Help I've lost my keys

[mini-millie-n-dan]

Had a really bad day yesterday. First of all fell down stairs aawch. In between hoovering & taking pics of my mini I lost my keys. We've looked high and low in the car, outside and in the house and can't find them anywhere. Luckilly, I have a spare (non remote though) but what if I loose these too.
Does anyone know the cheepest place to get another remote cut? How much am I looking at? Trying to avoid BMW as everything is much more expensive with them.
Could really do without this, so far this month I have had to buy 4 new runflats and an exhaust

[..Blackadder..]

You are going to have to go to BMW i'm affaid, think its £80 for the remote or £20 for the non then u'll have to have the remote programmed not sure if thats in with the cost, you will have to give proof of the car log book and another form of id sorry.

[mini-millie-n-dan]

Quote: Originally Posted by ..Blackadder.. (original)

You are going to have to go to BMW i'm affaid, think its £80 for the remote or £20 for the non then u'll have to have the remote programmed not sure if thats in with the cost, you will have to give proof of the car log book and another form of id sorry.

Thanks, If it's only going to be £80 (fingers crossed) then thats better than I expected. I'll perhaps ring BMW tomorrow to check. Probably find them once I have paid for another but if I don't do anything it will be a mega disaster if I loose the spare too

[Joolsmini]

awww poor you. Maybe leave it a couple more days, keys have a habit of turning up in the oddest of places (I found mine in the fridge once )

good luck, hope you find them

[minicooperboyuk]

Just make sure the keys arent around outside. Dont want someone else finding them, they may not be as kind as us mini owners.

[mini-millie-n-dan]

Quote: Originally Posted by minicooperboyuk (original)

Just make sure the keys arent around outside. Dont want someone else finding them, they may not be as kind as us mini owners.

I made sure I searched all over outside yesterday, I had visions of waking up in the morning, mini gone and house raided (house keys also on the same keyring). It's driving me mad now....

[Darthbladerni]

Quote: Originally Posted by Joolsmini (original)

awww poor you. Maybe leave it a couple more days, keys have a habit of turning up in the oddest of places (I found mine in the fridge once )

good luck, hope you find them

LMAO in the fridge?? that is strange. i do it with other things though. Like leave the ice cream spoon in the freezer etc.

Hope the keys turn up soon!!

Can you change the frequency on the car to match another key so that the lost one would be useless??

Did you check the hoover??

[mini-millie-n-dan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Darthbladerni (original)

LMAO in the fridge?? that is strange. i do it with other things though. Like leave the ice cream spoon in the freezer etc.

Hope the keys turn up soon!!

Can you change the frequency on the car to match another key so that the lost one would be useless??

Did you check the hoover??

I wouln't know how to change the frequency, would you be able to change it back if the original was to turn up? (In the fridge or not!).
I think we might have to check the bins though rather than the hoover, perhaps a job for the other half?

[Darthbladerni]

Quote: Originally Posted by mini-millie-n-dan (original)

I wouln't know how to change the frequency, would you be able to change it back if the original was to turn up? (In the fridge or not!).
I think we might have to check the bins though rather than the hoover, perhaps a job for the other half?

I dont know either it could be possible if the keys dont turn up the old one would be useless.

[< FORZA WEST]

If they dont turn up and your worried about the m falling into the wrong hands the lost keys can be barred,so basically we have a program that will turn the key off which makes them usless....

[Randall Raines]

If you have lost the keys & proper lost them and you're sure that they are not going too find them again once you get your new keys from BMW (which are quite quick 1 - 2 days) you can have any missing keys removed from the system (your MINI), so that should anyone find the lost keys the remote won't open your MINI and the chip in the key won't start the car or turn off the alarm if fitted with one (OEM alarm), but it wont stop them being able too open the MINI manually and remove the steering lock . This can & should be done when your having your new keys programmed but you will need to give them all the keys that you have (this could make the key almost useless if it / they turn up again ).

Too reprogramme used remotes too another MINI you need too have the bar codes supplied with the key when new or I don't think that you can do anything with a used remote (I could be wrong & I'm not too sure how many remotes can be programmed too a MINI).

On the chip front which are in all keys whether remote or not & needed too start the MINI, the MINIs are programmed for 10 keys hence when you order replacements they will have numbers on the package / bag and the Main Dealers know how many keys are about for that car (not sure what happens if you are clumsy & loose them all the time more than 10 ).

