Why is it that the part of a car key that you have to stick into a key ring is so damn fat? With rare exception, modern keys have these chunky plastic ends that make it nearly impossible to fit through that tight little key ring without breaking a nail, forever separating the ring wires or coming up with new usages for words that rhyme with duck. And it's not just the thickness, the plastic (often rounded) doesn't create a sharp enough edge to force open the metal ring.
With the Insight in my custody for a while, I thought I'd divorce it from its giant leather key tag Honda insists on placing on its press car keys (don't get me started on that) and put the fob/key on my own key ring. Five minutes and a Takahashi later, old one-armed Riswick managed to get the thing on the ring. This is obviously not a Honda or even a recent issue. Check out my ancient BMW key. Same problem. And actually, these aren't the worst -- Ford's is enormous and square shaped.
Volkswagen/Audi and GM are the only entities I can think of at the moment that places a thin metal piece at the end of their flip fob. Actually, the regular GM key is also pretty thin as well though not made of metal. It's a simple thing and something you don't have to deal with much, but it's an irritant nevertheless.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor on the DL
pat1usmc says:
09:17 AM, 05/24/10
Good question. I guess most people don't change their keys enough for it to be a big issue. I agree with you though, since every time I take my car in for service I like to only hand them the one key.
Why does the entire key have to be so fat as well? I know there's probably some microchip in there or something, but thats why its called a MICROchip. I hate putting my keys in my pocket because they're so friggin huge now.
Seems like another instance where automakers fail on small but important details that drivers use frequently. Like hard armrests.
acbayard says:
09:24 AM, 05/24/10
Agree 100%.
Nissan/Infiniti's keyfob is probably one of the nicer designs. The fob is relatively slender, and the loop is medal and the edge is tapered so that you can loop a ring through it relatively easy.
ed124c says:
09:27 AM, 05/24/10
Another "irritant" that only applies to Edmunds (et al) and not to owners who only have to deal with it every 2, 3, 4, or 5 years, depending on your car recycling time.
As for giving a key to the service man, my Outback came with a "valet" key that is very thin and fits in my wallet without any discomfort.
ed124c says:
09:30 AM, 05/24/10
Sorry for the sexist comment above about the service "man". Some of my service people at the Subaru dealer are women. Old speech habits die hard.
brn says:
09:41 AM, 05/24/10
I keep my car keys on a quick release ring. That way, I can easily swap them in and out, depending on which vehicle I'm going to drive.
With the amount of car swapping IL does, ya think they'd do something similar.
shaddai says:
09:56 AM, 05/24/10
I keep my car keys separate. Totally avoids this problem, and then my other keys aren't jangling around hitting things while I'm driving.
mercedesfan says:
09:57 AM, 05/24/10
James,
I'd like to point out that the Mercedes fob is also easy to attach to a key ring because the attachment hole is located on the thin metal emergency key that slides right out of the main remote.
I completely understand this complaint, though. I seldom have to deal with it, but every once in a while I need to borrow a friend's F150 and it takes me about 10 minutes to liberate the key from his key chain.
7driver says:
10:15 AM, 05/24/10
I'd suggest using a carabiner (if you mountaineer) or a halyard shackle (if you sail) instead of a ring but the slots look so thin in that pic I'm not sure it'd fit.
jriz says:
10:43 AM, 05/24/10
I actually use a carabiner to attach my personal keys to the Edmunds car keys. I also like it because it keeps the keeys hanging from the top of my pocket rather than being crammed into the bottom with my wallet.
ptcdawg says:
11:05 AM, 05/24/10
I don't carry around a bunch of keys. I have my car key...my garage opens and I go into my house. I don't bother locking the door inside the garage to the house, that just something else for someone to tear up if they want to break in. A lock certainly isn't going to stop them. Key to my car stays on a hook inside the garage...key to my Wife's car stays in the ignition, as it gets to park inside the garage...office key stays in my car console on a nice ring...
_advance_ says:
11:46 AM, 05/24/10
What kind of BMW do you own?
zoomzoomn says:
12:16 PM, 05/24/10
Fat, or phat. You decide! :)
saxdogg says:
12:20 PM, 05/24/10
I miss the days of being able to have the guy at the hardware store cut you a spare to keep in your wallet.
I like the anti-theft, but hate the thickness.
JP
motymoty says:
01:23 PM, 05/24/10
The switchblade type keys are even worse, (ala acura or VW) since they get so fat. Anyway, its because of the battery. Nifty features like being able to roll down the windows by holding down the unlock transmitter would kill they keys with a smaller battery.
old_volvo says:
01:31 PM, 05/24/10
seriously, some of the worlds best engineers and they still make stupid keys like this. I hate it.
mini2009 says:
01:54 PM, 05/24/10
What the hell is a "key"... I use these plastic "fobs" that I stick in plastic slots on my dash.... Then we press a button and the car drives.
lol
stevej2001 says:
06:36 PM, 05/24/10
Why is it so fat? So it won't break so easily. Somebody at the shop that detailed my wife's lexus managed to break the plastic (which is pretty thin on Lexus). Do you folks know how much these 'smart keys' cost? Needless to say, the shop lost money on us after we had the key replaced.
zoomzoomn says:
05:00 AM, 05/25/10
Is that a key in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?
clarkma5 says:
01:25 PM, 05/25/10
The loop on my VW's egg is too small to even fit it on a key ring...which is fine by me because I like to keep it separate (better for the key itself as well as the ignition) but it's really quite silly that they even put it on there.