Pencilneck,
Thanks for your time and effort to response about these issues.
I do not have a full working copy of VCDS as of yet, so I will check into this a bit once I drop some $$$.
I guess once option for people that do not have a keyfob key is to find a used keyfob on ebay for a good price and possibly save some $$$ over the dealer price of the FOB portion of the key??
Also if someone wanted to be cheap about things, they could just purchase a used keyfob on ebay and just program the keyfob to get lock and unlock the car, they used the non keyfob key to start the car?? At least this way they would be half way toward their end goal! I need to review the keyfob learning procedure, but it is likely you can learn a single keyfob by just running through your basic procedure listed below? Having a seperate key and FOB is nothing new, my 2001 Ford Explorer was like this, my 2005 GMC Yukon is like this.
I know the top strap on my VW key broke many years ago and I bought a used key on ebay for cheap an used he casing, swapping he FOB guts and I sill have the rest of the ebay key still here.
I wonder if you could buy a used key, get a new key blank then learn the used key to the immobilizer on the car?? This may save you a bunch of cash, but as you say the PIN issue may be a problem if you do not have it. However, there are locksmith companies that advertise they can make and program keys/FOB's cheaper than you can buy a dealer key?? Maybe the can cut a blank off your current key without issue, then figuring out the immobilizer part is the last issue?
I know BMW pretty well and part of the issue with the BMW is the keyfob battery is not replaceable, you have to cut the key open, make sure you do not damage the circuitry cutting the keep open, unsolder the battery, solder a new battery in and then reglue the key. Not an easy DIY. Then for the most part the BMW key immobilizer chip is programmed, not the car. Not sure the BMW key can be reprogrammed or if it is a one time only program job???
I assume the PIN you are referring to is the small tag you get with the keys/car when purchased new?? I happen to still have mine after 10 years!
It is interesting to also see how many of these used VW's even have no original key at all by the time they hit owner #3+!!!
At least with the BMW's I have seen, you almost always end up with 1 original keyfob even after 10+ years.
I have no idea how so many people can loose the keys to their car, but I guess it happens when trade ins occur, people move, maybe people loose their keys from time to time.
Knock on wood, never lost any of my keys yet.
Did not fully search this here, but might be nice if there was the definitive mk4 platform key thread with all options to include thinking outside the box and going with a used ebay key for a baseline to save some $$$ if you could???