Where can I buy spare key fob?

[Finneganistan]

When I picked up this 2013 135Is it came with only one fob. I'd like to get another as a backup, but I'd rather not spend hundreds at the dealer. Are there good alternatives out there? I checked Amazon but only found shells and batteries available.

I do have the comfort access option if that makes a difference.

[GoRomeo]

Not reqlly. Dealership its the only option from what I heard. Yes be ready to spend a few humdred for a new keyfob. I believe it also needs to be programmed to your car.

[mkeiser]

Last I checked around (a year-ish ago) I was quoted ~$500 usd for the key and another ~$250 usd for programming... from dealer and independent shops.

edit: quotes are for comfort access

[Finneganistan]

Originally Posted by mkeiser

Last I checked around (a year-ish ago) I was quoted ~$500 usd for the key and another ~$250 usd for programming... from dealer and independent shops.

Yikes.

[Lester]

You need to go to the dealer. Somewhere out there is a key fob that will unlock snd start your car. You should get that lost key fob deleted, and the new one added to your cars computer. You can have up to 10 fobs coded to your car. You would probably also want the manual key added, that's another $50 or so.

[CTM Studios]

I tried a couple of auto locksmiths over here in the UK to get a second fob coded. Both struggled to get into the system without warnings that the car may become immobile once they started to code. You can by the fobs cheaply on eBay but in the end I decided to go to a main dealer. A new fob with the manual key cut was about £230 which was a bit less than I thought it might be! (2010 E82 125i)

[ejm3]

My second one just died a month ago and I needed a new one.
I paid $295 total at the dealership.
And I should have paid less since I only needed the fob itself and not the spare key thing.
So its not as bad as i was led to believe.
And it lasted 11 years.

[DönerPorsche]

Check thebmwminipartstore.com, they sent me a key fob after I emailed them required documents. It was an original new BMW key already synced to your car in the dealer packaging. They were $80 dollars lower than my local stealership and mailed it right to my house.

[K9Leader]

My 128i came with only one fob and I picked up a second at BimmerTech.com. Oddly, only a couple of weeks before I bought the 128i, my E91 needed a new fob, which I got from that site. Checking back at that web address, I see that they are now EasyBimmerCoding.com and no longer sell key fobs. This was in October of 2021.

It is possible to replace the battery, but it requires cracking open the fob, desoldering the old battery connectors and soldering in a new one. There are some YouTube videos. This is a good one -

[jdt10768]

Storytime:
When I bought my car, it only had one fob. I went into forensic mode, and tracked down the original owner through receipts, google, etc etc - and e-mailed a possible previous owner. Maybe a week later, someone replied, and they actually HAD the 2nd fob sitting in a drawer. They sent it to me free of charge . . . an actual miracle

[Finneganistan]

Thanks everyone! I didn't see my fob on thebmwminipartstore.com so I've sent them a message. We'll see.

Cool story about the lost and found fob!

[Blau]

Originally Posted by ejm3

My second one just died a month ago and I needed a new one.
I paid $295 total at the dealership.
And I should have paid less since I only needed the fob itself and not the spare key thing.
So its not as bad as i was led to believe.
And it lasted 11 years.

I just cut mine open and changed the battery. They sell new snap together surrounds on Amazon. A quick solder to get the old battery out and new battery in and I was back in business. YouTube University is real, kids.

[Finneganistan]

Response from thebmwminipartsstore:

Key Fob $272.85


Integrated Key $48.28


The comfort access features will have to be programmed to the new fob by your local dealer, there will be an additional charge for that, otherwise the remote features will activate once you start the vehicle for the first time with the new fob in the ignition slot.


Once an order is placed, I will need proof of ownership documents, a copy of the vehicles current registration or title and the owners drivers license, you can attach that info here or email it to TheBMWMINIPartStore@gmail.com.

[ejm3]

what did the dealer say?
I paid less than that at my local dealership.

[Finneganistan]

Originally Posted by ejm3

what did the dealer say?
I paid less than that at my local dealership.

The dealer hasn't responded yet.

[BMWCCA1]

You can Google most programming methods and do them yourself.

[BikeNHV]

I went the Youtube University route with the Amazon replacement battery.

It works but it's a mess. The tabs on the new battery were not identical to the original, so the new battery sticks up too far from the board. Didn't realize this until I tried to epoxy the housing back together... Had to de-solder the new battery to modify the tabs, still not perfect.

Looks like crap and the manual key doesn't clip in properly. I don't use it.

Perhaps the clip-together housings wouldn't have had this issue. The $190ish at thebmwminipartstore.com seems totally worth it. The original key lasted almost 14 years, a genuine replacement should too.

[Finneganistan]

Originally Posted by BikeNHV

I went the Youtube University route with the Amazon replacement battery.

It works but it's a mess. The tabs on the new battery were not identical to the original, so the new battery sticks up too far from the board. Didn't realize this until I tried to epoxy the housing back together... Had to de-solder the new battery to modify the tabs, still not perfect.

Looks like crap and the manual key doesn't clip in properly. I don't use it.

Perhaps the clip-together housings wouldn't have had this issue. The $190ish at thebmwminipartstore.com seems totally worth it. The original key lasted almost 14 years, a genuine replacement should too.

I was quoted quite a bit more than $190:

Key Fob $272.85
Integrated Key $48.28

2 attempts to contact the local dealer, ignored. They don't want my money.

[ejm3]

Do you have only one local BMW dealer?
Also make sure you talk to the parts dept.

[jdt10768]

join the CCA, get a 15% discount on your key at Dealer
you'll also get same deal on all parts, and probably labor
It works out to be a pretty good deal

[Finneganistan]

Thanks for the BMW CCA reminder. I don't anticipate I will ever use the dealer for anything other than this issue; and my local dealer is not listed on the state's CCA page in any case. I just tried twice more to get a quote.