M-Reg Cavalier saloon--Ignition Keys.

[oojimmyflip]

Hi, My sons M-Reg Mk3 Cavalier saloon has a ignition key with a button and a light in it he doesn't have remote central locking. all of the locks lock together when he uses the key in the drivers door or the boot lock. the windows also shut Automatically when the key is turned.

He went to have a new key cut and they told him it was chipped.

does anyone know if this is true? or is he being scammed by an oppertunist key cutter who wants to charge him £30 for a key? the car is 14 years old.

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanx in adavance.

Nigel.

[Envoy CDX]

M reg could likely have the imobiliser in the key.

[Gaz]

Possibly its a bit hit an miss in that era, if you take the steering column shroud off, if there is a black box with 8 or so cables in a row under where the keys go in.

Either that or open the key on a table and there should be a chip about 2mm x6mm x 4mm in the corner nearest to the blade.

[branny361]

the key probably is chipped but there is nothing stopping him having a new key cut and swapping the chip over to it , he just cant use the key as a second one as it has no chip

[oojimmyflip]

theres little point in swapping the chip if youve already lost the key with the chip in it, this kinda makes the whole point of having a spare key useless.

ok thanx everyone we will just take it that the key is probably chipped. what a pity we can't get it tested somewhere.

regards nigel.