10 Questions You Should Be Asking Your Car Key Locksmith

Hiring a car key locksmith can be challenging since there are lots of professionals out there waiting for hire. However, you can lessen this burden by knowing the exact questions to ask your car key locksmith before hiring them.

Think about it. Say, it’s closing time, and you’re out of the office building. You’re standing beside your car telling your dear ones you’re about coming home. Then you dip your hand in your bag to get the car key, but it’s nowhere to be found — Oh No! That feeling can be disturbing.

Your car key is gone. So, you need to hire a car locksmith ASAP! You don’t want to miss that dinner or outing you’ve been waiting for all day long. However, do you know how to choose a car key locksmith? Or you need help getting one?

Typically, hiring a locksmith can be strenuous, especially when you don’t know what to do. Fortunately, you don’t have to figure out the last time you used a locksmith. You don’t even need to flip through those pages because it’s 2021, and when in doubt, simply Google it!

Moreso, you don’t even need to find your computer when you have your smartphone with you. The only significant problem in this scenario is the mind-blowing number of search results waiting for you.

Luckily, finding a professional locksmith isn’t as difficult as it seems if taken with due diligence. To avoid a bad experience, it’s better to ask a few questions before hiring a locksmith for the job. To that end, we will discuss a few vital questions to ask your car key locksmith before they get on the job. Come on, let’s get you driving smoothly again!

10 Questions to Ask your Car Key Locksmith

You can figure out car key replacement in several ways. You can decide to do it on your own or reach out to a dealership. Or you can work with the help of a professional locksmith.

Although these methods have their advantages and disadvantages, the most ideal is calling an expert locksmith. A professional locksmith is the best option you can get to replicate your lost car keys successfully.

For one, a car key locksmith can drive out to meet you wherever you are in Toronto. Furthermore, their services are specifically for emergencies. With a dealership, you may have to wait for the next working day to get solutions to your lost car key problem.

With several locksmiths around you, hiring the best of them all can be tasking. This can happen if you’re new to the city or don’t usually use a locksmith. However, if you want to have an excellent experience with a professional locksmith, start by creating a list of the best online options. You can achieve this by checking their ranking, ratings and online reviews.

Once you’re able to streamline your options, it’s now time to pick the best car key locksmith.

Below are a few questions to ask a prospective car key locksmith:

Do You Program Key Fobs?

One of the many questions to ask your car key locksmith is whether or not they will program a key fob. This is especially important if you use this type of car key.

Key fobs are great. But, they also come with their cons too. For one, you’ll require a new device with no preset program. You may need the help of a professional locksmith to do this task.

A professional locksmith can reprogram keyless entry devices and key fobs. The type of car key you have doesn’t matter. An expert locksmith with good skills can reprogram it.

Do You Offer Transponder Key Programming?

A key transponder includes a small chip that authenticates the original key. However, this key needs to be blank for easy and successful processing. It’s not a small task, so you may want to hire a professional with experience working on this type of car keys.

Can You Produce a Replica Without the Original?

This is one of the critical questions to ask your car key locksmith. It’s even more critical when you lose your car keys. This means there’s no original key that can work as a reference for the locksmith.

So, be sure to ask your locksmith whether the original key is necessary for easy replacement. Usually, professional locksmiths can reproduce the keys with the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) — even without the original keys.

Do You Have Any Applicable Certifications?

A good car key locksmith will keep their finger on the pulse of trends in the car key replacement industry. To do this, a car key locksmith can complete professional courses and certifications related to their practice. Also, they will mostly acquire certifications that are relevant to their areas of specialization.

The reason this is one of the questions to ask a car key locksmith is peace of mind. You don’t want to go through all the stress of getting an expert to your location without getting the results you want. A car key locksmith with certifications is more likely to provide you with a reliable replacement car key.

Are You Insured and Licensed?

Aside from certifications, another top question to ask your car key locksmith is to know their license and insurance status. This may look excessive, but it’s necessary.

Some car key locksmiths do their work with expired licensing. This means if anything goes wrong, you have no one to complain to. So, don’t assume a locksmith has all the proper paperwork. Be sure to confirm all of their papers are up-to-date.

Adequate insurance coverage also aids replacement in case anything goes wrong. An example is an injury to your car key locksmith or damage to your car door. Both will be covered under the insurance, and you can quickly put your mind at rest.

Is There Any Warranty on Your Service?

Is this car key locksmith right for me? Any technician with an excellent reputation will offer a minimum warranty duration of 30 days. This is to cover unforeseen hardware or installation issues. However, if they can’t provide a minimum of 30 days, run!

What Are the Available Options?

Car key replacement is not a one size fits all job. The car key replacement method that worked for your last vehicle may not be the route to take this time around. As such, your car key locksmith must be able to provide expert recommendations regarding the options available to you.

What are your rates?

Generally, car key locksmith rates differ. Sometimes, it depends on your area, services, and sometimes reputation. In some cases, some locksmiths may charge a flat fee, while others may charge per hour.

Make sure you thrash out the cost of car key replacement before the job commences. This way, you can avoid “hidden” charges that come after the job.

How Many Years of Experience Do You Have?

Without proper experience, the locksmith may cause even more significant damage to your car. The chances of this happening are even higher if your vehicle has more security.

One of the questions to ask your car key locksmith is how long the business has been running. A work history with a good reputation means the firm offers quality services regularly.

What Type of Services Do You Offer?

The last question to ask your car key locksmith is the type of services available. Find out if the company offers emergency services. Or look for locksmiths that are an expert in your type of car lock.

Ultimately, finding a locksmith that offers emergency services means you’ll be able to contact them 24/7. If there’s an emergency where you can’t access your car key, you may need someone who responds immediately.

Few Tips on How to Choose a Car Key Locksmith

Car key replacement requires more than just using Google to find a locksmith near you. A few other tips to help you include:

Ask for reliable recommendations from friends and family around you
See if your insurance covers such expenses
Always go for a local locksmith from your area
The cost of locksmith services is not an indication of quality.
Look out for same-day car locksmith services

Conclusion

Before choosing, ensure you have the questions to ask your car key locksmith ready. This will help you get a quality job on your car key with a good warranty in case of anomalies. Put up a list of different locksmith companies and streamline your list based on reviews, recommendations and the questions we discussed above.

You can also ask your local mechanic for a good reputable locksmith technician or companies around. All in all, it’s crucial you find someone you can trust with excellent credentials to back it up. Here at Car Key Replacement, we’ve got answers to every question you have for us. Contact us today for same-day car key replacement services.