dave21478 Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Like the gormless dickhead that I am, I have lost the one and only key I had for my Citroen van. The doors are unlocked, so getting in is no problem, its just the ignition...Plan B is to butcher the steering lock off and replace it later, but before I attack it with pointy things tomorrow, what would the course of action in France be for someone who couldnt do this themselves?In UK, you can phone AA/RAC and they can send someone to help (costs though, not included in breakdown cover nrmally) However, a quick look in my yellow pages shows my nearest locksmith to be about 45 minutes drive away. I dread to thnk how much the call-out charge would be.The van is on minimum insurance cover, so no help there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Oh, and its just a basic flat key from a 2000 model diesel. No fancy immobiliser transponders or plips for central locking etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Any Citroen dealer - of which there is no shortage in France - should be able to order one for you, you will probably need to show the registration document (carte grise) and personal identity, just to establish that it's your vehicle, and to give the VIN which should allow Citroen to supply a key to fit. Should only take a couple of days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 Found it.[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc297/dave21478/DSC00081Medium.jpg[/IMG]The kitten is entirely to blame.It would appear that she knocked it from the table, and while playing with it on the floor, batted it under the fireplace. She does this with pens etc quite often, but because the key is flat, it could slide out of sight quite easilly.[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc297/dave21478/DSC00008Medium.jpg[/IMG]I shall chastise her with the skooshy bottle filled with water. As for ordering a new key, my local dealership are as usefull and helpfull as a hefty kick to the knackers. PLus, I need the van this afternoon.Anyway, while out, I WILL get a duplicate made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Glad you found it, and a good idea to get a key shop to make a copy. In the meantime, I'd find a decent Citroen dealer, should be one not too far away.Mind you, a kick to the knackers can be useful sometimes (as long as they aren't your own). The kitten - if it was male - would probably be young enough to still have some to kick [:D]. (Before all the animal brigade come out, I don't really mean that) But believe me, I too know what kittens are capable of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 O/H lost the orderdinary key to our car (not the clicker) we couldn't get another one cut as it had a code in it - its 2002 Citroen Picasso - replacing it cost around £70 - 80Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniefromwales Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Many years ago I was travelling through London with a kitten in a cat basket in the car (old Datsun Sunny, pre-central locking). Stopped for petrol, kitten escaped from basket, put paws up on windowframe to peer out and see what I was doing and yes you've guessed it pushed the button down and locked the door! Keys were in ignition (you could do that in those days). Waiting for the RAC seemed an eternity, having to explain to an endless stream of customers why I couldn't move my car to let them get to the pump, also feeling sorry for poor frightenend kitty mewing at me through the window. Bless 'em all, they don't know what trouble they cause ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Let's have less of the dissin' kittins thank yew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I agree Dick.Just in case anybody is thinking of getting new keys, I got a duplicate Peugeot key (not the one with the central locking blipper) from a key cutting shop in England. That had a code in it, and all they wanted was one of the other keys so they could copy the code across. Can't remember the cost, but it was probably about a quarter of RH's official Citroen one. I also recently got (while in England) a duplicate key card from Renault, that's the credit-card sized electronic thingy, which includes central locking buttons, and also an emergency key to unlock the doors. That had to be got from France, to match the VIN number records, and including cutting the emergency key to suit the vehicle and programming everything to the individual car, it took three days. So it can be done; should be an even shorter time in France (but French logic probably dictates otherwise). You can't copy those (though some ebay sellers seem to think you can) - everything is electronic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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