The honest answer: it depends on the key type, not the badge. Here's how the pricing actually works in Lafayette — ours and the dealer's — so you can decide with real information.
| Key type | Our range | Typical dealer quote* |
|---|---|---|
| Standard metal key (no chip) | Call for exact quote | Often 2–3× our price |
| Transponder / chip key | Call for exact quote | Often 2–3× our price |
| Remote head key (key + buttons in one) | Call for exact quote | Often 2–3× our price |
| Flip / switchblade key | Call for exact quote | Often 2–3× our price |
| Smart key / push-to-start fob | Call for exact quote | Often 2–3× our price |
| Laser-cut (high-security) key | Call for exact quote | Often 2–3× our price |
*Dealer figures reflect quotes our customers report, not published dealer price lists. Get your own quote and compare.
Savings based on customer-reported dealer quotes for the same key. Your price depends on year, make, model, and key type. Call (567) 227-5397 for an exact quote — the price we quote is the price you pay.
What real customers paid: customers who left Google reviews reported paying between $100 and $400 depending on the vehicle and key type. That's not a price list — it's what actual Lafayette-area jobs came to, tagged voluntarily on Google.
Full side-by-side: dealership vs. locksmith.
If you still have a working key, stop reading and get a spare made this week — a duplicate made from a working key is the cheapest key you will ever buy, and it converts a future "all keys lost" catastrophe into a shrug. If you've already lost everything, a mobile locksmith is almost always the lowest total cost: no tow, no rental days, competitive pricing on the key itself. The kiosk at the hardware store is only an option for old, chipless vehicles — it cannot program anything.
Because "car key" covers everything from a plain metal blade to a proximity smart fob with encrypted electronics inside. The chip type, whether a remote is built in, laser-cut vs. standard blades, and whether you have any working key left all move the number. The vehicle's year matters more than its brand.
Basic remotes cost the least; push-to-start smart fobs the most, because of the hardware inside them. Programming is part of the job either way. Text us your year, make, and model at (567) 227-5397 and we'll give you a real number for your exact fob — see also our key fob page.
Customers routinely tell us their dealer quotes ran two to three times a locksmith's price for the same key — before adding the tow (required if you have no working key) and days of waiting. We cite these as customer reports, not a price list; get your own dealer quote and compare. Then call us.
In order: (1) if you still have one working key, get a spare cloned or programmed now — cheapest by far; (2) a mobile locksmith for lost keys — no tow, competitive labor; (3) the dealership — usually the most expensive path. Kiosk copies only work for pre-chip vehicles or basic blades; they can't program modern keys.
The price we quote on the phone is the price you pay, day or night. We’re a 24/7 business by design, not a 9–5 shop charging emergency premiums.
Text us your year, make, and model — we’ll quote your exact key before we ever drive out.
Open 24/7 · Typical arrival in the Lafayette area is under an hour. · Zero-damage guarantee