MetLife

Simple metal car keys are going the way of the landline.Over the past couple of decades, you may have graduated from a standard metal key to a key fob or car remote and onto a transponder, which has a chip that needs to be programmed before you start your car. If you own a luxury car equipped with high-tech features, you may have gone to the next level of door openers: a smart key, which is essentially not a key at all but a remote control device that you plug into your dashboard or even just leave in your pocket to start the car.Replacement costs for smart keysWhile high-tech devices may bring convenience, they are also costly."Generally, it costs $200 to $400 to replace a smart key on a luxury car, plus you have to factor in labor costs to program it, which can be $100 an hour," says Ronald Montoya, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com, a supplier of car information, in Santa Monica, Calif.Montoya says newer models of cars have laser-cut keys with built-in transponder chips that mu...

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