How much does a locksmith cost? That's ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Liquid Snake

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My girlfriend left her car key in the trunk and we called locksmith to come over this afternoon. They charged us $150....................that's too much......ouch....:spock::oh_no:

Does anyone know if this is a reasonable price we paid?
 

SouthtownKid

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Yeah, that is too much. Probably more than the girlfriend is worth. Go to the gas station, ask to borrow their slim jim, open the driver's door. Pop the trunk. FREE.

That's the price you should have paid. FREE
 

Lee Gray

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I know they charge alot but its still not right but they know they got you in a fix.
 

GohanX

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The going rate around here is about 50 bucks or so. You got raped.
 

Lagduf

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Some police will unlock your car for free.

@STK - none of the gas stations I've ever worked at had a slim jim, unless it was of the beef jerky variety. I could see a service station having one.
 

Xian Xi

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It's $50 plus materials. If he had to make one of those integrated keys to get in then that what the additional cost is for. If he used a tool then you got ripped.
 

cdamm

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illinois police are not allowed to help open a citizens car anymore. locksmiths took notice- $100-$200 is the going rate here now. dont lock your keys in the car. or get a AAA membership.

one of the wifes uncles works for a 24 hour towing company. after 10:00 pm its $300, because who else are you going to call thats still open.

its quite a racket.
 
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NGT

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I would call a friend, have them drive out, pick me up, take me home to get my spare key, and take me back. Then take them to a happy hour later that week or give them a $20 for gas. Or both. I guess that depends on where you are and how far from home. etc..

AAA use to cost like $100 per year and they would come out 3 times per year to unlock a car.
 

LoneSage

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Sounds about right.

She won't leave her key in her car anymore now, I bet.
 

abasuto

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My friend got quoted $125 since it was around 2am; after hours charge.

He concluded it was just cheaper to smash his window out and replace it for 50 bucks at a junkyard.
 

Zenimus

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Locksmiths charge a ton. We have those community mailbox clusters where I live now, and since they didn't give me a key for my box, I had to call a locksmith to change it. They charged me $200 because it broke one of their drillbits. Ridiculous, I was so angry. The guy was this big bald Russian sounding guy, so I was kinda afraid of him though... :very_ang:
 

Arcademan

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My friend got quoted $125 since it was around 2am; after hours charge.

He concluded it was just cheaper to smash his window out and replace it for 50 bucks at a junkyard.
Sounds like the best option right there.

Locksmiths can be costy, especially when it comes to going out to places and getting into cars and safes. Replacing locks...not a real cost issue but I know some will charge at least $100 to persuade them to come and goes higher after that.
 

SouthtownKid

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Fuck that. I've had a busted window and that is for the birds. You have to vacuum and still you'll be finding glass bits for a long time. If you have any kind of weather, your interior could get seriously fucked up. And having plastic (if you even have any at home) over a window is like an open invitation for anyone walking by to take the radio, anything you left in the glove, take a dump in the backseat, or whatever else overnight before you can go in the morning to pick up the new window. Assuming you can even find one that fits at the junkyard. I shake my head at the guy who thinks busting his own window is a great solution.
 

NeoSneth

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Price seems right to me.

1. How many locksmiths still exist?
2. How many people call a locksmith on a regular basis?

There are quite a few states that do not allow cops to help anymore. Honestly, I don't think I would help a random person if they did this.
 

aria

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Maybe they charge by the exclamation point?

Price seems right to me.

1. How many locksmiths still exist?
2. How many people call a locksmith on a regular basis?

Oh right, I forgot that houses and businesses stopped using keys... :p
 

evil wasabi

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sounds like someone needs to keep a spare key some place accessible. You know.

Or buy a jeep. No need for a key.
 

SonGohan

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I've had somebody bust out my passenger side window to steal a radio, and Safelite charged around $125-$150 for everything (including cleanup). So, yeah, I'd say the locksmith bent you over.
 

NeoSneth

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Maybe they charge by the exclamation point?



Oh right, I forgot that houses and businesses stopped using keys... :p

Oh Right, I forgot that you needed a Locksmith to make keys instead of having Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, or even....a self service machine do this for you....

0908a.jpg
 

cdamm

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Oh Right, I forgot that you needed a Locksmith to make keys instead of having Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, or even....a self service machine do this for you....

0908a.jpg


machined keys suck.. hand cut is where its at. In college i worked at home depot and learned how to hand cut keys. Machined keys have an super huge error rate.
 

HeartlessNinny

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Oh Right, I forgot that you needed a Locksmith to make keys instead of having Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, or even....a self service machine do this for you....

0908a.jpg

Locksmiths do a lot more than just cut keys. It's still an essential service.
 

GohanX

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The best locksmiths are the ones who were really criminals gone straight. I was going to meet some friends and locked my keys in my car, and called a random locksmith from the phone book. He comes, breaks into my car, retrieves the keys. A female friend came in and had some huge dude yelling at her because he almost hit her at an intersection when her car stalled.

My locksmith says something like, "Ain't nobody hitting no woman while I'm around" and pulls a handgun from his car. What the fuck have I done? Thankfully the crowd of people heading to the aid of the poor girl dissuaded the pissed off guy before the crazed armed locksmith had to bust a cap. I paid him, and all was well.
 

SonGohan

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The best locksmiths are the ones who were really criminals gone straight.

This is the truth. My late uncle was able to take a piece of metal, put it in the keyhole, pull it out, look at the indentions, chip away at it and rinse/repeat until he had a homemade key (which didn't take more than a few minutes), which he used to steal a lot of cars in the 70s/80s. He even had a little locksmith business at one time. It blows my mind how gifted the guy was and would hardly ever legally use his skills.
 

evil wasabi

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This is the truth. My late uncle was able to take a piece of metal, put it in the keyhole, pull it out, look at the indentions, chip away at it and rinse/repeat until he had a homemade key (which didn't take more than a few minutes), which he used to steal a lot of cars in the 70s/80s. He even had a little locksmith business at one time. It blows my mind how gifted the guy was and would hardly ever legally use his skills.

He sounds like my kind of guy.
 
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