$200 Key for a jeep liberty --options

July 14, 2011 2:19 PM

My wife broke the hole (I don't know how else to say it) off of her key for our 2005 Jeep Liberty. A replacement costs $200. The perfect answer would involve some kind of leather pouch that the key would fit in which would then attach to a key ring. I'm open to other ideas though. The better ideas will be much less than $200.
posted by notned to Travel & Transportation (21 answers total)

Get some Sugru and make a new uh, hole!
posted by Specklet at 2:21 PM on July 14, 2011 [13 favorites]

Best answer: Like this? I googled leather key covers. There are also these, but I'd be worried they'd break.
posted by artychoke at 2:25 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

A $200 replacement key...from the dealership? I make copies of my keys all the time, car keys included, and it's never been more than 5 bucks. Take it to a hardware store and get a new one made.

On preview, I guess maybe it's one of those fancy keys with buttons? (Does she really need that?) Also on preview, seconding Sugru.
posted by phunniemee at 2:28 PM on July 14, 2011

Could you not drill a hole in the remaining part of the key and thread your key-ring through that?
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:28 PM on July 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

Mix up a 2-part epoxy and glue a key fob to that. The epoxy joint will be stronger than the plastic that it's bonded to. Just make sure that you don't glue something like a metal rod or anything that will have a giant moment arm (something that produces a lot of leverage that will snap off).

Epoxy. That stuff is ridiculously strong.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 2:31 PM on July 14, 2011 [5 favorites]

you can also sculpt one of those key hole covers out of polymer clay.
posted by royalsong at 2:32 PM on July 14, 2011

Ah, if it is a fancy key like phunniemee suggested then it may be hard to drill a hole that a keyring could go through, but you could make a smaller hole and run some string/cord through it and loop that onto a keyring (when you have a drill-press, everything looks like it can be solved with a hole).
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:34 PM on July 14, 2011

Epoxy is the right idea and JB Weld is the right product. For this and any other epoxy project.
posted by dirtdirt at 2:36 PM on July 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I went through this with a Durango a couple of years ago. You can buy replacement plastic key cases on Ebay for about $20. The anti theft stuff they claim makes the replacement $200 is just an RFID chip - or something similar that needs to be within a foot of the steering wheel column to start. As long as you are careful when you replace the case to not damage the circuit board inside it will work just fine.
posted by COD at 2:38 PM on July 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

How about this?
or any of these?
posted by cosmac at 2:41 PM on July 14, 2011

Home Depot has a sign at their key kiosk about replacing expensive car keys. It made it sound like it would be cheaper than getting a dealer replacement, so it would be worth checking into.
posted by soelo at 2:42 PM on July 14, 2011

so with the new keys... could you just make a copy of the metal key part, and then tape the chip part to your steering column near the ignition? I know that sort of defeats the "anti-theft" part, but frankly odds are low your car will get stolen anyhow.
posted by edgeways at 3:06 PM on July 14, 2011

Is Sugru like Shapelock?
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:07 PM on July 14, 2011

Seconding epoxy, especially JB Weld, as dirtdirt mentioned.
posted by saladin at 3:13 PM on July 14, 2011

I guess maybe it's one of those fancy keys with buttons? (Does she really need that?)
FWIW I opened the driver's door on a friend's Jeep liberty with the key and the alarm/horn went off because I did not use the button. So, it may not be optional.
posted by soelo at 3:30 PM on July 14, 2011

Check with a local locksmith shop. Many of them can create replica chipped keys now. I got a replacement key for my old 1999 Grand Am for $60 instead of the $150 I was quoted at the dealer.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 3:35 PM on July 14, 2011

For 2-part epoxies, I recommend JB Weld. Available in almost every home-improvement store, it cures to a hard dark grey, which sticks to almost EVERYTHING, and can be filed, drilled, sawn, and polished. Only downside is a 15-hr cure time, but if you can start it when you get home from work, it will be ready to carry the next day. Or, JB Weld now makes a quick-cure version, which may not be quite as strong.
posted by IAmBroom at 3:58 PM on July 14, 2011

Ebay is your friend - 70 bucks and less.
posted by Poet_Lariat at 8:05 PM on July 14, 2011

I found this site with a $28.99 replacement fob where you switch out the innards...
posted by calgirl at 8:36 PM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

If you buy a replacement fob, get the key part cut, you should be able to clone it yourself according to the manual (quick googling brings up this). You do need to have two working keys though. According to that link it works out a lot less expensive than getting a replacement from a dealer. Best of luck.
posted by Elmore at 1:59 AM on July 15, 2011

When I thought I had to replace the key for my Grand Cherokee, I ended up being quoted around $80 for a new one (no buttons, but the chip or whatever in it). It's a lot less than $200 but still pricy compared to the epoxy/sculpting compounds mentioned above.
posted by brilliantine at 9:38 AM on July 15, 2011