Photo by Erik Mclean

Originally Posted On: To dealership or not to dealership? That is the key question! – 24/7 (elegantlockandkey.com)

The dealership is a fun place to go to. Most dealerships hold courtesy transportation services, and the best part, you can always get more “free” luxury machine coffee cups & croissants.

Dealership VS. Locksmith

Car key replacement or programming

No doubt you won’t find any locksmith store near you that looks like the dealership’s lobby. Locksmiths and other professional service companies usually have a crowded store like a dumpster. Locks and keys they’ve collected for years. Nothing like the dealership.

Most of the locksmiths have no big parking lots, no coffee machine, and no courtesy transportation.

Dealership pros & cons

Pros

• Well, besides the coffee machine and cookies, dealerships are reliable. But they will probably call locksmith services nearby to fix the car keys.

Cons

• You have to tow your vehicle to the dealership if you have no keys.
• At the dealership, from the reception process until you get your car back, it will take a couple of hours (on the bright side). That’s why they hold the coffee machines.
• If you think Moneywise, most dealerships will charge you 2-3 times more than professional locksmith services near you. That’s what pays for the “free” coffee machines.

Locksmith pros & cons

Pros

• In every city in the US, you can find a mobile locksmith service. Auto car key programmers operate mobile locksmith labs, and they will come to your location to create a new car key, program a car remote, or even lockout your forgotten keys. All services at your location. Moreover, you may even find a 24/7 locksmith service to come at 3 AM to program your car key.
• The average time of a new car key creation is about 7-15 minutes for a pro locksmith.
• The sweetest part is the price. Most locksmith services will charge you 50%-75% off the dealership price.

Cons

• No sofas, coffee machines, or croissants.
• Since mobile locksmith services have a bad name, you need to find a trustworthy mobile locksmith service near you. You better make sure that this locksmith has a brick-and-mortar store, for your safety & budget.

Conclusions

Everything is Haven at the dealership until you find out the guard of hell is smiling at you from the dealership’s logo on your invoice.

In 2021, most people will call a locksmith when they need a car key or remote programming; they are the fastest solution. As you don’t take your car after a bump to the locksmith shop, you should not take your car to the dealership when you have a car key or remote issue.

But be careful; you don’t want to call any locksmith advertisement on Google.

Locksmith scammers can fool you and rip you off. Ensure the locksmith service you call has a place to come when a problem with your key or remote pops up.

Come to visit Elegant Lock & Key at 802 N Washington Pkwy, Scranton, PA. If you need a locksmith service at your location, give us a call and we will come to you ASAP.