If you get new keys always keep the white tag supplied with a new key in a safe place as the tag has all the codes on it for the remote if it has a remote, chip & blade codes (sometimes needed for programming ).

There are key people about now who can do the keys for the MINIs (they will be few & far between) but your best of sticking too BMW IMO as they are not too dear as has been said approx £80 but I think you also have to pay a bit for the programming or approx £20 without a remote as "..Blackadder.." has stated which isn't bad really and that can't really be done much cheaper IMO.

[mini-millie-n-dan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Randall Raines (original)

If you have lost the keys & proper lost them and you're sure that they are not going too find them again once you get your new keys from BMW (which are quite quick 1 - 2 days) you can have any missing keys removed from the system (your MINI), so that should anyone find the lost keys the remote won't open your MINI and the chip in the key won't start the car or turn off the alarm if fitted with one (OEM alarm), but it wont stop them being able too open the MINI manually and remove the steering lock . This can & should be done when your having your new keys programmed but you will need to give them all the keys that you have (this could make the key almost useless if it / they turn up again ).

Too reprogramme used remotes too another MINI you need too have the bar codes supplied with the key when new or I don't think that you can do anything with a used remote (I could be wrong & I'm not too sure how many remotes can be programmed too a MINI).

On the chip front which are in all keys whether remote or not & needed too start the MINI, the MINIs are programmed for 10 keys hence when you order replacements they will have numbers on the package / bag and the Main Dealers know how many keys are about for that car (not sure what happens if you are clumsy & loose them all the time more than 10 ).

If you get new keys always keep the white tag supplied with a new key in a safe place as the tag has all the codes on it for the remote if it has a remote, chip & blade codes (sometimes needed for programming ).

There are key people about now who can do the keys for the MINIs (they will be few & far between) but your best of sticking too BMW IMO as they are not too dear as has been said approx £80 but I think you also have to pay a bit for the programming or approx £20 without a remote as "..Blackadder.." has stated which isn't bad really and that can't really be done much cheaper IMO.

Thanks for that - a good bit of info. I'm going to have one last hunt tomorrow, if all else fails I will give BMW a call as I need to get it sorted. I don't have the original bar codes for the keys though...
Thanks everyone for all you kind help and advice

[..Blackadder..]

Quote: Originally Posted by mini-millie-n-dan (original)

Thanks for that - a good bit of info. I'm going to have one last hunt tomorrow, if all else fails I will give BMW a call as I need to get it sorted. I don't have the original bar codes for the keys though...
Thanks everyone for all you kind help and advice

Don't worry about that BMW will be able to retrieve them with your reg number
also have you checked where you kept your camera??? you may have put them down somewhere there.

[mini-millie-n-dan]

Quote: Originally Posted by ..Blackadder.. (original)

Don't worry about that BMW will be able to retrieve them with your reg number
also have you checked where you kept your camera??? you may have put them down somewhere there.

Thats good to know. No they were not with the camera unfortunately. Will be the most expensive phots I've ever taken

[Randall Raines]

Quote: Originally Posted by mini-millie-n-dan (original)

Thanks for that - a good bit of info. I'm going to have one last hunt tomorrow, if all else fails I will give BMW a call as I need to get it sorted. I don't have the original bar codes for the keys though...
Thanks everyone for all you kind help and advice

All you will need is your chassis number / reg number & some proof that you own the car & some ID, photo licence passport etc... etc... they will already have all the info (key / blade # & chip #), any new remote keys will have the info (bar-codes supplied), you only need the bar-codes for the remotes if your adding a new one (replacement) too your MINI.

I was basically warning against trying too get a remote cheap of eBay etc.. etc.. as IMO (In My Opinion) they are a wast of money & virtually useless without the codes, the blades (already cut & chips) are no good at all .

Any removal of existing lost keys doesn't need the codes to remove (just provide them with what you have if any), a new key from BMW will open (manually) & start your MINI as soon as you get it the only thing that needs programming is the remote operation (the buttons) and this needs the barcode if its a new one, not used on your MINI before .

The normal procedure if you haven't got any keys is for them to order the cheapest key normally without the remote so that you can drive the MINI too them, so that if their info is wrong or anything on your MINI has been changed and the info not updated ie: they have the wrong key # etc... etc... and the key doesn't fit it will only cost approx £20, once that they know the key fits they will then confidently order you some remote keys at the £80+ programming (you should only need to pay for 1 programming session to remove all existing lost keys & programming) however many remote keys as you purchase, if you have it all done at once ).