Where are your car keys?

[TMHeimer]

A true "valet" key will unlock the drivers door and start the car, but will not unlock other secured areas of the vehicle, such as trunk, glovebox and so forth..

Right. I assume that when it unlocks the driver's door (remotely, I assume--not by inserting it in the keyhole) it also turns off the alarm, just like the regular electronic key, am I correct? If so, that means it too is electrical and IMO not advisable to take underwater.

 

[Doby45]

The ones I have seen that are actual hard keys simply have a solid state chip embedded on the actual key. Not positive how smart it is to take those under, but I have also had a solid metal door only key cut for a Tahoe that would not start the vehicle but would only open the driver door.

 

[TMHeimer]

The ones I have seen that are actual hard keys simply have a solid state chip embedded on the actual key. Not positive how smart it is to take those under, but I have also had a solid metal door only key cut for a Tahoe that would not start the vehicle but would only open the driver door.

Yeah, when we bought our van in '06 I had a metal spare (or 5) cut as I had done for decades. And it too of course only opened a door. Much to my amazement, it would not start the car!!! Which is fine to take it underwater, but again, the car alarm would go off if you used it to enter the driver's door.

 

[Neilwood]

Need clarification. I hadn't heard of valet keys until this thread. When you use them to unlock the car, does not the alarm go off? If so, are they not electronic? Our cars came with two regular electronic keys and you have to push a button to unlock the doors, which also turns the alarm off. A simple metal copy of the key would open the doors and not start the cars, but also would sound the alarm until you hop in and hit the brake.

The key I have is a simple blade with no electronics of any type. All this does is allow me to lock the doors (thereby setting the alarm and central locking), go diving and then on return unlock the drivers door, retrieve the full electronic key and reset the alarm and central locking (IIRC I have 20 secs from opening the door to resetting the alarm).

 

[TMHeimer]

Ah, it's the 20 seconds that I don't have.

 

[Painiac]

Agreed! I've used this for a year now, and it is the best solution I've found to the electronic key problem, given that my vehicle doesn't have an electronic keypad like the wife's Ford Flex...

This isn't a photo of me, it's taken off a website... but this is what I use. It's AWESOME... it's called a hitch safe and works perfect if you have a truck or a car with a standard trailer hitch.

Hitch Safe, Key Storage Hitches, Hide Car Key, Auto Key Safe, Trailer Hitch Covers, Receivers

 

[Darrell L. Weiss]

Its good to here the concept of valet key. Before this, I used to took an electronic with me, and then into the dive, it used to create loads of problem resulting into the delaying in unlocking the car, rather damaging the key itself. Then I used to handle the key to safe service LA for the re-keying purpose. But, from now onward, after reading this discussion, I would in future only look out for the valet key.

 

[freewillie]

For the valet key I have an electronic fob that has a detachable valet key. I get the dealership to cut me a "standard" key using my valet as a template. When diving I attach the standard key to a ring with a carabiner, then clip the key to a ring on the inside of my BC pocket (I took a standard key ring and zip tied it to the mesh bottom on the inside of the BC pocket.) When ready to lock the car door I take the electronic key and hide it inside the car. Lock the car door manually with the standard key, then put it inside my BC pocket with the clips. I like the extra safety of clipping the key inside the pocket since it would seriously suck to accidentally lose the key somehow if the pocket became unzipped.

 

[Grey Goose]

Assuming one has an electronic key fob, has anyone heard of issues with the fob if brought to depth (dry suit so stays dry--just wondering if pressure would effect the electronics). I have to replace my battery about once a year--actually, it seems to go on the fritz a few months after I replace battery (does not work periodically, etc.)

 

[Neilwood]

For the valet key I have an electronic fob that has a detachable valet key. I get the dealership to cut me a "standard" key using my valet as a template. When diving I attach the standard key to a ring with a carabiner, then clip the key to a ring on the inside of my BC pocket (I took a standard key ring and zip tied it to the mesh bottom on the inside of the BC pocket.) When ready to lock the car door I take the electronic key and hide it inside the car. Lock the car door manually with the standard key, then put it inside my BC pocket with the clips. I like the extra safety of clipping the key inside the pocket since it would seriously suck to accidentally lose the key somehow if the pocket became unzipped.

I don't have it on my BP&W but tucked inside my wetsuit on a piece of line round my neck. No way it is getting lost unless I either completely shred my wetsuit (and then perform enough manoeuvres to move it over my head) or I get attacked by a shark who just happens to target that area of my chest.