Yep, another thread about keys. lol

Daughter has my TL up in the bush (Waikerie), I'm in Adelaide.
Rang up the other day, lost the key, can she have the other one, really wants to come down for Xmas?

No way am I letting go of the one remaining key, so I offered to drive up and swap cars, the TL for my TJ while I organise a second key.

Options so far for getting a replacement TL key:

Mr Minit can cut and code a non Mitsu aftermarket key, but needs the car to read the key and immobiliser interaction codes. Excellent price (?) of $135

Ask the local Mitsu dealer if they can supply a key just based on the vehicle VIN.

Any idea of which is the best way - convenience, cost - to do this?

magna keys cost around $85 from memory for a blank. you then need to get them cut and coded to the car( eg $15-50 for cutting, 88.00 programming)

if just for a spare the aftermarket should do

makes me wonder if the immobilizer is even worth having

Standard key & cutting: $8
Immobilizer key & Cutting: $150+
Immobilizer savings on insurance: $20/year?

Seems retarded to me

magna keys cost around $85 from memory for a blank. you then need to get them cut and coded to the car( eg $15-50 for cutting, 88.00 programming)

if just for a spare the aftermarket should do

Yes, did it that way with a Lancer years ago - just the running around between Mitsu dealer and key cutter is something I'd like to avoid this time. I believe Mitsu can order a cut and coded key that will work just from the VIN, but I could be wrong.


makes me wonder if the immobilizer is even worth having

Standard key & cutting: $8
Immobilizer key & Cutting: $150+
Immobilizer savings on insurance: $20/year?

Seems retarded to me

Not retarded at all. A car with a plain metal key is easy to steal, and once the word gets out on the process, your car would not be safe unless it was stored in a locked garage. I've had such a car stolen - HX Kingswood, just needed a screwdriver from the damage I found when the car was recovered - so the immobilisers on my Mitsu fleet lets me sleep peacefully at night. lol

Mits used to cut keys to your VIN but about 12 months ago this all stopped

Mits can give you the code to your key for the cut, take the new key to a lock smith and get the cut done and then the hard part, present the CAR and ALL keys to a dealer to code.

Second options is to have the Mr Minit cut and code, they dont need the car as they can not read the code from the car, all they need is your existing key. I know this for a fact as I have had it done several times for customers.

Second options is to have the Mr Minit cut and code, they dont need the car as they can not read the code from the car, all they need is your existing key.

Yes, that is what I was told over the phone.
When I got there, he put my key in a reader and said after 2001 the system changed and he would need to cut and code the key off the original, then read the responding code from the car when turning the key in the ignition. He showed me the portable reader he would use.

Anyhow, thanks for the news Mitsu no longer do them by the VIN method.

Looks like Mr Minit will get to do this once I get the car back to Adelaide.

makes me wonder if the immobilizer is even worth having

Standard key & cutting: $8
Immobilizer key & Cutting: $150+
Immobilizer savings on insurance: $20/year?

Seems retarded to me

Magna keys are cheap, its all the new cars that cost a penny. New lancer keys are 235 and subaru keys are all 300+.

Plus some companies im sure wont insure some cars unless they have an immobiliser

Plus some companies im sure wont insure some cars unless they have an immobiliser

I've never heard of such a thing

And lets be honest here, what are the chances of your car being stolen immobilizer or not. Extremely miniscule, these cars aren't worth anything on the market (which is fantastic for buyers cause as we know its a hell of a lot of car for the money)
And if it is thats what insurance is for
And if you don't have insurance you're much, much more likely to lose the car through mechanical failure or in a crash than theft

I only have 1 key for my car and it does annoy me, but on the other hand I realise its no longer possible to lock my keys in the car which is the only reason i've ever needed a spare

When I did the ring around to get a new key for the 97 commodore a few years ago the cheapest were Goodwood Locksmiths in Millswood 8373 5090. I needed to have the car there so they could read a code from it. good service.
same price but across town from me was a mob on north east Rd next to Windsor hotel.
Hope I can help someone out for a change!

I'm pricing anew key for my other car - we lost one - dealer wants $275 for key and about the same for a 'third party' to cut and program

Mr Minit at Elizabeth quoted me $135 for the job, sounds like a good price in comparison.

