Just been browsing the Punto Guides and spotted a couple of guides for fitting a remote central locking kit for cars which already have central locking.

This is a feature that I'd love on my Punto but I noticed the guides were written a while ago so wondered whether these kits are worth the money or did they all stop working after a year or so?

I spotted THIS KIT on eBay for £21.49, what's the black box all about as I thought the kit was just a few wires? I like the boot popper option too.

EDIT: Just found THIS ONE which is a few quid cheaper but basically the same thing.

Are you aware that this kit is only to add remote control of an already existing central locking kit and not actually a central locking kit? The black box is the receiver/controller which takes the signal from the remote fob, and sends a signal to your current central locking, telling it to unlock.

If your car does not have central locking, you will need a central locking kit which would contain a controller, two/four lock actuators, wiring, and if you want the boot release option too, an actuating motor for that too.

Yes I knew that, I've got a 2003 Active Sport which has central locking but not remote central locking.

fiat do a plug an play device for this now, think its abot £60 but a lot less hassle

£60?!?! I'm not made of money! Fifteen quid is more my style.

Phil_ said:

£60?!?! I'm not made of money! Fifteen quid is more my style.

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But if that £20 eBay special has not got proper encryption, then you could be losing a lot more than £60 when some bugger with a learning RF remote gets into your car.

But can they only do that when I press the button? I remember seeing something similar on the telly once. A guy walked up to his car, pressed the keyfob and in the few seconds he was pressing the button another guy had a little gadget which somehow learned the signal. He was then able to unlock this blokes doors.

If that's the case then I'd risk it as it's unlikely someone would be standing within 30 metres of my car waiting for me to press the keyfob button.

If the encryption is really poor, they may not even need to do that. It may just be the same signal for every model. Could even be a scam, they supply the kit to your address, they know where you live, and then they pop round one day with their master-fob to see if there is anything in your car worth knicking. I don't know, but check with your insurance company, there may be a minimum standard that remote locking needs to conform to.

If the difference in cost between £20 and £60 is a real issue, you have to ask yourself, do you need remote central locking anyway? £20 would be better off spent on something your car needs.

Well £60 is still cheap but I didn't want to spend £60 if a £20 kit will do the same job.

I have a distrust of Fiat especially this week after they quoted me £115 for an unprogrammed key and I went to a locksmith and bought one for a fiver.

Phil_ said:

I have a distrust of Fiat especially this week after they quoted me £115 for an unprogrammed key and I went to a locksmith and bought one for a fiver.

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That is a rip-off, unless they simply could not supply you an uncoded one, and had to give you a coded one but still...

It's not too OTT, I was reading another topic on here yesterday and the guy was quoted £90 for an unprogrammed key. How the hell Fiat can charge that amount when a local locksmith can take a key off the shelf and cut one for a fiver is beyond me.

This thread's got me interested in purchasing a central locking kit for my car. I have a 5 door punto which doesn't already have central locking, so would something like this work?: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-FIAT-PUNT...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item5636db24b7

£60 for the Fiat kit and fit it yourself makes the most sense...
1 you know it will fit
2 you know it will work
3 In 2 months time it will still be working
4 In 3 months time you'll have forgotten the extra £40
5 In 4 months time you will still have the car

BTW can Shop4Parts get the Fiat kit?