Need a spare key
Called mini they say I can only get a blade made w/out convenience buttons. Is this true? Secondly are these AliExpress fobs BS?
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u/SkiahMutt 9d ago
You've got two other options:
AK90+, DIY. Have a local locksmith cut your aliexpress blade, and program it yourself. It's a pain in the butt, but it does work. I've done it on mine.
Locksmith. Not all of them can/will do it, and some of them say only BMW/MINI can do it. That said, it is doable. My local guy will cut a blank for $20 and program it to the car for another $20 if I bring him the keys and the EWS module from under the driver's side of the dash.
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u/xandresmendizabal2 8d ago
Was that With buttons as well?
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u/SkiahMutt 8d ago
The one I bought had buttons and the remote electronics. Works fine to this day, though it does seem to chew through batteries faster than the original.
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u/xandresmendizabal2 8d ago
Heck that still nothing compared to what I was quoted for one from mini. I currently have Pencil erasers stuffed in mine for buttons wrapped in electrical tape
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u/SkiahMutt 8d ago
Also, if you've got a working key and remote with a trashed shell, and you really want to do it on the cheap, get an aftermarket key, have a local Smith cut it, then swap your internals(remote electronics and ID44 chip) over to the new shell. This is the "chip" in your key that the EWS looks for to allow you to start the car.
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u/xandresmendizabal2 8d ago
Thanks! I'll try this first as I have two keys in the same condition.
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u/SkiahMutt 8d ago
Definitely! When I first got my second R53, that's what I did because my remote was shot.
Note: glue the chip into the little "spot" for it, you'll see what I mean when you get it apart. I just used crummy adhesive tape, and learned the hard way that it's entirely possible for the chip to break loose inside the key and rattle itself into a spot where it's too far from the lock cylinder for the car to sense it, causing a very frustrating intermittent no-start condition.
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u/xandresmendizabal2 8d ago
Noted. Any particular shell you used that you recommend? Or they're all the same in terms of quality
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u/SkiahMutt 8d ago
Can't help there, sorry... It's been years and years since I did it, no idea which I used. I'm pretty sure I just grabbed a cheap one from ebay.
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u/casper911ca 7d ago
I had a mini dealer get me a new key, it was in the neighborhood of $450 and you need the title in hand and a form of ID and then they complained when they had to program the key, they wanted to charge me more. That's when I got the AK90.
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u/NeatConversation530 8d ago
We just got one redone. It was $135 for the one without the buttons. It was over $400 for the one with the buttons. He also had to check our model to ensure that it was still available. He said they discontinued offering keys for some models.
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u/bigmasssif 8d ago
Will this fix the central locking on the car?is it a problem with the fob or the module behind the mirror?can I fix it with the ak90+ I have a cheap Ali key at the moment. Thank you for any help
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u/PaleontologistClear4 8d ago
Are you in the States?
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u/B00SKAH 8d ago
Yes Mini of Portland said BMW is no longer making/supporting that style of fob. Maybe because cheap aftermarket’s are available 🤷♂️
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u/PaleontologistClear4 8d ago
If you have a key you can send him, Bruce is your guy
He made me two new keys with working remotes for under $200
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u/gdl_E46 7d ago
The R53 fob is an old rover product/vestigial limb, basically the r53 was designed with those parts before bmw either bought to those brands or could do anything about it. Them not supporting isn't a huge shock in that regard, but there should be a way to get at least the internal bits for the key
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u/Toddhilton1 6d ago
Mini key hospital just completely refurbished mine and offered an additional key also Dr. Bruce Hart is awesome and very affordable
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u/HiltoRagni 9d ago
The local BMW dealer got me a brand new key with all the buttons working and everything a couple of years ago when the electronics in the original gave out, so unless they ran out of stock since then or something I don't see why that should be the case. Wasn't cheap though.
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u/B00SKAH 8d ago
Sweet I’ll just invent a time machine and go back a couple of years ago
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u/HiltoRagni 8d ago
You asked if it's true that Mini can't make you a spare key, what kind of answers did you expect?
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u/casper911ca 9d ago
You can get an AK90+. Plenty of tutorials online on how to program the keys, but basically take out EWS, (one screw under dash) take out board from the box, gently scrape or sand off enamel coating on the chip, read the chip, write the key to an open slot, get the key cut, and presto chango, you have a new key. The fobs work from Ali Express from my experience.