programmed keys

[chucks]

I'm a little curious. For those who say that they don't charge for programming, who is paying for the equipment and time required? If it's the parts department that would seem reasonable, the profit from the key is there and the other costs can just count against that. In the Ford-LM line, some vehicles require the WDS ($10,000+) and some can be done with the 'inexpensive' NGS ($1,600+), either way the minmum time is going to be about 15 minutes if all goes well. Many times all doesn't go well and a tech may spend well over an hour wrestling with the security access required each time the key doesn't get accepted. On several occasions a PCM replacement had to be performed.

[This message has been edited by chucks (edited 11-24-2003).]

[coyotekid]

We don't charge for programming keys...
We're a Nissan store, have to use the Consult II, $3500.00, to do the job. The CHEAPEST programmable key is $50.. some of the newer ones are over a hundred.. Either myself or one of my advisors do the programming. Not the techs.. (otherwise, I'd have to open an RO to pay them.. ) I can have the vehicle programmed on the customer on the way by the time the RO is written!! We take the time while programming the key to talk to the customer about their vehicle, how they like it, what services they may be due for and what's involved and getting them done.. It works for us.... I don't even charge for it if the customer bought a used car some where else.. I'd much rather work on "stealing" them away!!