Saving our 20 yr old car

[SpiritedHaunts]

We have a major car issue right now and l am looking for help and ideas.

I cannot walk or stand so mom is the only driver now. The car is over 20 years old and came with two keys and fobs. She lost her key under her seat and no one can find it. The fobs have died years ago, so she has been using my keys for a semi long time. Which ment that no matter how many times I said to put my keys back where I keep them and I think you know where this is headed. After parking in front of the house she needed to get in fast.

Usually if she is going in somewhere quick I stay in the car with the keys. This time was more of a hurry so she took the keys and cannot remember where she put them or have not been able to locate them in the house. She is now talking to some family members about going into leasing a car and I have been pro get on hands and knees and crawl and look behind everything and in everything before getting a new car.

Since the keys went missing all of our appointments have been ubered which did not come in handy for me on the way to get a back M.R.I I stupidly tried to get into a Jeep. They have gotten much bigger since I drove one 25 years ago. That ended with me even further out of commission and no way to leave the house.

She has talked to family members and the closest local car dealership and have not been able to find a way to even get into the car. She has as not called our local mechanic yet and I do not know if there is any way to get into a 20 year old car.

Any ideas about how to solve any of these setbacks would be much appreciated.

 

[GAN]

This may be kind of obvious, but have you reached out to your local locksmith? They usually will do this for a lot less than a car dealer. This option is much better than looking at getting into lease payments for the next 3-years, especially if the car is mechanically sound. Best of luck….

 

[SpiritedHaunts]

Thanks. I am not lead in this ,she is but locksmith before all this said the car has some feature that make that undoable and now the dealership has also said that cannot be done. That will have to be asked again before this is over. If it can be we will still need a way to operate it so where does that go in the list? We will at least know if it can be before I give up.

 

[leebee]

Can you get into the trunk? Once upon a time, vehicles had access from the trunk to the interior of the car.

Can you access the VIN number of the vehicle? Look on the dashboard on the driver's side of the car, or maybe talk to your local town office, check your insurance policy/account, or motor vehicle registry, explain the situation, and see if they can help you. You should be able to contact the vehicle manufacturer and give them the VIN for a key replacement.

If you DO find a key, get an air tag or whatever and put it on the keys, so you can "beep" them from your phone when you lose them. Good luck.

 

[GAN]

Thanks. I am not lead in this ,she is but locksmith before all this said the car has some feature that make that undoable and now the dealership has also said that cannot be done. That will have to be asked again before this is over. If it can be we will still need a way to operate it so where does that go in the list? We will at least know if it can be before I give up.

What kind of car is it and year? Have a mechanic look at bypassing the ignition and install a push button starter. I’ve known people that have had that done in the past to spare the expense of replacing.

 

[tvguy]

What kind of car is it? Unless it is some strange make or model, I have a hard time believing that your local auto club tow truck driver, or locksmith couldn't get in within minutes. 20 years is not old IMHO either. Of course, all the stories in recent years about people breaking into and stealing Hyundais and Kias with nothing more than a USB cable makes me wonder how secure any car is.

 

[lanejudy]

AAA or even your local mechanic (who may or may not be the AAA responder) should be able to get into a 20-yr-old car. What type of car and lock? A slim-jim or air wedge should work though it may depend on how the lock functions.

 

[NannyBeBe]

Your local police may be able to help you if they still carry a Slim Jim with them.

 

[sam_gordon]

If I understand correctly, the issue isn't getting INTO the car (I agree locksmith or roadside service should suffice), but that they keys are now missing.

Even getting into the car doesn't help if you dont have the keys.

OP, ask a locksmith or dealer/mechanic if they can simply change the door & ignition locks (I would think so). Even if it cost $2k, that's cheaper than a new lease.

I would assume any trade in value would DEEPLY decline with no Keys available.

 

[tvguy]

If I understand correctly, the issue isn't getting INTO the car (I agree locksmith or roadside service should suffice), but that they keys are now missing.

Even getting into the car doesn't help if you dont have the keys.

OP, ask a locksmith or dealer/mechanic if they can simply change the door & ignition locks (I would think so). Even if it cost $2k, that's cheaper than a new lease.

I would assume any trade in value would DEEPLY decline with no Keys available.

Not sure trade in value on a 20+ year old car would suffer much.

 

[sam_gordon]

Not sure trade in value on a 20+ year old car would suffer much.

Depends on a lot, but I'd still say no keys takes off 90% of what value there is.

 

[tvguy]

Depends on a lot, but I'd still say no keys takes off 90% of what value there is.

Not sure you would need to rekey it. Just take the VIN to the dealer and have replacement keys cut with the key codes.

 

[SpiritedHaunts]

Wow, quite the amount of helpful ideas. Thanks.

Let me see if I can get all the pertinent details down for easier help to come.

The car is a Buick Lacrosse 2006.

It is the only car and way to get groceries and get shuttled to Doctors. Great thing for delivery.

Both fobs have been dead for years.

Key one missing for I don't know how long, It was way back when I was iin my 20s and driving my own (no longer have car).I am sure it has been only a few years.

I cannot imagine why I was not told or a search to find it was not done including extra security for my key.

My keys with both dead fob, car key, mail key, and house key have been missing since she had to run in quickly.

We deeply doubt that she brought them back outside. So, a kind of a relief to think the keys are inside rather than outside.

