Seller has no keys, how much/best way to get keys made

[autobon7]

Seller moved into a house that had a square tail light left behind. It has no title or even a set of keys. No idea if it is able to start/run. Interior is perfect. What is the best and cheapest way to resolve this issue?

[davidmcw]

Ask DMV who owns car. Your seller may not

have a legal right to sell you the car.

[SteveK535]

Good point, if there are tags on it it can be traced. If the P/O wants to sell it to you, they probably have the keys. I got a bavaria that way once, it was abandoned behind a body shop for 10 plus years, contacted the lady that owned it and she sold it to me for $200. I fixed it up and sold it for $2000 three weeks later. If there are no tags on it and a Vin search on it comes up clean, you should be able to buy it and register it, depending on the state's laws.

[Mike Self]

door locks still match, the easiest way is to remove the passenger door handle and take it to a locksmith to have a key made. It's less likely that the pax lock will have been damaged/worn out than the driver's, thus the suggestion.

Or...crawl under the dash after removing the underdash cardboard and look for a little paper label on the back side of the ignition lock. If you're lucky it'll still be there...it has a letter and a four digit number. That's the key code, and a good locksmith (or the dealer) should be able to cut a key from that.

But pay attention to those who advise tracing the car's VIN...you don't want to go to the trouble of getting a car running only to find out you did it for someone else!

Let us know what happens...and BTW, different states have different rules for titling cars in such circumstances.

cheers

mike

[autobon7]

door locks still match, the easiest way is to remove the passenger door handle and take it to a locksmith to have a key made. It's less likely that the pax lock will have been damaged/worn out than the driver's, thus the suggestion.

Or...crawl under the dash after removing the underdash cardboard and look for a little paper label on the back side of the ignition lock. If you're lucky it'll still be there...it has a letter and a four digit number. That's the key code, and a good locksmith (or the dealer) should be able to cut a key from that.

But pay attention to those who advise tracing the car's VIN...you don't want to go to the trouble of getting a car running only to find out you did it for someone else!

Let us know what happens...and BTW, different states have different rules for titling cars in such circumstances.

cheers

mike

To further complicate things, I live in IL and seller is from MO. He said he will get the vin to me tomorrow. Will keep you all posted.

[Brandon]

You could swap out the entire steering column/ignition lock assembly with another that has a key. Seven fasteners hold it in, two bolts hold it to the bottom of the dash, four nuts bolt it to the fire wall and one nut and bolt hold the column to the splined shaft on the steering box.