TIP: get a cheap key dupe made at the hardware store and drill a hole through it (or get your fave local handyman to do it). Then place said key behind your license-plate with screw through hole. This will keep it secure and it's rare that you'll be stranded without something that can be used (dime, piece o'metal by road, helpful person's screwdriver) to remove the screw and access the key. This $2 fix has saved my bacon many times. Those magnetic boxes are OK but they can dislodge when you hit a pothole.
Brilliant.However, as other commenters noted, if you live in an area known for license plate thefts or your key has a theft-deterrent device in it, you'll want to explore other options.
(Photo: Getty)
]]>I try to keep a spare key in the glovebox so that if I'm ever locked out and I have the convertible top down I have a way in ;)
]]>Also, while your points are valid about parking in better areas, my sister has had her plate stolen in a fairly good area.
]]>Also, most thefts are crimes of opportunity. All you need to do is make your house a less appealing target than your neighbors'. Same applies for a car and the one in the next space. You don't have to outrun the bear, just the guy next to you.
]]>@William C Bonner: My Honda doesn't let me lock the driver's side door while holding the handle. The took out that trick, again, to save us from our own stupidity.
]]>The chances of having your wallet stole are far less likely than locking your keys in your car or losing them somewhere.
@proskills: So if you don't regularly carry around a purse or man-bag to keep the spare, what would you do? You can't exactly fit a fob in a wallet.
]]>Worst case is they're very, very dumb thieves and come to my house to take my car, but I can easily change the locks before that possibility.
Having the wallet-key has saved my bacon FAR more times than I'd like to admit, and it also saved me the time my normal key broke in the lock!
]]>Hondas are actually worth something. Their parts are worth quite a bit on the black market as they reuse many of the same parts for many very popular models.
]]>@BeeBoo: Agreed. Sorry, but it's never a good idea to "hide" keys anywhere. Especially now that this is on the internet, how many car thieves read the consumerist? I know now that if I'm ever tryin to break into a car, I'm gonna check that plate.
]]>And instead of screwing your key to the license plate, why not just save me some time and keep it in the ignition? Be sure to leave me a full tank of gas while you're at it.
]]>get a copy like he says but keep it in your wallet on one of those inside 'pockets'. That's what I do and it's saved me a few times.
no need to be screwing/unscrewing stuff. And if you're seen somewhere near your home at a place that you frequent often, well guess what? you just gave someone a free car for some night riding fun!!!
]]>Both times I locked my keys in was awful. Once I had to walk home barefoot in the rain (started raining suddenly and the sandals were too slippery on the pavement). The other time I couldn't get ahold of anyone for a long time until my friend finally answered their phone and had to come down with a coat hanger. Definitely learned my lesson after those.
]]>AAA (and I guess others as well) can carve your key into a piece of plastic about the same size and thickness of a credit cards.
The idea is that you then keep this in your wallet as an emergency key to unlock your door. However with so many cars using electronic keys (computer chips in the key itself) I don't know if they still offer this service or not. Certainly couldn't hurt to ask at your local AAA office.
]]>@William C Bonner: @William C Bonner: @RedwoodFlyer:
I totally did the same thing with my mini (made by BMW). I'm thinking BMW should unlock the doors when you unlock the trunk so this won't be a problem anymore...
]]>I had an old car that didn't even need a key to start. It was an 81 Gm something. I bought it used from a friend for 200 bucks and he had a light switch behind the seat hooked up to something in the engine.
That was the whole reason I purchased the car in the first place, it worked 8 months then I just junked it.
I have always found it easier to get a penny or a screwdriver from a nearby shop than to get a compatible key :)
As for making the car more vulnerable to thieves: I think a car thief has many other techniques to enter and steal my car without need for the keys.
]]>@WolfDemon:
Only if you have a laser or chip encoded key that you want to start the car. Otherwise, go to the hardware store. Even then, in some cases, you could still get a dupe of the encoded key made that will at least open doors.
