R2000.00 Tip

I had my car serviced.  Among the things I mentioned was "My car is hard to start sometimes."

As the challenge was unravelled it started here...

A few weeks ago I came to start my car.
I couldn't get it to start at all.
I sent Glenn a message and waited...
Eventually he arrived.  He also couldn't get it to start.
Was the starting lock system faulty?
I had visions of my car being put on a flat-bed lorry and taken to a Toyota dealer.
Glenn said "Let's get your spare key and see if that works."
We came home - then the thing was "Where did I put the spare key!"
Eventually I found it.  I sometimes know how I think and where I am likely to put things.
We went back and the car started with no problem.
So - the key was the problem?
When we examined the old and the spare key, we could see that the teeth of old key were worn thin on the sides.
Tried it again.  No luck.  Tried the spare. Started first time.
So - we went and had a new spare key cut from the spare (original of two).
We decided to keep the original spare for future reference.
The expert locksmith asked some questions about the key and then cut another from my.original spare,
So on my keyring I had the spare original and the new key.
Sometimes the car would start and sometimes it would not.

That's the back story.
And the Toyota service man solved the problem!

My original keys have some sort of chip (I think it is called) in the plastic housing.
The car will not start with a key without it.  Security feature.
The locksmith had asked "Does this key have a chip in it?"
We had decided after talking about it and the age of the car, that it did not.
So he cut me the new key.

So the end of the story...
I have to have a spare key - that's important to me.
So a new one would have to be ordered - after I produced all sorts of original papers which are in Gauteng.  All told the new spare key would cost around R2000.00.
I decided I would have to pay it, because a spare key was mandatory for me.

Then Mr Toyota man Ravi said "Let me show you something."
He put the newly cut key in, put the spare key black plastic housing next to it and turned it on.
It worked!
"That's a R2000.00 tip." he said.
We laughed and thanked him profusely - and relievedly!

Now I must go and get the CV joints attended to - there is a leak apparently, and get the wheels balanced and rotated.  Then I'll be good to go for the next while.

Always details to attend to!