About Budget Auto Keys
Budget Auto Keys is a mobile automotive locksmith service covering metropolitan Melbourne. It is run by Alex, who has worked in the key trade since 1996 and now works exclusively on vehicles. The business was established in 2018 and remains family owned.
Car keys have changed considerably over that time. Most now contain a transponder chip, and a growing number have no mechanical blade at all. The work moved with the technology, and today it covers spare keys, lost keys, smart and proximity keys, and remotes that have stopped responding.
How the service works
The service is fully mobile. We attend the vehicle wherever it is parked — a driveway, a workplace car park, a shopping centre — and the key is cut, programmed and tested on site before we leave. Most jobs are completed within thirty to sixty minutes.
A dealership will generally require the vehicle to be brought in, and where no working key remains that can mean arranging a tow, followed by a wait while a key is ordered. Attending the vehicle removes the need for towing in most cases, and we carry blanks and remotes for the majority of makes common on Australian roads, so a large proportion of jobs are completed in a single visit. Some newer and less common vehicles do require a key to be ordered in; where that applies, we will say so at the time of enquiry rather than on the day.
Pricing is published on this site so that it is known before booking. Spare keys start at $169. Smart keys generally range from $250 to $300 depending on the vehicle. The booking tool at the foot of this page will return an exact price in approximately twenty seconds.
What our customers say
4.9 stars from 277 Google reviews
★★★★★Fast, reliable and good price. 10/10
Adrian Postler
★★★★★Alex arrived at my house within the time-frame he had mentioned yesterday which is Always a Great sign..He got to work straight away and had the required work completed within a relatively short space of time, I'd say 30-40 minutes... V...
Michael Martindale
★★★★★Easy and quick, very happy with the service
Peter Sandor
Areas covered
We operate across metropolitan Melbourne on a weekly route through every council area. Some areas are covered three or four days a week, others once weekly.
Services
Spare keys for the majority of vehicles on the road, cut and programmed to the individual car. Lost key replacement, including all-keys-lost work where no original remains and a new key must be generated from the vehicle itself. Smart and push-button start keys. Replacement remotes. Vehicle opening where keys have been locked inside, carried out without damage.
Approximately forty makes have a dedicated page on this site listing the models most frequently seen and the applicable prices. Vehicles not listed are still worth an enquiry, as stock is held for a wide range of makes.
Trade customers
Alongside private owners, Budget Auto Keys services a broad range of car dealers and mechanical workshops across Melbourne. Typical trade work includes spare keys for stock vehicles, trade-ins received with a single key, all-keys-lost vehicles, and module programming and replacement following a repair. We attend the yard or workshop, so the vehicle does not need to be moved.
Obtain a price or make a booking
Select the vehicle and suburb below to receive a price and the days we are scheduled in that area, and book directly from there. Alternatively, telephone 0421 113 736, seven days, 6am to 10pm.
Book your car key job
Get your price, then pick a day we're already in your area.