I just bought a newer truck although many still call a 10 yo truck "old"
2012 Ram 1500, reg cab long bed, started out as a fleet truck of some sort// my guess is it was probably a Fastenal truck.
Anyways I only recieved 1 key with said truck when I bought it. Got it from a local GMC/Buick stealership.
I went across to the Dodge stealership to see about getting another (maybe 2) key(s) and I swear their goal is to give customers a stroke.
I got a quote of $140-some for the "grenade" looking part and ANOTHER $31 for the "emergency" part of it, the part that actually LOOKS like a key, PLUS they want another $80 to program the damn thing? That is for ONE.... and with a "20% discount" because the parts guys are friends of mine that I have known since before that particular dealer existed. the "grenade" part lists for $191? W T F??????
why cant we still get by with keys like trucks in the 70s 80s and even most of the 90s??? Even at today's rates I can get keys made for my 85 D150 for under $3 each. why does everything have to be so hi tech? what is so special about them that they have to gouge the public so badly?

I found a couple on FeeBay for $119/a pair but now i gotta go find a locksmith and pay him ANOTHER $80 to "program" 2 keys?? Highway robbery, someone should be arrested whoever invented this scam. I have a snap on scanner that cost me $2600... can I somehow program my own with that?

Maybe this will help?

You might give these programming instructions a shot linky

Cheaper fobs linky

Click the RAM 1500 linky if the one shown above isn't like yours, there's several other choices.

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Thanks and that's exactly where I wound up getting my 2 new fobs from.
I saw some as "cheap" as $17.95 but somehow something told me not to trust them.
Even the $60ish each from north coast was more than they should be.
Why couldn't they have stayed with the keys such e what's in my 78 fury or my 85 pick up?

I have a 2008 mini cooper for driving to work and is now needing a new key fob and up here they want $400 after taxes. These fobs do not have a re-chargeable battery so the auto maker and dealers have you by the balls.

Don't know if this may help? Google is your friend

MINI COOPER KEY FOB BATTERY

You might check with some local locksmiths.

The shop I use says they can beat OEM prices on them.

However I have never had to get a modern key made myself.

As others have pointed out the dealership is the last place to look for most keys.

Do some shopping and there will be plenty of locksmiths who can program keys and plenty of places to get replacement keys.

Ironically the only dealership that offered a reasonably priced Key&fob I have found was BMW. The dealership couldn't make them in house but ordered one to be delivered to our door for about $125. Pop a lock wanted that to program the key at the time.

2 days later the key arrived with the fob and worked fine.

In my line of work as someone who buys and repairs Ram trucks I buy from insurance auctions I have to deal with keys quite a bit. First I will say is don't waste your $ on cheap China imitation key, they won't last. The cheapest way for you to get a key is to buy an OEM used one, which should be cheap since it is programmed to a car that is long gone, then send it to Freshcarkeys.com and they will erase the memory of it for $17 and then you can have a dealer or locksmith reprogram it for you. FYI, all the dealerships will tell you that used keys can NEVER be reprogrammed, but they are wrong, I do it with Ram keys all the time.

That's good to know. I figured you could reprogram old fobs somewhere.

Very interesting!

I hope I don't ever need to find out but what is a good source for the used keys?

Thanks!

I don't have a source for used keys other than myself as I do part out quite a few late model Ram trucks. If I get a builder in that has a bonus 2nd key I'll keep it and have it erased. I would sure think salvage yards would have piles of old keys to cars and trucks they junk and I would think they would be a good source or try Ebay for an old key that someone will sell for $20