My son locked the keys in his beetle. VW charges $100 for a valet key and must be ordered. Any ideas from the collective?

Call a locksmith.
They will be able to get in (will set off the alarm) but you can get your car open for about $50.

AAA Family membership.

Also, unless the key is chipped, find a VW key blank on ebay and take it to True Value to be cut. If the key is chipped I am sure there are instructions in the manual or on the web for programming the car to accept the chip - just like you can do with remote fobs.

Zach

The Ace down the street from my house does chipkeys now and stocks VW/Audi. Like $30 if I remember right.

Funny thing, this just happened to me on my way home. Stopped to scrape ice off window and locked keys in the car, with it running in a bad snow storm. 10 minutes later a guy comes by and helps, this is what he did: clipped about 3 feet of stiff fence wire, worked it down between door sill and gasket, and pushed the unlock button inside the car. I'm in. $50.00 dollars less and forever grateful for him coming by.

my local mechanic said he's drop by and try - n/c. if he can't do it, on to plan B. probably a locksmith. I don't need another key, just a smarter son.

I love the old cars with cheap keys. I once had a jeep and my wife had a neon and one key would open both cars.

The best thing I ever put on my car is a hide-a-key!

I think you don't need the chip to open the door, you need it just to start the car.
So a cheap copy of the key will open the door.

The cheap -"valet key" is $100 and has to be sent away to get cut.

Actually the key is $55.00 part# 3B0 837 219BB INB. Your local VW dealership orders this and gets it next day with no freight charge. The key has to be programmed to start and run the car. It will open the door and start the car but it will die after 3 seconds. This is the basic key not the switch blade style and remote.

Ray,

If it's an old beetle with the operable vent windows, then you can get in with a coat hanger & open the vent wing or unlock the opposite door with the long hanger fully unfolded - but you may bugger the seal a bit where you go in with the hanger.

Don't know what the availability is on those seals today, but the locksmith may be less, & AAA member lock-service is the best deal!

We had to do that several times on my HS buddy's 66 Ghia, when he lost his key off his swim trunk's drawstring while bodysurfing at the beach back in the day. No hope of finding the sucker in the sand/water, needed to get home - so go find a hanger & do it - but VW seal parts were cheaper then! After the second time, he got a hide-a-key!

my mechanic drove by and opened the car. no problem, no charge.

2005

Dealer wanted 100 for the cheapie basic key. I didn't buy the car and I never go there. Never will.

My guess is he figured it out already!

My local mechanic stopped by and opened it for me. No charge.