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You know that awful sinking feeling when you pat your pockets or scrabble through your handbag looking for keys? There you are, expecting a happy little jangle of metal but instead what you get is a brooding silence.

It's bad enough when it's the house keys that have gone astray. Chances are that your missus or man about the house has another set and you will just have to put up with a bit of nagging about your general carelessness and perhaps a long suffering sigh or two from the other half.

But when it's the car keys! Well, that is another story entirely. What a nightmare. It's no good the wife telling you that you should have got a spare key cut either. It's a bit late for that now and if you want to get into your car and drive home tonight you are going to need some help.

You could try calling the dealer and asking them about getting a replacement key. Trouble with that is you can hear them over the telephone rubbing their hands together in glee and thinking, 'Yes! Another lamb to the slaughter!'. When they actually get round to telling you how much your replacement key is going to cost try hard not to laugh. The dealer is not joking. It really does cost that much to get a car key replacement from the dealer.

You might ask yourself What on earth justifies a fee of hundreds of pounds for a little sklif of metal and a transponder. But thats the answer, right there. Today's transponder keys give every car dealer in the country an excuse to shake their heads mournfully before relieving you of wodges of hard earned cash and laughing all the way to the bank.

But wait! Did you know that wherever your vehicle happens to be, it is more than likely that there is a trusty 'man with a van' all ready and willing to speed to your aid, get the car door open and leave you clutching a shiny new key all for a fraction of the price of the dealers?

Auto Locksmiths are popping up all over the UK. It's probable that there are a couple in your area which offers the pleasing prospect of being able to compare prices and services offered before choosing which to summon to your rescue. Many operate 24 hours a day, weekends and holidays included and have a freephone number. In fact, it would be wise to find a couple of car locksmiths in your area and give them a call. Tell them your car's make and model and ask for a rough estimate of costs. Pick one or two that have the best customer services and the most reasonable rates and keep the number in your wallet. That way, when you really do have a lost car key emergency, you are prepared for it.

Here are a few contacts you might start with:

The Auto Lock Smith
London, Essex, Kent Hertfordshire, Middlesex
Tel: 07739 383344 or 0800 1583798

Skeleton Keys
London area only
Tel: Daytime: 0208 365 7190 - 24 Hours: 07956 881 452

Auto Locks
Berkshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire
Tel: Freephone: 0800 849 6722

Keys West
Devon and Cornwall
Tel: 24 hour Freephone: 0800 977 6416

Ultimate Locks
Huge coverage - quicker to tell you that they don't cover ... Lanark.
Tel: 0800 0612 438