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Auto Locksmith Mini in St Albans and Hertfordshire
Herts Car Keys makes and programs Mini keys at the vehicle, across St Albans and Hertfordshire, from a base at Peartree Farm in Welwyn Garden City. A Mini takes one of 3 key systems built between 2001 and the current cars, running from EWS3.x and EWS4.x to BDC, on the HU92 and HU100 blades. Every one of them is worked at the vehicle rather than at a dealer. Darius Arbaciauskas attends himself. Car keys start from £120 and every key carries a 12 month warranty.
- 3 key systemsCovered on this make
- £120Car keys start from
- 12 monthsWarranty on every key
Request a quote online
- Over 7,000jobs completed
- 5.0from 130+ Google reviews
- SERMI approvedDBS checked and fully insured
- 12 month warrantyon every key
Mini Key Systems by Model Year
Mini has run 3 key and immobiliser systems in the United Kingdom, from EWS3.x and EWS4.x on cars of 2001 to 2005 to BDC on 2013 onward.
| Key system | Approximate years | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| EWS3.x and EWS4.x | 2001 to 2005 | Philips Crypto 2 with PCF7944AT, on the BMW scheme |
| CAS3 and CAS3+ | 2006 to 2012 | Philips Crypto 2 and ID46 with PCF7945, on the BMW scheme |
| BDC | 2013 onward | Philips Crypto 3 and Hitag Pro with PCF7953P and ID49, on the BMW scheme |
Year bands overlap, because a manufacturer changes system part way through a model run rather than on the first of January.
Mini Key Work Covered From St Albans
Six kinds of Mini key work are carried out where the car stands, across the 3 key systems in the table above.
- Replacement Mini keys. Cut to the HU92 profile at the vehicle and programmed where the key and the vehicle require it, which is the car key replacement work the St Albans page sets out in full.
- All keys lost on a Mini. A key built from the vehicle itself when nothing is left to copy, which on a BDC car is read from the vehicle rather than cut from a code.
- Mini lockouts. The HU92 lock is picked or decoded using non destructive entry methods designed to avoid damage to the door, the lock and the glass.
- Spare Mini keys. Cut at the vehicle and programmed where the key and the vehicle require it, from a working original, so the BDC system stays as it is.
- Mini fob and remote faults. A fob that locks the doors and leaves the engine dead points at the remote rather than the BDC transponder, and both are tested before a key is quoted.
- Older Mini models. Cars on EWS3.x and EWS4.x are still worked on, and an early transponder key is often the quicker job of the two because there is less to synchronise.
The Key Blade Used on a Mini
The blade is the metal part of the key that turns in the lock or sits inside the fob. On Mini the profile is HU92 and HU100, which decides the blank that is cut and the decoder that opens the lock when no working key is left.
- HU92. Used on Mini.
- HU100. Used on Mini.
Blade codes are an aftermarket convention rather than Mini part numbers, so the blank is checked against the lock on the day.
Mini Models Covered Across Hertfordshire
The key system table above is built from 3 Mini models, and those are the Mini models worked on across St Albans and Hertfordshire. They are Cooper, Clubman and Countryman.
Mini uses BMW Comfort Access, and it sits in the CAS3 plus and BDC era rather than starting at one model year.
A Mini outside this list is checked against the registration rather than assumed either way, because the key system decides the job and the badge does not.
What a Mini Key Job Costs
Car keys start from £120 and car lockouts from £100. A Mini key sits inside that range or above it according to which of the 3 systems is in the car, because a EWS3.x and EWS4.x key and a BDC key are different parts and different programming.
There is no Mini model or year range that is closed to an independent locksmith. Where a particular vehicle turns out to need manufacturer level access, Darius says so on the phone rather than at the kerb.
What Happens When You Call About a Mini
Five steps from the first call to a working key.
Contact Darius. The line is answered at any hour.
Give the registration, the model year and the problem. On a Mini the year decides which key system is in the car, so it decides the tool.
Take the price and the arrival estimate. The exact price is confirmed before work starts.
Darius attends. He checks authorisation where ownership verification is required.
The work is completed and tested at the vehicle. Any key supplied carries the 12 month warranty.
Who Attends the Mini Job
Darius Arbaciauskas attends every job himself. Six years in the trade, over 7,000 car key and lockout jobs, and one locksmith in the business, so the person who quotes the Mini work is the person who arrives.
He is approved under the SERMI scheme, DBS checked and fully insured, and every key carries a 12 month warranty.
Mini Keys Made at Your Vehicle
Call Darius with the registration and the model year.
Recent Car Key Jobs From the Record
No Mini job is held in the record that can be shown here, so the entries below are other makes.
| Vehicle | What happened | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | Electric steering lock failure, the car would not start | An emulator programmed and the fault cleared |
| 2023 Porsche Taycan | One key lost, one key left working | A spare key cut and programmed the same day |
The town each job was carried out in is not stated, because the record does not hold it.
Makes Closest to Mini by Key System
Three makes that share a key platform with Mini, then the full list.
BMW shares the BMW key and module platform and is covered from the same van.
Hyundai shares key systems with the other Hyundai Motor Group make and is covered from the same van.
Jaguar shares the Jaguar Land Rover key platform and is covered from the same van.
All car makes covered lists every make on the van and the makes that are not covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Call 07308 888825Can a Mini key be made when every key is lost?
Yes. The lost car key work builds a key from the Mini itself, so nothing has to be copied, and it is carried out where the car stands, at a home, a works unit or the roadside. On a Mini the job depends on which of the 3 key systems is in the car, which is read from the registration.
How much is a replacement Mini key?
Car keys start from £120. A Mini key sits inside that range or above it according to the key system, because a EWS3.x and EWS4.x key is a different part from a BDC key and takes different programming. A spare cut from a working key is the cheaper of the two.
Which key system is in my Mini?
The model year identifies it. Mini ran EWS3.x and EWS4.x on cars of 2001 to 2005, and BDC on 2013 onward. The table on this page lists the 3 systems and the years for each.
Does a Mini key have to go to a dealer?
Not on the models covered here. There is no Mini model or year range that is closed to an independent locksmith, and Herts Car Keys is approved under the SERMI scheme, which gives an independent a recognised route to manufacturer security data on the makes that take part. Where a particular vehicle turns out to need manufacturer level access, Darius says so on the phone.
Which key blade does a Mini use?
Mini uses 2. They are HU92 and HU100, and the one on a given car follows the model and the year.
Can a locked Mini be opened without breaking anything?
The car is opened using non destructive entry methods designed to avoid damage to the door, the lock and the glass. The method is chosen from the vehicle and the lock rather than applied the same way to every car.