I have the spare key off my Croma it is going on Ebay now

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121178566444?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Apologies in advance, but I wouldn't bid on that.

The picture is of a different model to the original Fiat one.
Condition is not stated - presumably Used.

I don't understand why people don't take pictures of stuff on ebay - it's not hard, so it looks like you're hiding something.

I'm not saying there's anytihng dodgy about it (or you), but you've made it look that way.

I have to agree with you doofer (but don't tell anyone ) No picture and not much of a description.

Has anyone actually located the correct case that doesn't need filing down? They must be around - somewhere....

Yes, they're around... In the Fiat parts store, and they'll happily program one for you and supply it via your ever-smiling Fiat dealer for just £250.

I don't think the thinner one was around for long enough for someone in China to take a cast of one.

I wonder if the thicker one isn't a Croma key at all but something else from the same era, perhaps even a Ducato van or something.

Doofer said:

Yes, they're around... In the Fiat parts store, and they'll happily program one for you and supply it via your ever-smiling Fiat dealer for just £250.

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Not even close!! £381.23!! How the f##k do they justify that??!!

Justification is irrelevant.

Right to free access to what you own IMHO is more important, in deed a given/explicit right.

You buy a new Fiat car. You own that car yet your key codes, radio codes, immobiliser/body computer codes ARE NOT supplied to you but sent to a 3rd party who will not reveal these codes to you even though you own the vehicle!!!!!!

This is a simple case of UK insurance companies making a "block" alliance deal/protocol with other 3rd parties (NVSR etc) and dealers to fleece you for information which in reality you own and IMHO have a legal right to. I'm all for security but when I buy a car or a house I don't want to or have to pay extra money for the keys, paperwork etc. to be able to take FULL ownership of what I legally own.

Whole system is screwed to the core!!!!!

When I bought my car the radio was working but when I put some CDs in the auto-changer it asked me for the code to play them???!!!
Got straight onto the dealer who said the would get onto the previous owner (Fiat UK headquarters fleet demo car).
Two week s later after several phone calls the details were said to be "lost" and not in the folder the HQ had on the car. As a result I was told to take the auto changer out of the car and take it to an car audio dealer who had experience with Blaupunkt who would be able to "interrogate" it and provide me with the code!!!
When I said "and who will pay for this then" the dealer said they would reimburse me and claim it back from Fiat UK.
Luckily I had a Blaupunkt service dealer just 3 miles away and it took them, 10 mins to remove the auto-changer from the glove box and 5 mins to "interrogate" and ten mins to refix it in the glove box. 25mins in all and 15mins later I was presented with a bill for £30. Which I got refunded without a problem

For me making an assumption that Fiat keep the codes "close to there chest" is wide of the mark, they will of course keep the engine ECU and all the "breakdown codes" on the dealers computer but as my experience shows all the equipment on the car is not always covered.

I'm going back a couple of decades in car vintage, but the stereo in my neighbour's Fiesta was locked. 2 minutes of googling found an unlock code generator. Type in the number off the back of the stereo, you get a code you type into it. Job done.

Fortunately clever people also get annoyed by the manufacturers fleecing people under the guise of "security", and find ways of hacking it. I guess it also makes them stealable too though. But does anyone actually steal a car stereo these days anyway?

tarquin1867 said:

For me making an assumption that Fiat keep the codes "close to there chest" is wide of the mark, they will of course keep the engine ECU and all the "breakdown codes" on the dealers computer but as my experience shows all the equipment on the car is not always covered.

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Firstly although Fiat central/manufacturing do have the vehicle key and body computer/security codes this information is not kept on a dealers' systems or any Fiat system the dealers have access to.

In general the codes in the UK are kept by RetainaGroup - International Security Register (was NVSR - National Vehicle Security Register) to which dealers have access to but have to pay a fee to retrieve your cars data. This fee is normally transferred you.

I have had the unfortunate experience of trying to get my vehicles security data from the ISR and they would not release it to me regardless of what proof of ownership, birth certificate, my blood, my DNA ...... However they were happy to dive the information to a dealer. The dealer filled in the form complete with my personal identification data, address, bank details and faxed it of to the NVSR. Nothing came back. The dealer chased up a few days later only to find the request form with my personal data WITH the car key, immobiliser, etc codes was faxed back to the wrong number! F*ing brilliant. Now another fax machine/persons have all my personal data, car registration, all security key/codes and of course where the car is normally parked!

This got me so annoyed I went straight to Fiat UK and escalated the whole subject of owners not being able to get their car's data. When they said sorry not allowed for security reasons I said what security. Not only has my cars security data been sent to some fax machine so has all my personal data. Brilliant!

In Europe the customer who buys a new Fiat get the car's Code Card supplied as it quite rightly should be.

Whilst I appreciate the basic security intent and central filing of the security data it should be made available to the vehicle owner up request by the owner. Sadly it was/is NOT and to my knowledge nothing has changed in recent years other than the price goes up.

Reading that made me think the "Dead Parrot Sketch" was a Fiat production!!

I have to smile at your post because I totally agree. Sadly the reality is not so funny and far more worrying!

Legally challenging Fiat UK/their registrants (ISR,NVSR....) especially in a 'class action' might prove rather fun. I can see it now. Judge and jury own Fiats but had not realised they could not obtain their purchased and owned cars data. I suspect the court will decide that the vehicle owner has both legitimate reason and right to the data as the genuine vehicle owner.

I also suspect that until such a ruling is made then ISR/NVSR/Fiat will play dead, give individuals the "sorry no can do....." response. For individuals who pursue privately their cars data (e.g. via a small claims court proceeding) then I suspect the ISR/NVSR will just cough up the information. For very one person that legally challenges they probably have 100+ people actually paying them, be it privately or via a dealer request.

Makes you wonder who actually owns your car?????????????

halilson said:

Not even close!! £381.23!! How the f##k do they justify that??!!

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You actually get 2 keys for that still extortionate amount of money. You don't get the option of buying them separately - another example of the captive audience scenario! So I now have 3 keys, which could prove very useful.

Another 'con' is that they gave the car a 'free' safety check without my permission. Obviously touting for business; a lady next to me asked them to adjust the handbrake lever during the service, to which they replied that it would cost her an extra £37.50!
All they could come up with on my trusty Croma is that the rear discs were lipped and a tyre was down to 3 mm.

It was a pretty thorough check so that saves me a job before winter settles in I suppose

Yep, they're really beautiful keys - a bargain. I can't tell from the photo - are they carved from ebony? Presumably that red badge is a ruby.

I'm comfortable with chinese tat - cheap crap suits me somehow. Actually they're fine, must get round to the sandpaper-tweaking though.

Hand carved by dusky maidens using nothing but a toothpick Doof.

Each key takes a week to make.

Got one ordered from China today so hopefully it won't take too long to come and won't be too hard to swap over.

BrianMcL said:

Got one ordered from China today so hopefully it won't take too long to come and won't be too hard to swap over.

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Hi,
Let us know who you bought it from and what the quality is like.

Robert G8RPI

Will do Robert

g8rpi said:

Hi,
Let us know who you bought it from and what the quality is like.

Robert G8RPI

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Replacement housing arrived today so not very long at all to get here.

Looks decent enough quality, just need to work out how to swap the innards of the old one over ?