Bad, bad, bad idea. Carry one in your wallet or somewhere else on you, never on the car. Even if you live in a "good" neighborhood, your plates could get stolen, and, hey!, now they have keys to your car! Two for one special!
Get a remote entry system installed or get a car with one. I haven't locked myself out of my car in over a year since I did that, because you get in the mindset that you get out of the car and need to have the remote in hand to lock it. Believe me, I locked myself out a lot before this (granted, I also had a '92 Escort, and could break into it with a hanger, but, still...).
]]>@se7a7n7:
That's my strategy. I drive a 9 year old Corolla. My wife thinks I'm crazy for leaving it unlocked with the windows down on hot days. Nobody wants it. Except me, of course. It gets 40 mpg, costs $50/month to insure, runs great and I don't have a car payment.
]]>@laserjobs: What kind of terrible driving record does it take to pay more for State Farm? I have a 100k/300k policy with collision and injury, and a $250 deductible for about $580/6 months. It covers both my primary and secondary vehicle, and even covers me at the same level in any car I drive that belongs to someone else, or if someone else is driving my car with me in it. Less than a hundred a month...hell, window replacements are gratis, and I get rebates on my premiums now and then because someone decided I overpaid.
]]>How about some common sense and...........don't lock your keys in your car! Take 5 seconds, take a deep breath and don't rush around and you won't forget them and lock them in your car.
]]>We live on a fairly quiet street with lots of retired Mrs. Huber-types, so I don't have too many worries about anyone Dremeling their way into it.
]]>the roadside assistance from State Farm (at least for me) was a reimbursement service. Useless if you are broke and locked out or broken down.
I prefere the plan through my cell phone.
]]>Ultimately, if someone is determined enough to go up to a key safe with a Dremel (or other random tools) they could probably open your doors about as easily. You're never going to stop the very determined thief, the best you can do is slow them down and stop the random thief looking for an easy score.
]]>- The idea that we're telling everyone where we hide our key, while superficially seems like a horrible idea, really doesn't matter. Consider that in the US there are well over 200 MILLION registered cars with approx 100M drivers on the road today. Consumerist gets under 300K visits per day, so for the sake of argument (rough math here), that's .3% (NOT 3, POINT 3 percent) of the drivers who visit this site - ASSUMING each visit is a unique visitor, which is probably not the case. Long story short, don't overstimate the reach of Consumerist. It will not be time well spent for Mr. (or Ms.) car thief to start running around taking off license plates looking for keys when max 3 cars in 1000 will have a hidden key (again assuming that EVERY Consumerist visitor takes this advice).
- I don't know what town you're from nor do I know what your criminals do. What I do know is that in Philly there is a very small incidence of people getting their registration tags cut off their plates with tin snips and a still smaller rate of plates getting stolen. I back this with no stats. It's never happened to me nor a friend. I'm not in the habit of parking in shady areas. I exercise good judgment when I park, not because I think someone will steal my plate but because I want to minimize all risk to my automobile. I encourage you to do the same.
- I don't own your car so I can't say how much torque it takes to remove your plate screw. What I can say is that in the rare situation where I've locked my keys inside, I've ALWAYS been able to borrow a screwdriver or use a dime to unscrew it. This is on my current and last 14 or so cars. It helps if you don't screw it down so much that you can't get it off, too.
- I think the key-in-wallet idea is super. Knock yourselves out. I, personally, do not carry a George Costanza wallet and I keep the crap I carry in there to a bare minimum. No sugar packets. No hard candy. No keys.
Finally, I've been doing this since, oh, about 1987. Had more than 15 cars. Some desirable, some beaters. Never had my plate stolen, never had my registration tag cut off, and never had the key discovered. What I have had is the peace of mind of knowing that in the RARE instance when a key gets lost or locked-in, I can get back on the road easily. This has been borne out in practice as well.
Opinions are like assholes - everyone has one but that doesn't mean you want to hear it. This suggestion is my opinion, take it or leave it but no need to be a hater.
