www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

My grandson turns 17 soon so my son was looking at a car for him and a second car for them. I advised that it would be best to buy an older car as scrapes are bound to happen in the first few years. A guy I follow on YouTube who repairs written-off cars, it seems insurance write-off cars for a broken bumper these days. You can see all the work he does to bring older cars back to life in his videos, he is very thorough. He is local to us and we sourced a lovely Fiesta from him which will be an ideal first car. It only had one key and that was very worn so I was looking at getting a spare and a refurb of the existing key body. I first checked Ford and those robbing bastards said they needed the car booked in so I could see the £s racking up. I looked at Timpsons and that was an astronomic figure too. I tried a franchise car key place and the Albanian said £180 so it seemed that this was around the figure just for the copy remote key. I took a dislike to him as his customer skills were nonexistent and backed away.

I was looking around the internet and found an independent who when I phoned was cheery, bright, and helpful. He quoted £140 for the copy and £20 for the refurb, they came yesterday. It was all done tested and a perfect job in 20 minutes. It was a pleasure to deal with him and he was a good price. https://speedykeys.co.uk if you are in Essex. Time spent on research is seldom wasted.

DWD

Years ago I had a secondhand MK1 Ford escort only one key, managed to break it in the lock. Tweezers got the bit out took to Motor parts dealer that cut keys young lad said “ sorry can’t cut that has to be in one piece “ bought a blank of him went home hacksaw and file went back can you copy this? Response was “ how did you do that” I said some of us know how to use the tools you sell.

dewaltdisney wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2024 8:25 am A guy I follow on YouTube who repairs written-off cars

Its not Salvage Rebuilds is it?

They use a guy called Iden I think although Robb keeps pronouncing his name Aiden.

No Ressurwreck. He is only a small channel but ge does the videos, so buyers can see his work. I watch Chris and Rob, Auto Alex, Matt Armstrong, and a few others. These channels are better entertainment than the main TV channels and get higher viewing stats than Eastenders.

DWD

ill check that channel out like dwd just to see what he does. i always think its a shame when cars get wrote off for next to f*ck all like

Matt Armstrong's latest video has had 3.3 million views in a week to prove my point about Eastenders. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaZHQYIiTfY

DWD

My overseas car is a 3 year old 1.5 Honda Jazz, key less entry, lovely car; many key cutters here, even in the entrances to the larger supermarkets. I asked today how much for a copy, though he had many similar in his display he had to call the boss, came back as £85 and one hour with the car, but from Honda, nearer £200 which is OTT for here.
I got my 1972 Beetle a spare, cut with original blank, for £5, a non original would have been half that.
Same with my meds, I read shortages in UK and despite years on them, they only prescribe me a months supply, so here I get good generic for small money, even my urea skin cream, made in Spain, for less than half UK prices, no wonder many choose to retire here, but not me, too hot for half the year.

I had to replace the barrel on my transit a little while ago. Got one off ebay for something like a tenner. It came with two keys but of course they are unchipped. I wasn't prepared to pay the silly amount for another chipped key so I simply bolted the old key to the new one. Works fine and when I took it for the mot they said it was a common sight.

my friends seem to be buying classic "classed" cars as the insurance is much lower and no roadfund tax - before 1st Jan 1984