Key’s Locksmith — Local services in Los Angeles

The FOB on my key for my Toyota Camry broke. The encasement that holds the key and has control buttons for the alarm, etc. The key also came off the FOB so I couldn’t just tape it together or Elmer glue it. I tried, but the entire thing would fall apart with the force of turning on the ignition.

I went to Home Depot to have another key made and thought: I’ll have the encasement and the new key both on my keychain, just separate. That’ll be a quick low budget solution, but the key at Home Depot wouldn’t work. I guess the people there are just not advanced key smiths or something, I don’t know, they threw their hands up in the air and said sorry and gave me a refund. I needed a working key not a refund.

I went to the Toyota dealership and the only solution they offered was to rekey everything, new fob! Please! $360 something they said. Hahaha. They saw the back of my head real quick.

I had my sh*t taped for a while. The patience that I needed was out of this world. Especially since I had to take my key out to open the apartment gate with another key. I needed to have them together cause I lose loose items...

Anyhow, I stopped by PapaJohns. Was waiting for my pizza. Thought what could I lose, just ask these guys if they can fix my key issue. By the time that my pizza was ready I drove out of this lot with a new encasement and new key, both functional. Less than $100, a bit over $40 I think for the whole thing. Damn!

I had this done before the pandemic, so like February maybe. My key is still good now in July. Thank God!

Update on February 2021, a year later still going strong. See pic below, note how the keychain part of the old fob is broken. The non plastic part was the part that was glued and kept breaking off with every turn, ugh what a pain that was! Anyhow, I write bad reviews, so to be fair, I take the time to write good reviews...

Locked my keys in the car in downtown LA. Made a call to this company for an $85 open (per the owner). The miscreant that arrived took all my info, license, plates and then presented me a $249 quote - for a late 2000s Ford Explorer. When I told him he can pack right up and go, then the pricing haggling starts. He says "How about $200?"..[me walking away].."$175?" I told him to buzz right off and never try to price gouge people outside of this miserable state. Every other quote was $85-$95. Here is the kicker. The owner said "I talked to him and he said you offered him $20." I told him he had a liar and a thief working for him. Then he says "Well we're a union of locksmiths so I subbed it out. I only get a cut of it so he was trying to make it up and I told him you cant do that to people." Then he said" He's new, apparently they did that at the previous company." - i.e - you know, stuff happens. This is a typical California union racket. Stay away from any of these union thieves and pony up...

My car key was broken and needed a new shell so I came here. The pricing was very reasonable and the owner is friendly. However, when the new key presented a problem getting in the ignition, he called his business partner because he’s better with ignition issues. I believe they were doing their best to help but after I left I noticed the dashboard was no longer working, nor the heat, and my engine was making a weird noise. When I took my car to a mechanic he discovered that they had drilled holes into my ignition, causing $2000 worth of damage and my car in need of a whole new ignition. Again, I believe the guys who work here really did want to help with the key issue but they were in over their heads and instead of recommending I get the car towed and dealt with at a place that has more experience with this issue, they made a choice that not only caused expensive damage to the car, but also was dangerous for...