Love, Yetiwisdom
]]>The flaw in this plan: One of the license-plate screws is GOING to be rusted at the moment of need, and no dime is going to let you unscrew it.
]]>@testsicles: I think I love you.
]]>I don't understand the need to drill a hole. Isn't there already a hole for the keyring??
]]>How do I know this? -40 out, start the car at 11pm after work, get out to scrape it, scrape it.. and the door is locked. And, amusingly enough, my cellphone was in the car too, having falling out my pocket.
Not every situation is due to idiocy.
]]>My backup key is a plastic facsimile attached to a credit card sized plastic card. The key will let you unlock the doors, and although I have yet to try it, I doubt it would start the car. I keep that card in my wallet at all times. I've unlocked my car at least a half dozen times with that thing.
If I get my wallet stolen, the last thing I'm worried about is that card.
]]>:-O
]]>It would be comparable to going around digging random holes, hoping to happen upon buried treasure.
]]>Better idea: zip-strip it to a part of the frame. It will always be there, and nylon zip-strips are weatherproof. When you need it, just twist the key to break the strip.
]]>How about just not lock your keys in the car in the first place? Newer cars with keyless entry like the Lexus IS make it IMPOSSIBLE to lock yourself out. I've even tried to do it purposely. =P
]]>Won't take the trouble of looking behind the plate? With a cordless screw driver, that 'trouble' is what? 3 seconds?
]]>NEVER call a lock smith. They will rip you off.
Never let a tow truck driver slim jim your drivers side door. You don't want that door broken. Have him do a back door or passenger side door.
Think you just had a brain storm and thought of a place to hide your key or remote? Hit yourself on the head and open a V8. A criminal thought of that place LONG before you did. They know ALL the hiding places. After all, you don't think much about being a good guy. Criminals think about bring criminals all day.
]]>I keep a spare key in my wallet. I am rarely anywhere outide my residence where I dont have my wallet. Saved my bacon a few times.
I also keep one VERY well hidden key inside my jeep's engine compartment (jeep wrangler's hoods can be opened from the outside of the vehicle)
]]>I also have a spare key with a fob in my locker at work, a spare at church, and a spare at my gfs house. Also my brother has a copy of my key, and I have a copy of his key.
But seriously who locks their keys in their car? I have been driving for about 6 years, never happened. I make sure the keys are in my hand before I shut anything.
]]>I think I'd rather just somewhat borrow a Seinfeld idea and have one of my Koi swallow an RFID chip - so all I'd have to do is fetch the fish and wave it in front of the door!
]]>Even if you don't have service, at least you can get to 911 and to TracFone customer care in order to buy some airtime!
]]>I still managed to lock the keys in by placing them down in the trunk as I loaded groceries...so when I broke a florescent bulb and slammed the trunk, the key was entombed! Nothing beats the look on the face of a middle of a cornfield Iowa locksmith when he tries to tackle the situation! (ended up having the g/f fed/ex me her key)
On the plus side...by forcing her to take her purse everywhere, I can have empty pockets!
]]>I went to try it on my Ford Van and they use Torx screws. yikes, no chance of getting one of THOSE in the middle of the night.
]]>Since, you know, you locked your working car keys inside. It's exactly the same whether you have a "door only" key in there or a fully functional one.
]]>Not all states have inspections. In Illinois as long as it doesn't appear unsafe enough for a traffic stop, no one cares.
]]>When not if your car gets stolen or broken into, the first thing the insurance adjuster will ask is "are there any spare keys that are unaccounted for or were left on/in the vehicle?"
If the answer to this question is yes, or is found out later to be yes, the insurance company will cut you off like a tumor.
Probably the best thing you can do if you're lucky enough to have a flat key, is to just keep one in your wallet. If you're a girl with a purse, you can keep whatever kind of key you like in there, but keep it tied down/tethered or something. Having a key attached to your car is a great way of not only losing your insurance coverage, but skirts dangerously close to being accused of fraud should the worst happen. This I know from experience.
