Experience with aftermarket FOB

Anyone have any experience using an aftermarket FOB. I was taking to a local auto shop that swears they can install a remote starter with an FOB that will work on 2000 C2. I am a little bit skeptical but I have Boxster and 911 with four keys total and not a single remote works on any of them. I can spend $500 on the aftermarket for two cars or ~$1800 for the four keys. Winter time is tough in Rochester NY. Water gets into key locks and freezes them shut.

Before trying an aftermarket trick, have you actually tried taking the keyfobs to a Porsche service center to identify why they're not working? This is "duhhh" comment, but service managers say that many people toss out their old keyfobs thinking they're worthless when they only needed a simple battery swap. You have to be very careful with Porsche keyfobs because of the immobilizer codes that are stored and matched to your car. If you trash those keys, you'll end up having to pay a major amount of $$ to have Porsche change out the alarm/immobilize modules, make new keys, and recalibrate your car's security system. I know of at least two people that have paid over $3000 to get their 996s fixed when they lost their keys.

b3freak, I'm not so sure of that. And, just to caveat, I AM saying more than I know! When I purchased my C2 last September, there were no remote FOBs. The original keys were lost, and the dealer (non-Porsche) had to spring for a new key. Just one key with a "flashlight" head - the kind you see on eBay for $35. Car started and ran just fine. The doors would lock and unlock with the key, but nothing remote. For my birthday, the fam bought me a new key blade and head from the local dealer, then gave me $$$ to have it reprogrammed to the car. I was in and out in under 1/2 hr. Total cost was about $350 for all 3 "parts". I can see having to get a new immobilizer if the doors were locked when the keys were lost, but just adding a new key should not be that big a deal. If there's something I've missed, I'd sincerely like to know, since these cars continue to be a source of "interesting" design.

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Hi Carl, The "key" (no pun intended) to your story is that your car was never armed (i.e. the alarm set).. and, your car wasn't armed with a dead battery which engages the "immobilizer state" of the car which is Porsche's attempt to deter thieves from stealing your car ... basically, "shut down mode" and without the proper keyfob to disarm the car, you're basically screwed. In your particular case, the 996 you purchased was not armed and/or in immobilizer mode which means you can access the car the old school way via the laser cut key and start the vehicle. Hypothetical situation: Let's say you had ONLY one keyfob that would remotely unlock and arm the car. You go to dinner with your beautiful wife and after you double-parked (hehehe) your 996, you lock (i.e. "armed") the car remotely while at the restaurant. You enjoyed a wonderful meal and leave the restaurant hand and hand with your wife smiling as you get a glimpse of your nice Porsche in the distance. You reach into your pocket and realize that you've lost your one and only keyfob! Where is it?!!! You never find it. Maybe you flushed it down the toilet... maybe the butler took it?! We don't know! But you remembered that your wife has a backup valet key in her purse, she happily hands over the key and you attempt to unlock the door to your beautiful German baby only to quickly realize the alarm starts going off loudly and people start to gawk and think you might have stolen that car. You quickly jump in the car, but you can't get the car to start. What do you do? Fall on the ground and suck your thumb and cry "Mommy mommy!???" No, you call a tow truck and they deliver it to the nearest Porsche service center. Unfortunately, they're closed on Saturday nights and so you have to rent a car to get home and wait until Monday. On Monday, you arrive at Porsche and the service advisor hands you nice warm bagel and Starbucks coffee and begins to explain that because you don't have a working keyfob, they'll have to order a new set of keyfobs AND since the 996 was in immobilizer mode, they'll have to also order the proper modules and reprogram new keys. With tears streaming down your cheeks and with your hands clasp in mercy, you plead with them to just ... "un-immobilize it pweettty pwease!" Service advisor responds, "Sorry Carl, that's not the way it works! You see, if your 996's security system had not been armed, you could have easily driven the car to us and we'd log into the iPass system and provide new keyfobs the same day, BUT because YOU lost your ONE and ONLY keyfob and the car was armed and accessed inappropriately, now the ONLY option is to order proper alarm and immobilizer modules along with new key fobs. Sorry Carl, that's Porsche policy" This is a costly mistake for you at this point. Again, we're not talking about making a new laser cut key or even a new keyfob for an unarmed 996. This car is in lock down mode and the system was setup to be protect YOU and even the service can't give you a quick inexpensive fix. In the case of the OP, he wants to be able to remotely start his car but still access it via the old school method of key in the door, etc. Remote starters are a possibility since he's never armed the car, but it still doesn't solve his problem of accessing the car. The aftermarket starter will start the car, but he still can access it with a frozen key hole. My best advice to him, is while the car is still unarmed... go quickly to Porsche and order two new matching keyfobs... and Yes, they'll only be about $300 to $500. But if he EVER arms the car and loses the keyfob, then he's in a world of Porsche hurt my friend. Cheers!