Did anyone watch Autotrader on Discovery Realtime last night where Mike Brewer ran a feature on a secondhand MK 2 Fiat Punto and cheerfully advised all prospective buyers to walk away from any Punto without a "red" master key? This is wildly misleading because the red key only applied to some of the MK one model 94-99 and NOT the 99-current MK 2 model. A call to any local Fiat main dealer will confirm this, as I indeed did.
This duff information from Mike Brewer could seriously jeopardise any unsuspecting person who is trying to sell a MK 2 Punto either to unknowledgable private buyers or crafty dealers who could easily take advantage.
Also surprised that Mike Brewer produced such a gaff after all his years in the trade.
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As a general rule all Fiats should be avoided if it should have a red master key. Many older Fiats have lost this key and although no problem may occur, the repair cost can outweigh the car's value. If an engine management problem occurs then a new ECU has to be fitted to the engine along with new locks - about £1000 by a Fiat dealer. Many trade sellers hope to find someone who does not know this.
However there are companies that can reprogram the ECU at a far lower cost, e.g.
www.radiocodeman.co.uk/fiat-red-key.htm
www.lostcarkeys.co.uk/
A quick check on google should turn someone up locally. As you will see from the second link, the red key problem does not just apply to Fiats.
For your information I drive a Fiat Marea Weekend and when I was looking I would not entertain any of them without the red master key. As it was I found one with a red key and a blue key, so I am still missing a blue key - but I can live with that.
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Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
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This guy can clone a new blue key from a blue or a red key:
alex@icsystems.co.uk
But you can´t clone the red key from the blue one.
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A bit off topic, but I am not enjoying Mike Brewer's Autotrader show as much as say, Wheeler Dealers. It seems quite repetitive and lightweight. I like Ed China but he seems to spend the show cleaning cars.
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back on topic i can sort your red key dilemma for £200 on any mk1 punto ;-)
and make vast amounts of dosh
i sold a late siecento the other week and it took ages to convince the punter it didnt have a red key.
man with red and blue key--------- any decent shoe repair business can clone you a blue from the red if you really want another
to all you people with an old punto with no red ,dont worry be happy.
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man with red and blue key--------- any decent shoe repair business can clone you a blue from the red if you really want another
Oldman knows far more than I ever hope to about Puntos, but... As I understand it:
A cheaply produced blue key is likely to be an electronically copied (cloned) version of an existing working blue key.
It's my understanding that the whole point of the red key is to enable the immobiliser to learn about new "blue" keys with a different transponder chip which the immobiliser hasn't seen before, and subsequently accept it as a recognised key.
It's a one off operation for a new blue key which doesn't have a cloned transponder chip from a working blue key, and is the only intended use for the red key.
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Hi there mate,
I have just lost my blue key and I have never had the original red. Now I cant afford the to get a whole lock fitted as I am a student and anyway that would be worth more that the car. Do you know any affordable solution to the problem (would be willing to spend about £200)? I live in leeds at the moment and due to not being able to drive my car I cant really get anyway easily. Any help would be much appreciated, call on 0774077998
cheers Tristan
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Tristan,
Not sure if the following is of any help to you or not?
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=18519&...e
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Hi there mate, I have just lost my blue key and I have never had the original red. Now I cant afford the to get a whole lock fitted as I am a student and anyway that would be worth more that the car. Do you know any affordable solution to the problem (would be willing to spend about £200)? I live in leeds at the moment and due to not being able to drive my car I cant really get anyway easily. Any help would be much appreciated, call on 0774077998 cheers Tristan
This company will do it all by mail:
www.codeman.org/fiat.html
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