What You Should Know Before Calling an Automotive Locksmith (Part 1) Whether you’re locked out of your vehicle, have lost all your keys, or simply want to make a spare key, it’s very important to understand the full cost of the service upfront so you don’t end up overpaying or dealing with dishonest pricing practices. The automotive locksmith industry includes many companies and dispatch services that use unclear pricing and take advantage of the fact that most customers are unfamiliar with how modern car keys, immobilizer systems, and programming actually work. This doesn’t only happen during emergency situations. Very often, a customer simply wants to add a spare key or key fob for their vehicle. A price is quoted over the phone, but once the locksmith arrives, additional “required” charges suddenly appear, hidden fees are added, and the total price increases — sometimes dramatically. By that point, the customer is already in an uncomfortable position because the work has started, been completed, or the vehicle is urgently needed. As a result, the customer often ends up paying far more than expected. One of the most common tactics is advertising a low "from $99" or similar offer simply to attract customers and secure the job. Once the work begins, however, the final cost may increase significantly compared to the original quote. This happens especially often when customers are unfamiliar with automotive key programming and assume the company is being transparent.