]]>Here's a better idea:
If you don't already have a keyless entry or alarm system, get one installed. If you can install it yourself, they're really cheap.
Once you have it, NEVER lock your car any other way than with the keyless entry. Once you start that habit you won't be able to lock your car until you have your keys in your hand.
]]>@sam-i-am: Hey, here's another tip I call the keister bunny. Insert a spare key in your rectum along with a screwdriver (phillips head and flat head), a slim jim, an ice scrapper, sunglasses, AAA card ,a cellphone and some spare change. That way you'll be prepared to deal with almost automotive emergencies.
]]>Why not just do as the article says? It works perfect for cars that won't start without a special key. You don't want to start the car. You want to get into the car to retrieve the cars key you locked inside. If someone wants in your cars its easier for them to break in then search behind your license plate
]]>@tmed: Most women put their keys in their purse when they get out of their cars, soit wouldn't really make a difference if I kept a spare key in my wallet if someone stole my purse.
Having the spare would be handy.
]]>A man walked up and said, "I'm sorry, ma'm, but are you having some kind of problem?"
The blonde turned toward him, tears brimming in her eyes, her bottom lip quivering. "Yes. My remote won't work, and I can't get in the car."
The man stuck out his hand and the blonde dropped the remote on its keychain into his hand. The man said, "Is this the remote to this car?"
She said, "Oh, yes. Honest. It's my car."
He said, "Well, the problem may be that the remote's battery is dead. Once you replace the battery, the remote will probably be fine. There's a store on the corner down there that will have the kind of battery you need."
The blonde beamed. "Oh, thank you. I'll just run down there now and get a battery."
The man said, "Well, why don't you drive down and get the battery?" He stepped to her car, took hold of the key that had been dangling from the remote's chain, pushed the key into the lock and turned it.
]]>@testsicles: I hear you, my 89 LaBaron will not die, and the door locks don't work any way, so I really can't lock my keys in the car. The thing that sucks though is a couple of years ago some one stole my cd player beacuse of this. But they didn't steal the car, go figure.
]]>smart enough to think up this clever hiding place, but dumb enough to keep getting locked outta yer car? hmmmmmmm. let me ponder the dichotomy for a wee bit.
]]>@WolfDemon: go to the hardware store
]]>You can't drill through those keys.
]]>If you're worried about car theft, then don't drive a car that somebody would want to steal.
]]>with the keys in the ignition, headlights on and car running.
]]>THat's a good idea, because I tend to lock the car with the button on the door and not the key fob. I will train myself to ONLY use my fob. It sucks to pay $25 to Pop-A-Lock to open my car, and it's embarrassing to have them arrive in that loud, ad-covered Beetle of theirs.
]]>I have State Farm but I don't have a cell phone.
]]>When I used to drive a service van for a living, I had such a key in a place that most people probably wouldn't ever find it. Even better, the vehicle belonged to my jerkwad of a boss, so I really didn't care if it got stolen!
]]>Also, always be sure to check your key works the lock after it is cut by the person at the hardware store!
]]>My friend did this once, at mall closing, two days before Christmas. We laughed at her extra-hard because if she hadn't stubbornly refused to bring her jacket in, she wouldn't have locked her keys in the car, since the keys were in her jacket pocket.
I'm pretty sure the cold and the fact that we will never let her live that down taught her a mighty good lesson.
]]>@catastrophegirl: so you mean they broke a window when the car was unlocked? to get granola bars? haha! that theif deserves an award!
]]>I replaced a wheelwell screw with a longer screw and fastened my extra key.
I know others that mounted the extra key into the blades on the radiator grill.
Guess what? The good theives already know our hiding places. All of them.
]]>Its an awesome feature that came with my 1996 Chevy Corsica.
