Vehicles
A car key made from scratch, if that's all you've got left to work with
Lost keys remade, transponder and proximity keys programmed, and duplicates cut, for any vehicle brought to either Pawtucket counter.
Chapter 01
Losing every key is the normal call, not the rare one
Lost keys remade and original keys made from scratch are routine work here, not a special case, because losing the last key to a car happens to almost everyone eventually. Keys can be cut by code when the code is available, and broken key removal and column repair are handled the same visit if the ignition itself took the damage.
The price gap between a dealership and an independent locksmith is real, and Ryan P.'s review says exactly what it looked like from his side: "I got quotes from different stores, dealerships, and even AAA preferred locksmiths that were well over $200 for a key that broke from the key to the clicker. A Better Locksmith was recommended, so I called. The guy on the phone was friendly, knew exactly what I was talking about, gave me a $50 estimate and told me to come right in, and it would take about five minutes. I got there; he did an amazing job and was done in four minutes."
Toyota key fob being programmed in a vehicle interior
The electronics matter as much as the metal
A modern car key is a small computer as much as it is a piece of cut metal, and transponder keys, VATS keys, laser keys, proximity keys and remote head keys all need to be programmed to the vehicle, not just cut to the lock. Remote programming and new remote start keys programmed are both done at the counter or on site.
When no code is on file for a lock, a key can still be produced directly from the vehicle's VIN, the same information a dealership itself would use. Duplicate keys, cut while a car is already at the counter, are the cheapest insurance against needing that same call twice.
Chapter 03
NASTF, and why it's the one credential that matters here
A Better Locksmith is associated with NASTF, the National Automotive Service Task Force, which is the legitimate route by which an independent locksmith gets access to vehicle key and security data that manufacturers otherwise keep to their own dealer networks. It isn't a certification or a license; it's the industry channel that lets a shop like this one program a modern transponder or proximity key at all.
That affiliation is why a lost-key job doesn't automatically mean a tow to the dealership. Locks changed and all lock types replaced are also available for vehicles, for owners who want the ignition and doors rekeyed rather than just a new key cut to the old one, a different job from the house and business re-keying covered on its own page.
Bring the car in, or have it towed to the counter
Senior discounts apply to automotive work, and both Pawtucket counters, 578 Newport Avenue and 314 Power Road, handle vehicle keys during shop hours, with (401) 475-8007 the number to call first. A car lockout outside those hours falls under the same around-the-clock emergency service as a house lockout, covered in more detail on the emergency-lockout page.
Fob replacement and reprogramming is common work at both counters, and it's usually finished in a single visit rather than the wait a dealership order can take. A spare cut while the car is already at the counter costs a fraction of what a lost-key call costs later.
A Better Locksmith. Bonded and insured. Call (401) 475-8007.