Now all I have to do is get the car down to Adelaide from Waikerie. Looking forward to a nice quiet country drive actually. Won't be any traffic around just before Xmas, surely? lol

Daughter figures she dropped it somewhere while out walking, it's definitely not in the house. Ringing the local Police station to see if anyone has handed it in. Just waiting to hear from her at the moment. If no joy, I'm off on my little drive. lol

I know that this is not Sth Aust, but I had a spare coded key cut for my 2013 Pajero in the Dandenong Market (Vic). The guy needed the car so he could copy the codes. The process took about 20 minutes (he had to go back to the car 3 times alltold). The key did not include a door unlock button, but had the immobiliser chip in it. $65 for the key. Excellent service (no connection other than being a satisfied customer). I already had a spare (non-coded) key wired under the car and the coded one is hidden inside the car so that if I lose the keys when I am in Whoop Whoop, I can at least get home without having to get the car flat topped back to civilisation.

When I got my TH 4 years ago I needed a new key, took it up to the local lock smith who supplied, cut and coded a key for $120.

definitely try Alchin locksmiths. I found him much cheaper than Goodwood. He's mobile: he comes to you. google him for the number. He's up in Golden Grove.

When I asked Southland Mitsubishi about a spare key, they said, just call Alchin, we use him.

definitely try Alchin locksmiths. I found him much cheaper than Goodwood. He's mobile: he comes to you. google him for the number. He's up in Golden Grove.

When I asked Southland Mitsubishi about a spare key, they said, just call Alchin, we use him.

Will do, after Xmas, when I have the car here.

give her the spare key. the original key will then turn up cause your not looking for it.

give her the spare key. the original key will then turn up cause your not looking for it.

If only life was that simple. And predictable. lol

I already had a spare (non-coded) key wired under the car and the coded one is hidden inside the car so that if I lose the keys when I am in Whoop Whoop, I can at least get home without having to get the car flat topped back to civilisation.

this is exactly what i do

Smart move really.

UPDATE: Quiet drive to Waikerie, dropped the second key off, as she is coming to Adelaide tomorrow anyway and we will swap cars then.

TJ drove wonderfully, 7.7 L/100 Km for the 310 km round trip. Not too shabby, considering the number of stops I did, and speed limit variations, and hills on the way. I guess my O2 sensor is ok. lol

. . . . and guess what I found at the bottom of the longest downhill stretch, where the car wanted to go well over 110 KPH? A police car with a radar! Gosh, that was unexpected! (*sarcasm intended *)

I know this is slightly off-topic, but I don't want to start a new thread, and can't find the answer. I've just bought a 1998 TF Magna Advance that only came with one key. After conducting some research I've since found out remote locking wasn't available on the Advance (my father's 91 VP Commodore had remote locking). Is the $130 being discussed here for a non-remote key? I presume they all have an immobiliser chip in them, and programming of that is partly what makes it so costly?

I'm conscious of spending $130 for a key for a car I paid $400 for, but I know I need a second key. Still $130 is cheaper than the $287 I paid for a second key for my $1800 Renault Clio.

Not sure on what "research" you have done but ALL third gen Magna's have remote locking. They all have different forms of remotes depending on model, in the early TE, TF, KE, KF there were several different remotes depending on what option pack you had, once the TH came into play was the same remote (wagons had the boot release button missing but still worked on sedans if that makes sense)

The key does not have the remote, it is a separate part, the remote for the TF can be purchase don EBay generally, is a 3 button remote

I got quoted $90 by mr minit for a spare key for my KH, also picked up a second hand remote for $40.
He chucked my key into his reader to check the code before he quoted me, and said that it was as simple as cutting and programming they key. Didn't need access to the car at all.
Used the car to program the remote in the car park, worked a treat.

I don't need a spare key, since I still have the 'mechanic' key, but I don't have a second 'full' key. So far, haven't needed a second full access key, and I don't see me needing one either - don't have a boot lock, just a bit of rope ;)

give her the spare key. the original key will then turn up cause your not looking for it.

Do you have a crystal ball or something? After driving 306 Km to deliver the second key, and within the next 24 hours, the first key was found in . . . . .wait for it . . . . the bottom of her washing machine!

Back to normal, we now have 2 keys again, and the visit to Mr Minit has been cancelled.

Despite the nice country drive, I'm not impressed by the whole incident! Thanks for all your posts though guys! lol

Thanks Madmagna. When I enquired at the local dealer they said it didn't come with remote locking, only the Verada did. Redbook only listed my car as 'central locking', but the Verada and TL Magna as 'remote central locking' so I sadly assumed it didn't have it. But it makes more sense that it does, particularly everything else from that era does.

I'll have a look on eBay. Amazing how such a little thing like remote central locking can be so great.