Which VW immobiliser do you have?
VW has used several generations of immobiliser. The one your car has determines the price and how long the job takes:
- IMMO3 (~2002–2010). Golf 5, Polo 9N, early Touran, Passat B6. Simple to work with. Spare keys £180–£250.
- IMMO4 (~2008–2014). Golf 6, Polo 6R early, Passat B6/B7, Tiguan 5N. £220–£300.
- IMMO5 / MQB (~2013+). Golf 7, Golf 8, Polo 6R later, Polo AW, Passat B8, Tiguan AD, Touran 5T, T-Roc, T-Cross. £280–£450.
- Commercial vans. Caddy (4 and 5), Transporter T5/T6/T6.1, Crafter (both generations). T5/T6/T6.1 follow car-line immobilisers. Crafter pre-2017 shares with Mercedes Sprinter — different toolset. £250–£500.
Models we work on every week
Golf (Mk5 through Mk8)
By far our most common VW. Mk5 and Mk6 are simple ID48 jobs. Mk7 and Mk7.5 are MQB / IMMO5 — most need a security-gateway handshake before we can program a key. Mk8 is the same MQB underneath. We've done every variant including GTI, R, R-Line and the e-Golf.
Polo (9N, 6R, AW)
9N is an old-school IMMO3 job — quick and cheap. 6R early years are IMMO4. 6R from around 2014 onwards and the current AW Polo are IMMO5 / MQB. Spare keys £180–£320 depending on the year.
Passat (B6, B7, B8) & Arteon
B8 onwards is MQB / IMMO5. We routinely do all-keys-lost on these — including the company-car fleet variants. Same procedure as a Golf 7.
Tiguan, Touran, Touareg
Tiguan AD (current shape) is MQB. Tiguan 5N (2008–2016) is IMMO4. Touareg current gen is MLB-evo with Component Protection (same as the Audi Q7 it's based on) — these are harder, expect £450–£550.
Transporter & Crafter vans
T5, T6 and T6.1 Transporter are all done kerbside — they share immobilisers with the car range. Crafter post-2017 is a VW-platform van and same procedure. Crafter 2006–2017 is actually a Mercedes Sprinter underneath — different tooling but we do them too.
T-Roc & T-Cross
Modern small-SUV pair. Both MQB / IMMO5, both routine.
Typical prices
| Job | Older VW (IMMO3/4) | Modern VW (MQB / IMMO5) |
|---|---|---|
| Spare key (with working key) | £180–£260 | £280–£400 |
| Lost key replacement | £220–£300 | £320–£450 |
| All keys lost | £280–£420 | £400–£500 |
| Remote/case repair only | £55–£95 | £55–£95 |
Fixed price quoted from your registration before we travel. No callout fee inside ~15 miles of DL15.
How a typical VW key job runs
- You phone with the reg + working-key status. We quote a fixed price.
- Book a slot — usually same-day or next-day.
- We arrive at the vehicle, check ID + V5C.
- Cut a fresh blade on our HU66 / HU162T laser cutter.
- Plug into OBD (and the security gateway on MQB cars), authenticate, and program the new key.
- Test lock / unlock / start / remote functions.
- Hand over key, warranty card and invoice. Job done.
What we'll send to the dealer
A short and getting-shorter list:
- Brand-new 2024+ ID.7 and the very latest SSP-platform e-models — assessed case by case until aftermarket support fully lands
- The handful of Crafter 2017+ keys that need an MAN-shared online authorisation we can't currently service
Everything else, mobile, kerbside, cheaper than VW main dealer.
Frequently asked questions
How much for a spare VW Golf key?
Golf Mk5/6 spare keys £180–£260 fitted. Golf Mk7/7.5/8 spare keys £280–£400 fitted (MQB cars need security-gateway access). All-keys-lost on a Golf 7 or 8 typically £400–£500 fitted.
My VW Polo key is dead — can you just refurbish it?
Often yes. If the chip in the head still works the car will start with the key in the ignition / fob in the slot, even if the remote buttons don't work. That points to a dead remote board, which we can either repair or transplant into a new OEM-quality shell from £55+.
Can you do all-keys-lost on a VW Transporter T6?
Yes, kerbside. T6 and T6.1 use the same MQB / IMMO5 architecture as the Golf. Typical all-keys-lost is £400–£500 fitted with a 12-month warranty. There's a manufacturer-mandated waiting period (around 17 minutes) — you'll still be driving the same day.
Do you cover the older Crafter (2006–2017)?
Yes. The older Crafter is actually a Mercedes Sprinter underneath, so it needs Mercedes-spec key tooling rather than VW. We carry both. Typical spare key £280–£400.
Will the new VW key be a genuine VW key?
We use OEM-quality blanks and remotes — visually and functionally identical to a key bought from the dealer. The transponder chip and remote board are the same parts the supply chain feeds to the dealers. You'll get a 12-month warranty on it.
Do I need to bring my VW to you?
No — we come to you. Home, workplace, car park, wherever the vehicle is. All the kit is in the van.