She has been in touch with the dealership, who said he was going to call all the locksmiths (?)

At least I now have a better handle on what has been done, the starting of deep dive search has begun and she is taking advice. Thanks again for all the ideas.

 

[sam_gordon]

Wow, quite the amount of helpful ideas. Thanks.

Let me see if I can get all the pertinent details down for easier help to come.

The car is a Buick Lacrosse 2006.

It is the only car and way to get groceries and get shuttled to Doctors. Great thing for delivery.

Both fobs have been dead for years.

Key one missing for I don't know how long, It was way back when I was iin my 20s and driving my own (no longer have car).I am sure it has been only a few years.

I cannot imagine why I was not told or a search to find it was not done including extra security for my key.

My keys with both dead fob, car key, mail key, and house key have been missing since she had to run in quickly.

We deeply doubt that she brought them back outside. So, a kind of a relief to think the keys are inside rather than outside.

She has been in touch with the dealership, who said he was going to call all the locksmiths (?)

At least I now have a better handle on what has been done, the starting of deep dive search has begun and she is taking advice. Thanks again for all the ideas.

Dead fobs are generally easy to fix. Simply bring the fob to an AutoZone (or similar). They can help you o0en it up and reppace the battery.

And don't keep both fobs on the same ring.

 

[NotUrsula]

Have you changed the battery on the fob, or did it get water-damaged or something like that, which means a new battery won't help? (I'm down to one key fob on my car; one of my kids dropped my spare one into a cup of Coke about a month after I bought it. Take it from me, once Coke gets inside the fob cover, the fob is toast. A new battery won't fix it.)

Most cities of any size have at least one lock service that can make new key fobs based on the VIN number, and dealers can do it, too, though they usually charge about $300 for the fob, vs. the automotive key service that will make them for around $80. Some of them will insist on seeing ID and a title in the same name before they will make you a new fob, as anyone can read a VIN through the windshield. Around here the key service is mobile; they can come to you to make the fob; but they also sometimes park their van at Sam's Club or Costco and do them there for a bit less.

 

[Mle8308]

Wow, quite the amount of helpful ideas. Thanks.

Let me see if I can get all the pertinent details down for easier help to come.

The car is a Buick Lacrosse 2006.

It is the only car and way to get groceries and get shuttled to Doctors. Great thing for delivery.

Both fobs have been dead for years.

Key one missing for I don't know how long, It was way back when I was iin my 20s and driving my own (no longer have car).I am sure it has been only a few years.

I cannot imagine why I was not told or a search to find it was not done including extra security for my key.

My keys with both dead fob, car key, mail key, and house key have been missing since she had to run in quickly.

We deeply doubt that she brought them back outside. So, a kind of a relief to think the keys are inside rather than outside.

She has been in touch with the dealership, who said he was going to call all the locksmiths (?)

At least I now have a better handle on what has been done, the starting of deep dive search has begun and she is taking advice. Thanks again for all the ideas.

Like others have mentioned, have you tried replacing the battery in the fobs? That is what I used to do. They usually do open. Won't start the car, but might get you in it. The batteries are usually the tiny disc ones, like hearing aid batteries. You can buy them on Amazon or in a lot of discount stores/CVS.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Check all the pockets on all the things she wore that day, I have left things in pockets and they have gone through the wash then turned up weeks later next time I wear it. If you don;t remember the day try looking up bank statements or credit card stubs, Dr appointment records - that sort of thing.

Does she remember where she went, she may have dropped the keys into one of her bags and carried them in then forgot about it and put the bags away.

Why did she run into the house? Was it to cook? Check the kitchen. Was it to use the bathroom? Check there. Did she do laundry that day? Check there too and laundry baskets. As far as the seat, I have had things slide actually into the seat, there can be an opening in between the seat and that back so maybe try there as well, the best way to access is to open the seat as flat as you can get it and check from the front and back in daylight and with a flashlight when it is a little less bright out.

If the key turns up a great way to keep tabs on keys is to attach an apple tag or an itag pro to the keyring. As long as you keep up with the batteries you can see them in GPS and have them make a chirping sound to help find them in a purse pocket of in between seats.

 

[SpiritedHaunts]

Since I got my set of the fob and key daddy had passed and the fob only could pop the trunk, not up anymore but unlocked. It could also turn on the alarm. So, that was a fun way to learn how to hold the fob when walking.

The second fob did nothing by the time I was involved. We did have them checked out after we changed the batteries and nothing happened. Then mom found out about the $80 new fob but I guess decided on using the money on groceries. No idea where the second is, I was never told about her key and fob incidents or I surely would have made better decisions with my keys.

We tell doctors and others that 'this' money will be coming out of the grocery money, which is true. So, I can see why $80 for a new single fob was not a priority.

I am sharing all of my ideas and the ones from here, to her. She is looking over under behind and in everything. Our mechanic was finally called today and agreed that a locksmith, he even gave her a particular one should be able to get us in the car. They will be coming tomorrow. And she found out about a service that will pay for 4 Uber rides in our city's limits a month! Go mom!

It maybe a costly lesson but I have learned to not to try to get in a huge car when balance and walking are hard, to keep up with 'my' stuff and to ask about her same items so I can help never have this type of thing happen again.

Another reminder to speak up for and assert yourself. Especially when you know better than being shoved in the tallest car ever!!!