Key Problem Fixed

I posted separately about my key problem which is now fixed. As you may have seen on my post from about a month ago, a spare key that I haven't used wasn't lighting up, and the remote functions weren't working. Also, I couldn't get the two halves of the shells to snap shut. The key would start the car just fine. So, I sent the key to Automobile Locksmith, Ltd. in the UK for repair. The cost of the repair plus shipping back to me was around $55. I paid $20 to ship the key to the UK. I declared a value of $400 (which I thought was the replacement cost of the key), so there was an $80 import VAT that the locksmith paid to get my package for which I reimbursed him. I also reimbursed him for the $16 fee that Royal Mail charged for international handling. I'm now filing a refund claim form to get refund of the $80 import VAT. My total cost, even if I don't get any refund, is around $171 which is much lower than paying around $300 for a new key head and having a Porsche dealer pair the new key to my car for which I got quotes of between $270 and $300 from local Porsche dealers. My repaired key looks and works like new, and even has the Porsche crest on it (see attached photo). My advice would be to declare a value of $10 for customs purposes since the key has little or no value to anyone who doesn't have my car. The only problem is whether you can insure the key for its replacement cost of around $600 in case it gets lost in the mail system. Automobile Locksmith does offer a repair kit for about $10 which includes new microswitches, which are the only moving parts that eventually go bad. The new microswitches would have to be soldered in.

Did they tell you what was repaired? Does it have new case parts? So many questions. My targa keys were a mushy mess when I got my car in 2021. The external buttons and the rubber parts of the microswitches were Gumby-esque. I bought a microswitch set on eBay and soldered them in myself. (I have experience with electronics and soldering, and I have the equipment.) I also bought new OEM plastic case pieces. They didn't fit together very well either! Here's where I got the microswitches. You can also get them on eBay for a lower price, if you have already have the other foo. https://batee.com/products/986-996-b...ter-repair-kit

When I got my Targa, the main 3 key rubber was just destroyed and old. I looked at getting both the main and spare key backs replaced. OEM would have been $40 for both rubber backs only. I ended up going to Amazon and getting 2 replacement key shells for under $20 Amazon Amazon Yes the replacements did not close at first, I ended up removing the rubber gasket from the OEM key, keys closed and have zero issues.

Quotes source post: 19343170

I'm the original owner of my 2001 911 coupe so I know all the keys started out in great condition and have been used very little. I replaced one of the key heads with the "911 Design" key back in (I think) 2004, and have been using that exclusively. (See attached photo). It's now $195 at Suncoast Porsche for two pieces of plastic with a Porsche crest -- it was something like $105 when I bought it. The key that wasn't working has been sitting in the safe for all these years but I still wanted it to work fully and snap closed. Automobile Locksmith didn't tell what part they repaired, but I suspect that they just replaced the two microswitches, which is the only moving part on these keys. The key head looks a bit better than what I originally had (which was in great shape except that it didn't fully snap closed) and now snaps closed. Since the key head has the silver and black Porsche crest (like my original ones) that half of the key head is probably my original one. I realized later that I could have bought new microswitches and soldered them myself. I have a soldering gun but I think you need a soldering pen with a pointy tip for this. Anyway, I'm glad my spare key works fine now.