the tale of two dealerships

Yesterday I discovered that Transponder chips are mighty small but mighty powerful.

Today I discovered that the dealerships of my breed of car don't agree on how to fix the transponder chip issue.

I rang the closest dealership to my house and was transferred to the service department. I explained the situation to the man at the other end and he then informed me that I would have to purchase a new key blade which would have the transformer attached. Huh?

I looked at the key bits in front of me. I had a blade and a push button bit........I asked the man what I should be looking for. He told me that I would need to get the blade with a U-shaped attachment which would have the transponder on the inside.

I told him that I had never seen this before when the key had come apart. He said probably means that you haven't had it there for a fair while.

How have I been driving without it? I dunno but the chip is attached to the blade.

I then tried to explain that I had seen the chip part in the push-button bit. When? A while ago, but it was in the push-button bit.

I don't think so.....

He continued on with this line but something sounded weird in his description. Once I had got the blade I would have to get the key cut from my key blade which I had already.

Where would this happen? At a locksmith.

Any locksmith? Oh sure any.

Can you do it? Oh - it will take a few days for us to do it and we're flat out at the moment...... If he did it he would have to go the locksmith about 15 minutes away......the closest one down the street obviously couldn't do it.

So when can I do this? Next Tuesday would be good but you'll have to be quick.

I hung up and thought about this.

4 hours later I was driving home from work and thought I might drop into another dealership. I went to the parts section and laid out the bits and explained to the man what I needed. He looked it up and got the part - just like that. I also got a new battery.

He then directed me to the service department so that I could get the chip locked into my cars computer system. I had a chuckle at the efficiency and told him what the other dealership told me.

He looked at me and asked if I was serious. Yep. He shook his head and walked away. I went to the service department.

I am booked in for.........Tuesday. Afternoon.......

All up it has cost me about $90. A new key - apparently that would be closer to $200.