Base model from a Use car dealer, and they only had one key for it.

I talked to the Mini dealer near my place and for me to get a new key it is about $300. $90 for the key and 1.5 hour maintenance charge to program it.

The parts department told me that their are 2 types of keys for the base model of that year a 2 button and a 3 button. The 2 button takes about 1.5-2 hours to program and the 3 button less then 15 min. So the 3 button is only about $130 compared to almost $300 for the 2 button.

Is it possible to program the 3 button key to unlock and lock only to work on my car? The parts department had no idea if it was possible.

 

What the dealer said makes no sense to me. We have a 2002 and 2003 R50 (base model to you) and as far as I know, there are two types of keys for them (excluding the small, opens-the-door-only key) but I wouldn't call them two button and three button.

Here is an image of the two button key for the early R50/53 models that has the remote control in it:

http://www.carpartslights.com/images/mini.jpg

The R50 key you should have did not have the silver "wings"; those were only on the R53 key. Otherwise they are interchangeable. This is the type of key that operates the door locks and maybe the windows remotely. You press the button with the lock on it to lock te doors and the "wings" to unlock the doors. If your car has been programmed that way, the windows will roll down if you hold the wings button down for 5-10 seconds or so. It is the more expensive of the two keys. If this is the key you received with your car, consider yourself lucky.

The other type of key has the same shape, but with no buttons. It has only the MINI wings emblem on the plastic body of the key. You have to lock and unlock the doors manually with this type of key. It is around 50-60 dollars.

I would advise ordering keys only from the dealer. They will require proof of ownership and will be ordering them directly from MINI. I believe each car is shipped with 10 keys for it; you get two when it is delivered to you and the rest are held in a super secret storage facility in New Jersey, awaiting your order. When you get a key from the dealer, I believe it is ready to go- no programming necessary.

If you already have one of the "button" keys and it is not working, it can be fixed. I can provide you a link to a key repair "how to" that I posted if you need it.

Val

 

Good day friends, some of you know how to program a key to this, since my key is deprogrammed and I can not make it work, and look for articles in several steps to program but do not get it.

 

Hate to pull out the word "dealer" but that might be the best option for getting your key working. I've seen descriptions about how to program a key as well and they seem complicated, and don't remember any reports of success with them. I will check my Bentley manual in a day or two and see if they give a method other than going to the dealer.

Val

 

The newer style key will not work with your car...(the "face lift cars", model year 2005+)
The chip in it for the anti-theft is incompatible. Period. It will open your doors...but not start the car.

 

Hate ro say it, just swallow hard, and pay the dealer $$, and get a working key...