E30 Zone

My E30 is also my daily driver. In fact it's the only roadworthy vehicle I own and it gets used daily.

I've just parked it, and whilst locking the door I noticed the lock was a little stiffer than usual. I took the key out and it was bent. When I touched it, the bend broke into 2 neat pieces. It's my only key.

So, I have broken the key but nothing is trapped in any lock, and I have both pieces. What can I do?

I'm sure anywhere that does key cutting should be able to help.

i've welded a large washer to a landrover key that had snapped like that.

sure someone will be along shortly to tell you how to break in to an E30, hopfully in the form of a PM and not for all to see

any key cutting place will be able to cut you TWO new ones still .

That's what I'm hoping Steve. If they can, I'll get 2 for sure.

Might be a good idea to get 2 or 3 cut .

Pm sent

Find a locksmiths and they will cut you a new key from what you have left

Is it in the deadlock position? If so you wont be able to open it until you get a new key

It's not in deadlock position, but I can't see a great deal of point attempting to break in as I won't be able to start the car anyway. Fortunately it's parked outside my house so no need to worry about moving it either.

I'll go to the locksmiths in the morning with the bits and see if they can cut me a key. Fingers crossed. I shall report back...

They might need to order the blanks in depending on the size of the locksmith, but yea, they can cut new keys from snapped keys. I used to be one. A locksmith, not a snapped key. All you do is clamp it all together in a vice and you use a cutter with a guide against your old key so that it's mirrored on the new key.

BUT! It might not work straight off. New keys, even when dutifully copied with precision often don't marry up perfectly with the barrel segments. You gotta remember that that key and that barrel have been together for a long long time, they've worn together, they've got to know each others ups and downs. Sometimes a barrel just doesn't want to except anything thats new.

Most of the time you can sort it out by gently rounding off any sharp edges with a file, and also check the length of the key from the 'hilt' (the bit that stops the key from being pushed all the way into the lock) and the tip. Some locksmiths might not get that quite lined up right. If the new key is longer, just file the tip off untill it marries up with the old key (as precise as you can get it with a broken key, granted).

But then saying all that, you may not have any problems at all, and the locky is a comsumate proffesional. I've heard the're some around . . . . .

Don't you mean

Not in LAANDAN rav

Oh right, it ony works "Up Norf"

Once you have a nice,shiney new key....

Order up a 'lock repair kit' from your local friendly stealer(£20 or so,a mere token to a self employed superchef)this will enable you to build up a new lock cylinder to suit your key.

Whilst you have the door in bits,remove the latch from the door jamb and clean and lubricate it.Work it by hand until it operates smoothly,lubricate again and re-fit.

Enjoy another 20 years of door locking/un-locking!

All sorted. Its great having such an old car at times. 4.99 for a new key from a local cobblers. Happy with that. It's a good fit too. Still can't believe it snapped when I touched it. It could have so easily done that in the door lock which would have been a whole different story. Some good luck for a change which is nice. @

You'll never believe this but...

I was looking for something today and came across a BMW key in a box under my sink. I wonder I thought.... Yes it's a spare.

It's a stark insight into the chaotic world in which I live, however at least I now have a spare and can remember where I put it.