Q: I was shutting the decklid on my 86 fiero gt when I remember i had the keys on the ledge so now im screwed and cant start or do anything with the car.....what do i do...If i get a locksmith how much will he charge to make a key....can they make a key with the car just sitting there??? i have the title and all that....
A: If I'm understanding you, the keys can be retrieved once you get the rear deckling open, yes? So you don't actually need a new ignition key, you just need to get in there? 'Cause depending on year model, GM ignition keys can be tricky. For example, I had a '91 Z28 whose ignition keys had a microchips in them, without which the car simply could not be started. The only way to get those replaced is to go to a Chevy dealership and give them your VIN number. But if this is just about opening up that rear decklid, things are much simpler. The fastest, easiest solution is to call AAA or any other reputable towing service for roadside assistance. They deal with people locking themselves out of cars all the time, have various tools and tricks for getting into locked cars, and should hopefully cost less than an emergency locksmith. Now then, suppose you ain't got a dime to your name and you just need to get this done, quick and dirty? Well, a friend of mine used to date a guy who was a straight-up car thief. It wasn't even about money-- he was addicted to stealing cars. It was what he loved to do more than just about anything else. One thing I learned from him, and which other people have confirmed, is that cars from the mid 1980's are insanely easy to get into. This is especially true of Japanese makes, but your Fiero shouldn't be too much of a challenge. This guy never carried a "slim Jim," nor did he break windows or bother hot-wiring ignitions. He simply had a collection of keys on his keychain, one or two for each manufacturer. With just about any vehicle from the mid 1980's or earlier, especially Hondas, Toyotas, or Nissans, you can open their doors and start their engines with a key from some other car made by the same manufacturer, provided you've scraped that key against the curb of a sidewalk vigorously enough that its unique shape has begun to get worn away. Of course, there are better, faster ways of scraping away a key's distinctness, if you have access to the proper tools or materials, but in a pinch, just scraping it against the cement curb enough times will do the trick. But you didn't hear any of this from me. P.S. The car thief guy wound up being shot to death by the SFPD --shot in the back, no less-- during a high speed auto chase, so kids, don't go getting ideas, 'cause it's really not worth ruining or losing your life just for a few cheap thrills or the $150 a chop shop might pay you for a $5000 car!