]]>Way to tell the world where you hide your key. I think it is a very dumb and stupid idea. People do steal tags and it happens often. I locked myself out once when I was 19 yrs old. It has never happened again and I will be 39 next year. I always make sure I have my keys before I lock the door or close the trunk, ALWAYS!
I would never, ever, ever bolt a key behind my lic. plate. Worst advice I've ever read from this site and as someone else said. You will need a screw driver as most lic. plates screws are big and thick and require a good amount of torque to undo.
Again, worst advice. EVER!
]]>The GRANOLA bars??? *smh*
I'da been mad they went for the granola bars and not, y'know, the entire car.
]]>Okay, now to discuss the topic at hand. I have keyless remote entry on my Honda (thank goodness). I also have a spare remote, spare keys and even a valet key. In addition to the many keys, I have AAA. I think I've got it covered. I don't really like the idea of leaving a key anywhere on my car.
]]>I've now got a BMW that won't let me inside-lock the drivers door and close it without unlocking at all, but I managed to lock my keys in the back while I was loading groceries a couple of years ago.
]]>@kidnextdoor: Yeah but paying 50% more for car insurance is no deal.
]]>Even better yet, just get a copy of a key and stick it in your wallet. I used to lock myself out repeatedly, and until I did this I spent many hours waiting on AAA, or helpful friends with keys.
If you really want to go high dollar, they sell a 'Credit Card Key' for about $5 that is the size, and thickness of a credit card. Just fold out, turn, and voila.
]]>When I had cars without remote entry I was known for locking my keys in the car. After one two many instances, I learned to always carry two sets of keys, one set for driving the car and the other to stay on me at all times when I was out and about. This worked for me because I am not the sort of person that leaves her purse in the car when I'm running errands and I don't leave my key in the ignition when getting gas (where I grew up, that was asking for trouble).
This hasn't been a problem for me since I've had remote entry because I always use the key fob to lock the doors once I am out of the car. This might be a good method for people with remote entry, program yourself to only lock your car with your key fob. Then you are more likely to notice if you're missing your fob because you can't follow your car locking procedure.
]]>There are places which sell the strong boxes that real estate agents use to store keys outside of houses. I have one on the outside of my house, just in case I get locked out by one of my kids or my own forgetfulness. The box I have can also be mounted to the inside of a vehicle's wheel well. You need a combo to get into it, and it would take a hell of a lot of noise and destruction of the car to loosen the box and access the key if you don't know the combo.
]]>Also, If you drive a Ford vehicle that uses those Sentry Key systems that the keys must be programmed, the key that you would get from wal-mart would be a generic metal key blank, with no chip in the head. Theft of that key wouldn't matter, as all they could do is steal your stereo or contents of the car, but couldn't steal the car itself.
]]>You can also keep a spare car key in your wallet. I made a wallet once which had a key pocket in it. The fact that I no longer have this wallet highlights the weakness of this approach...lose your wallet, lose your key. But I never locked myself out of my car or my room ("do not duplicate" my ass) when I had this.
]]>Or, you can never, ever leave anything of value in the car except $4 in change and have your window get busted out for that $4 in change, costing you $165 to repair. Your choice.
]]>Someone once asked me why I didn't lock the door, and I explained that if someone was desperate enough to steal it, they must really have needed a car...
]]>@BeeBoo:
I'll accept the chain around the neck idea, but the wallet idea just doesn't win for me.
Steal a wallet + bonus car. If you lock you keys in your car / lose your keys often enough to have this save your bacon several times, then you have probably misplaced your wallet once or twice.
]]>I purchased a Hitch Safe www.hitchsafe.com and it works great, i can keep a spare transmitter for the alarm and a key in there (wrapped up in sealed plastic bag)
]]>As for the locksmith scam, ye gods, just pay for an annual membership to the AAA. They'll take care of that kind of thing. And if you don't have one of those fancy chip key sets, you can get a plastic credit card key from the AAA that will let you in the door (not supposed to be used as an ignition key but I've managed it a time or two).
]]>