Programming a spare keyless remote for third generation MZ3

[WildMidwest]

I just bought a spare MZ3 key off eBay with the intention of following one of the instructions posted here: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...art-Key-myself&highlight=spare+keyless+remote or http://tinyurl.com/qcntmrh. Unfortunately all the older instructions fail on the third generation Mazda 3 when they say "Insert key into the ignition." That's not possible on the third generation 3.

Does anybody have up-to-date instructions for making a copy of the 2014 Mazda3 remote while I still have my original two fobs?

 

[WildMidwest]

Further reading at that "other" Mazda discussion forum suggests owners of Mazda's Advanced Keyless Entry are S.O.L. for programming a spare keyless remote. We have to go to the dealer and pay $hundreds for a third key. See the second-from-last paragraph in the first post of this thread: http://tinyurl.com/nqv2lj2

 

[WildMidwest]

My dealer quoted me $110 to reprogram the MZ3 key I bought off eBay, not including grinding price for a new physical key. Does anybody know where to get it done less expensively? Thanks.

 

[WildMidwest]

On further inquiry my dealer's service department quoted me an electronic key programming cost of $105 plus 5.5% sales tax. A new metal key blank is about $35... so I will be pushing $200 even using my $55 used eBay key if I get the metal blank filed. A fully programmed new key would be $230 + tax from my dealer, possibly plus an additional charge to file the metal slug.

People, don't lose or damage your MZ3 keys! There's no lower cost route to obtain third generation MZ3 keys that I can see. First and second generation MZ3s have the advantage here. This is small money compared to my car's purchase price, but it's irritating nonetheless.

 

[ceric]

Honestly, the price is reasonable.

 

[WildMidwest]

People can differ on what is a reasonable price for a car key. $230 may not sound reasonable to the person who loses things often. The idea of purchasing a third car key before losing either of the OEM keys (i.e, to save a future expensive purchase) is no longer valid with the third generation MZ3. Just buy what you need right now, not what you think you might need next year.

 

[CXVille]

What's different from the Mazda versus any other current models. Most are this way now. Yes, $230 for a key is absurd. If you want a third key, negotiate it into the deal when you buy the car. Of course, when you lose your fob, you will have to pay to have the other two fobs and the car reprogrammed to not work with the one you lose.

 

[AnthonyTyler]

Sounds like a whole lot of useless steps.

 

[ceric]

By "reasonable", I meant that is the price I heard over the years.
Prove me wrong by telling people how you can do better.