Hey all, didn't know where to put this thread so I just stuck it here...

OK, so like so many '04 owners, I HAD to go out and get the '05 key. Paid a little too much for it but I'm happy with the purchase. Anyway, my concern is the durability of the key.

I have a coworker that drives an Audi that is (presumably) a few years old and has the same style of key and hers looks like it's been in a freakin' blender! Will our keys start to look like that over the years as well? Any thoughts on keeping 'em looking clean? As for the time being, I've been keeping the 8 key in my change pocket and letting the rest of my keys sort of hang out so that I have a layer of fabric protecting my precious $200+ key from all the rest of those bastids in my pocket...

Anyone?

 

It's a key, it's gonna get scuffed if you keep it around other things. I have two solutions: separate it from the other keys and keep that one in a separate pocket or put it in a glass case in your house and never take it out. :p

I don't have that nice '05 key, but I keep my car keys separate from my other keys. It works for me. :D

 

Go back to the 04 key.
Problem solved!!!

 

It is virtually a given that your key will show age over time, even as far as the printing rubbing off. Depending on the plastic finish, it will likely wear or scratch as well. My old 2000 VW Jetta was the same way. My spare however, looked pristine.

 

cover it with bubblewrap every morning

Maybe Mazda will come out with a leather fob holster for the key/fob combo, with a slot for the key to pop out of...?

 

The key fob for my wife's Acura has the same problem. It gets scuffed all to hell. I don't get it. Didn't anyone do usability studies when designing the finish on these things?

 

*sigh* yeah... although what could have really worked? Is there any non-metallic surface that doesn't show wear after constant metal abraison? I was thinking it'd be tight if the fob had a titanium case but then i looked down at my scuffed up titanium watch... although i think some scuffed up Ti might look pretty cool regardless when it's a part of your freakin car key...

 

Think of it this way though, as the Rx8 ages, the 04 keys will be more rare since all the newer ones will have the key fobs. :p

 

The 04 keyson the Rx8 are the same as Mazda6 and a bunchof other Mazda keys. Theywont be rare at all

 

The person with the Audi might be letting the kids play with the key. A lot of people let the kids think that keys are toys. (then they wonder why the 6 year old backed the car out of the diveway but that's a different rant.) Also, a woman's pocketbook is a lot harsher environment than a pocket.

 

$149.95 I can see it already...

 

You paid $200 for a KEY??

Hey, that thing may be cool, but it's bulky, and for $200. Hell, I'd make you one just like it out of titanium or something for that kind of cash. Mazda is making a MINT on that key. And I thought $20 was high for my Vulcan Mean Streak key

 

It's a Key, just a key. $200, $150 whatever I would spend it on upgrades.

 

Tbone... you talk like this is a standard house key... these things have the ignition cutoff signal stuff as well as the remote and then I've gotta pay for labor too (yeah, I could have gotten around the labor but I'd rather just make sure it all works). I'm sure there's a hefty mark-up but I didn't just drop two large on a piece of tin.

The new key is much more compact than the two-piece. Maybe it isn't in terms of volume displacement but it is much shorter and tighter. It also works more solidly than the two-piece.

Anyway, yeah, it's a toy, but it's a toy I will enjoy every day for the life of my vehicle... given that I'm locked in for at least 3 years, <$0.25 a day is worth it to me.

My Audi-driving coworker has no kids. The purse thought is comforting...

 

curious what was your method (or your dealer's method) for getting the 05 key working with the 04 car? and curious what is your build date?

thanks!

 

I don't know my build date... how would i find out about that? As far as programming the key, I don't really know... I hear you can do it all yourself. There's a thread out there on the topic. Anyway, it can work, regardless of what the dealer might tell you. You can do it yourself by getting the 2 parts, getting the key cut at a hardware store, and following the programming technique in your owner's manual or something and program your remote. I'd rather just pay $50 to have the dealer do that than run around doing **** and hope it all works out.

 

to find ur build date, look on the side of the driver's side freestyle door. should give you the month and year.