I pulled some money out of my wallet the other day and a piece of the little plastic emergency key fell out. (It's been in my wallet since early in '06). When I asked the dealer about it, I was told that it was not covered under the warranty and it would cost $50 to replace it.

Does anyone know if this is official Mini policy? My three years is up in January.

DD

 

This probably isn't helpful for you, but that being said... I work in IT and we'll replace items under warranty if it is considered to be a manufacturing defect and not accidental damage caused by wear and tear, which is what it sounds like in your situation. If you hadn't kept the emergency-key in your wallet for almost three years, bending and flexing it probably wouldn't have broken. I'm not blaming you, but that was the consequence. It's pretty standard policy for any consumer product. If you happen to stop by the dealership another time, maybe try to ask another service advisor and see if they'll budge, but my assumption is that they would follow policy and not replace it. Sorry.

 

I understand your point, but wasn't the key supposed/designed to be kept in your wallet? I guess that's what kind of irks me. It isn't like it was meant to be displayed on your wall. . .

 

I've had my plastic key in there for 6 years, and it's as good as new. You could get a copy of your key made from a blank at home depot or something, then tape the rfid thing to the key head.

 

Does the plastic key even have an RFID in it? Isn't it only to open the door, which doesn't require the RFID?

That seems like a lot of money for a crappy plastic key. Doesn't a real MINI key cost that much too?

 

That key can start the car too, and the MINI start key system needs an RFID thingy.

 

I'm pretty sure the plastic key has the RFID in the 'head' of the key, thus can be used to start the car.

IIRC, the 'real' key can cost upwards of $250+

 

Oh. I had no idea that key started the car. Guess that's what happens when you don't have one.

That is ludicrous that a key can cost $250.

 

I thought it ludicris as well. It does start the car

 

it was ~$100 for the key, and an hours time for "programming".... Pretty much a rip-off anyway.... But the days of the keys being just grooves in metal are gone, and they're freakin little computers! Now the key thing has memory with top speeds and RPMs and the like stored in it. Kinda sucks....

Matt

 

I noticed that my local Ace hardware is advertising "chipped" keys, which might be a more pocketable alternative to the huge OEM MINI key.

Anyone know if these work with a MINI? I could live with sticking a metal key in the lock, instead of using the remote, if the key was a lot smaller.