Where to get a blank key cut - Not Timpsons?!

[CharlesStevenson]

I'd visited my local Timpsons last week to see if they could cut a copy of my car's key but they said they couldn't supply the blanks.

So I purchased a blank key for my V40 and when I took that back they said their (Timpsons) policy was to not cut blanks supplied by other companies as they'd had problems where said blanks were poor quality and had broken in car locks and they'd had customers complaining.

I wondered, therefore, has anyone else had problems with non-volvo blanks breaking?

Also, if you've gone down the route of not buying keys from Volvo, who did you use and did they supply their own blanks or did you source one for them?

Thanks

[clarkey1984]

I got a blank off eBay, the one with a little tray to put the chip into, and got my local timpsons to cut it for me, it was made clear that it wasn't guaranteed for any period of time as it wasn't their blank, but they happily cut it for me, they've done V40 keys twice for me now, once when I had the orange P1 and also with the P2 t4, then all that remains is to go digging in the head of the old key for the chip that talks to the immobilizer.

[Scoobymolly]

I had two keys cut by a local locksmith, who didn't charge a penny because I give him a lot of work.
I needed a blade, but Volvo want £40 for a blank blade, so I used the new cut keys and filed them down to a blade.
They look identical and work very well.
You couldn't tell the difference.

[CharlesStevenson]

Scoobymolly & clarkey1984, thanks for the replies - I think I'll have a look around some other Timpsons sites and other local keycutters to see who'll do this for me - it can't be that hard to get this sorted.

[Scoobymolly]

If it's any help, you need a HU56 blank or blade.
30621571 Volvo pt. No

[CharlesStevenson]

Update on the key cutting ...

Today I visited my local key cutter who did cut my ebay purchase to match my oe Volvo key.

He doubted the quality of the blank, however, which was supported by the result as shown below ...

The metal was of such poor quality that simply by pressing down hard on the key it could be bent!

That's not something to have happen when it's twisted in the ignition lock, for example.

Anyhow, rather than pay £12 to have the eBay blank cut I paid just £15 for a stronger blank to be cut, which works in my car.

Now to dabble with the transponder chip and put in a refund claim from the seller for selling poor quality keys.

So, beware as to where you buy non-oe keys from

[Bob Meadows]

Timson also sell keys with a little RED plastic insert – looks like a chipped key but isn’t, this piece of red insert can be levered out with a pin. Once out you have a space for a chip-may need some slight adjustment depending on the size of the chip. I’ve done this on a Vauxhall Corsa but no longer have the car to compare the suitability for Volvo; this enabled a normal blank key to be cut at very low cost & a straight forward chip inserted as above without modifying the key body:~ Bob.

[CharlesStevenson]

Originally Posted by Bob Meadows

Timson also sell keys with a little RED plastic insert – looks like a chipped key but isn’t, this piece of red insert can be levered out with a pin. Once out you have a space for a chip-may need some slight adjustment depending on the size of the chip. I’ve done this on a Vauxhall Corsa but no longer have the car to compare the suitability for Volvo; this enabled a normal blank key to be cut at very low cost & a straight forward chip inserted as above without modifying the key body:~ Bob.

Yes, that's the type of key that the cutter I went to supplied, but the Timpsons I visited said they didn't carry that blank shape (?)