**No keys** 2018 Toyota C-HR Design

[Chico_sm]

Hi Everyone, 

I am thinking of buying a 2018 Toyota C-HR Design hybrid CVT via auction. 

The only thing is that it does not have a key, as it was previously stolen recovered. 

Would you know how much a blank smart key fob would cost me please? and how I can go about finding a compatible blank smart key fob for the car, if I win the auction on this car that is 🙂 

Having spoken to one car locksmith, they said £400- £500, for the blank smart key fob and then the programming, but they could not give any guarantees that the car will start but they could give it a go - which I found bizarre?

By the way, the car doors are currently open on the car. 

Thanks. 

Chico.  

[Cyker]

TBH it's a big risk - Most modern Toyotas require at least one master key to be able to make more keys. Without it, there is no official way to make more keys - The standard Toyota response will be to replace all the locks and the ECU with new ones which come with the right keys.

This is quite expensive - At least a couple grand now I suspect.

Some specialists claim to be able to inject new key codes into existing ECUs, but finding such a specialist seems nigh impossible as the last one I knew about last posted on here over a decade ago!

One potential glimmer of hope is flash22 reckons you can code new keys without a master using the Toyota Techstream diagnostic software, which would be a lot easier, but I would have thought if that's possible Toyota would do that rather than replace all the locks and ECU (It would be a lot more profitable!), so not sure what to think of that, as so far nobody's reported success going down that route on here AFAIK...?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Presumably the car has also been classed as a write off.

[Rhymes with Paris]

I don't have the up to date tech knowledge of a lot of the others on here.

But it sounds like buying a big load of somebody else's trouble.

[flash22]

Unless it's dirt cheap, leave well alone, there are other means of reading and programming keys - security and programming is very closed subject

[Chrisg99]

Plus is there any recourse of getting a refund if the engine is goosed if you did get it to start?

Think I would stay well clear unless it is VERY CHEAP! my meaning of cheap is in the hundreds maybe touching the 4 figures.

[flash22]

No doubt It's salvage, you buy it, it's yours, some places allow you to reject it within 24 hours

a 2018 will not be in the £100's, one on Copart at £11.2k with 15 hours to go (plus fees+vat on top) TBH there is not enough margin

£6-7k is more realistic

a straight car without a marker on it will be £18-19k retail with a Cat X you can knock off 10-15%

[Chico_sm]

Thanks Bob- yes that is the one I was looking at on Copart! 

Thanks everyone - I will take your advice and stay clear of this one as it is complicated and looks like it will hit the pocket hard without any guarantees. 

 

[GBgraham]

If you are not in a rush you could wait for the V5 and contact the previous owners to see if they still have a key

[FROSTYBALLS]

1 hour ago, GBgraham said:

If you are not in a rush you could wait for the V5 and contact the previous owners to see if they still have a key

Don't think the V5C will show details of previous owner due to data protection, etc.

[GBgraham]

43 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Don't think the V5C will show details of previous owner due to data protection, etc.

Wow if that's correct how times are changing, they always used to.

My mistake but I haven't had a V5 in my grubby mits for some years now.

[FROSTYBALLS]

48 minutes ago, GBgraham said:

how times are changing

Similar story with service history. The last two cars we've bought, the dealers only wanted the stamped service & warranty book for the part exchanges. Didn't want service invoices, etc despite them being anonymised.

[Phil T]

in 2000 Nissan quoted me £70 to programme a key + the cost of the key fob after my friends dog took a fancy to it. I bought a fob elsewhere and took it in at the next service and said my spare wasn't working. Worked for me 🤣