New Keys From VIN?

[e21Keith]

No sooner than I have nearly completed one project I've bought another, a 1987 e30 325i, accident damaged and stored since 1999, it needs my help.

I think the answer to this question is the same for e21 and e30. The car came with no keys, I have the VIN and I know I can order one from the dealer with this information and proof of ownership, but therein lies the problem, the v5 is missing and will take weeks to turn up and they will probably charge a huge fee!

The dealers used to be able to cut these from VIN at the dealership, while you wait, but the classic parts guy that I've known for 35 years has just retired and the younger members of staff just look at me blankly when I mention an e series model.

Is there anywhere that can cut me a key from the VIN or a code I can find somewhere on the car? Happy to order one from Europe if that's an option.

[Jeroen]

E30 325i sounds like a lovely new project, just finished one of these myself here! Anyway, I never knew dealerships were actually able to cut these themselves, ordered many keys on VIN but afaik they always had to come from Munich, but yes that requires registration / ownership paperwork.

[e21Keith]

The BMW dealer near me says the key blank is out of stock in the UK and they have to cut it at the parts warehouse in Northampton, sounds like it's going to take a while unless I an find someone who can do it for me?

[mr edd]

Could you take one of the door cylinders to a proper locksmith and ask him to make a key to suit it ( not the drivers door as it will be the most worn)

[e21Keith]

I have thought about that and may well try it. I think it's likely to be more expensive than a new one, but then again BMW don't even have stock of the blank!

[mr edd]

you can get long blanks off ebay...I took one of my door barrels apart and and made a key to suit from a blank useing a needle file as the key i ordered from bmw from code did not work.In the end i ordered a new ignition cylinder(came with two bmw keys) and adjusted all the other locks to match.
ebay e30 steering column with key.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bmw-E30-1987-Manual- ... 0033.m2042
or could someone like jaymic (bmw 2002 specialist) make a key from code

[Jeroen]

Good solution, or get a complete set of donor locks from a wrecker. But it should roughly be the same year and spec, locks have changed over time and with central locking the locks are different than without. But in the end, if you are a patient person, you can make your locks to match indeed.

[e21Keith]

I have ordered the key from the BMW dealer and with luck I should have it on Tuesday. They gave me a big warning that a new key may not work in an old lock, but I have no choice, in any case the boot is deadlocked so I can't get into it. Let's see what happens.....

[Jeroen]

Fingers crossed, and for the boot you may want to consider sacrificing a tail light. No cheaper or more simple solutions imo.

[e21Keith]

Still waiting for BMW to cut me a key, still no key blanks in Munich, every time they give me a date they extend it by a few days, happened 3 times now.

I need to move the car in the next week as it has to go to the body shop for the chassis repairs and I'm running out of options

Local dealers used to be able to cut a key locally from a code that they ordered from the factory, does anyone know of a dealer anywhere in Europe that still has the cutting machine and more importantly someone who can cut a key for me?

[e21Keith]

Success!

I took the damaged driver's lock to a local locksmith together with another undamaged one I had as a spare. I didn't have the key for either lock but the locksmith was able to rebuild the damaged lock using parts from the undamaged one and provide a key which fits all the other locks on the car.

I then asked the local BMW dealer to cancel the factory order for the new key cut to VIN but they tell me they can't cancel a factory order, despite the fact that the factory have been unable to fulfill the order for 2 weeks, have delayed the delivery date 3 times and today still don't even have the blank in stock to cut the key from.

[Jeroen]

Great news. And dealer, hey you guys are not delivering, goodbyeeeeee

[Dodgers]

Hi,

Just curious on this subject, I used to work for BMW Motorrad and would code barrels using a pre-cut key for accessories such as panniers. The key would have a code that would correspond with the numbers on the pins supplied in a pack.

I took apart my barrel as I need a new key but want to maintain the locks. Each pin, 8 in total, have a number stamped on them which denotes a pin height or key cut depth, I'm hoping a locksmith will know how to set this up on a machine and cut me a new OEM key.

I'm sure some people know this but it's an FYI to people who read this post!



Cheers

[uwbuurman]

http://bmwe21.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f ... 8&start=15

Tnx, Dodgers!! We have a Dutch write up to. Just translate by google.

[Dodgers]

Now that’s a proper thorough write up uwbuurman, good work, big fan of the amount of pictures/illustrations included in the posts on this forum!