Life of your key fob/remote...how long does it live?

[porsche986spyder]

I'm kind of pissed right now because my remote keeps eating up batteries. Something is definately wrong with it. New battery in it only lasted 2 weeks! The lights do not indicate the it is "in use" or stay on while I'm not using it, so I have now idea how it is draining them. I've gone through 2 so far. What makes me mad is that I just had this key/remote reprogramed at the dealership only 2 years ago for $220.00!!! and it's already dead! Can't porsche make a desent key fob that works? Anyone else have any suggestions before I go back to the steelership and have my remote fixed? What a rip off!

[dja1980]

One of my buttons no longer works, so I was actually thinking of purchasing a new keyhead from Suncoast Porsche...

http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=P&Product_Code=986RECONTROL&Category_Code=986Keys

Does anyone know if this is something I can program myself, or does the dealership have to get involved. The notes on the product description state that dealership programming is required, but I always wonder how true that is. I wonder how many labor hours they would charge me to program a new keyhead.

[porsche986spyder]

Originally Posted by dja1980

One of my buttons no longer works, so I was actually thinking of purchasing a new keyhead from Suncoast Porsche...

http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=P&Product_Code=986RECONTROL&Category_Code=986Keys

Does anyone know if this is something I can program myself, or does the dealership have to get involved. The notes on the product description state that dealership programming is required, but I always wonder how true that is. I wonder how many labor hours they would charge me to program a new keyhead.

My dealership charged me $220.00!!!! to program the key. There is no other lway around it. I'm thinking about having my own alarm and remote installed. Can get an entire new setup for the cost of a reprograming Porsche key.

[dja1980]

Whoa... $220 just for the programming??!! When you first posted $220, I figured that included a new keyhead. What is it about the programming that ONLY Porsche can do it?

[RandallNeighbour]

The key must be programmed to the car while a Porsche System Tester Tool (computer) is hooked up to it. It's a security thing so thieves can't easily duplicate keys.

Programming only takes about a half hour or less... book rate is an hour I think. If you pay more than $100 for programming, you're getting ripped off.

They're not termed "stealerships" for nothing.

[Quickurt]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

The key must be programmed to the car while a Porsche System Tester Tool (computer) is hooked up to it. It's a security thing so thieves can't easily duplicate keys.

Programming only takes about a half hour or less... book rate is an hour I think. If you pay more than $100 for programming, you're getting ripped off.

They're not termed "stealerships" for nothing.

Whoa, check this out!
All of your post from this quote, is not on your origianal post!
So does that mean I can say, when you're tired of your posts not showing up, get a PC?

[Quickurt]

Obviously Porsche has no-one who comes on these forums. If they did, BS like this would end.
I'm sure it takes no more than two minutes to "program" the key. How could it?
You can download an entire complicated CAD program into your computer in less than ten minutes. I know, I did it today.
Do they take the chipo from one key and put it into another, or do they "burn" a code into the chip in the key housing?
I bet it's no more complicated, or time consuming than programming your home button for opening the garage door.
My mech. buddy at my Mazda dealer, just happened to "burn" the new ECU MAP while he had it hooked up for diagnostics. I stood there while he did it and it took about three minutes. Had I requested it through the service writer, it would have been a $250 charge. For three minutes labor, admitting the ECU was already hooked up. That had taken another four minutes. Looks like about two mpg improvement with the new map and less noticable turbo lag on initial acceleration.