FAQs

No. This is one of the most common misconceptions in the industry. Unfortunately dealers have been advising their customers for years that they must return to them for additional or replacement keys. Dealers of course want all automotive repairs to go through them so they can charge a premium and take that profit to the bank.

East Coast Chip Keys can reproduce about 98% of the industries keys, including the latest high security vehicle keys. In nearly all cases, we will actually save you money over the dealer. Furthermore, believe it or not, your locksmith is usually more familiar with, how these systems work, than your dealer!

You will find there are many locksmiths that can generate a new key for your vehicle but they may not be able to program it because they do not have the equipment that a locksmith that specializes in automotive locksmithing has. And unfortunately there are a few that will accept the job knowing they cannot program it just to get the money for generating the key leaving you having to call another locksmith with the needed equipment.

Are you a member of Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) or Massachusetts
Locksmith Association (MLA) and What is your membership number? You can log onto both ALOA and MLA websites and verify the locksmith with their membership number. If they cannot provide membership numbers we suggest that you call another locksmith.

If your like most people you have a large investment in your automobile. In years past almost anyone could open a locked car using a coat hanger or the like in only a second or two. Today however, auto makers have really tightened up the security of almost every car on the road. This means that a trained professional must have dozens of tools and techniques in order to unlock your car with no damage.

Today’s locksmith owns thousands of dollars worth of tools and books on car opening. That is why he or she must charge a fair price to open your car. When you call a locksmith, a trained professional responds to your call. He or she arrives in a vehicle stocked with about $100 thousand dollars worth of tools and machinery, ready for the most complex automotive lockout situation.

In many towns, the police no longer will respond to lockouts unless it is a dire emergency. The more informed police departments do not want to risk doing hundreds of dollars of damage to your car. When you call the police, a tow truck driver, or any other unskilled person to unlock your car…you risk unnecessary damage to your vehicle.

• Police rarely have all the tools or special training needed to open your car without damage.
• Locksmiths are trained professionals that use finesse, not force.
• A botched car opening job can easily do $300.00 worth of damage to the inside of the door panel.
• The tow truck driver prying the corner of your door open and using a long rod to attempt to hit the unlock button WILL damage your car door and you won’t realize it until you hear the wind at the edge of the door when your driving down the road.

Our GPS guided locksmiths will make every attempt to make it to you as quickly as possible. But this is Massachusetts and any given day traffic is unpredictable. Since safety is a company priority all locksmiths will make it a point to drive safely to you. After all if the locksmith gets in an accident racing to you that’s not helping anyone!

As a consumer this is often one of the first questions in our mind. Prices vary from service to service as well as region to region. When thinking about locksmith services, the one thing people don’t realize is that this industry requires trained professionals. In most cases when you call a locksmith you should be prepared for a service charge, plus the charges to do the work as well as the additional cost of parts that may be needed.

Locksmiths will be able to give you a very close estimate for the entire job to be done. If you are given anything in the way of $39/$49 ect to come out; we suggest you call another company!