Any hacks? Identical car keys on a ring

[Susie]

We brought our new Jetta home today (yay!), and now I have outwardly identical keys on my keyring to our 2014 and 2017 VWs.  Last time we owned two VWs concurrently, they were a '97 and '03, and one had a laser cut key and the other had an old school key so it was fine.  But this time I can't tell them apart.

Both MH and I drive both cars, so I do need to carry both.  I've thought about buying touch up paint for one or both of them, and using it on part of the associated key, or just using nail polish.  But it seems like it might wear off easily.  Any other suggestions?

[dragon's breath]

Is there enough room in the hole for the key ring that you could tie a piece of embroidery floss or a tiny ribbon? You could use a spot of nail polish or superglue to seal the knot so it can't come undone.

[Pibs]

I just use two rings. I have a heart shaped key ring that has my key on it, as well as the house and mail key. I put husband's car key on a small key ring, and attached that to the heart shaped one.

[jackie011]

My friend and her husband use a label maker with their initials. Their fobs correspond to their various settings (luxury cars) so it matters which fob starts the car. Could you use a label with the model year?

[sadlebred]

A small piece of different colored electrical tape at the top of one of them. Or use one of these: Super easy and cheap:

[Pilsy]

Aug 5, 2017 20:30:29 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

one of these: Super easy and cheap:

This was going to be my suggestion!  

[Susie]

The ribbon idea could work, and so could labels stuck on the body of the key. I don't think the colored key labelers will though, because of the shape of the VW keys:



(For now I have the tag from the dealer on the new one.)

I try not to daisy chain key rings together, because that makes it long enough to hit my knee when I'm driving, and that's annoying.  The new car has push button ignition so no problem, but the 2014 doesn't.  I realize this is mostly a short person problem; I have the seat all the way up so I can reach the clutch.  Calvin, who is tall, looks at me funny when I complain about using his daisy-chained keyring.  His knee is nowhere near the ignition.

[Pilsy]

I know what you mean about the keychain hanging too low, and I'm not even petite!

I see now about the key shape. Do the actual keys pop out of the fobs?


What about using a (fun-colored, not black) sharpie to color the white parts on one key? I also like jackie011 's idea about a sticky label. Even a tiny piece of a Name Bubbles label should stay on there well and do the trick.

[fumbalina]

I keep my car key attached with a slide hook keychain. When I drive i detach the car key. This does not really solve the identification problem though.

[hazelden]

Get a cover here www.ebay.com/i/381649735267?chn=ps&dispItem=1&ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F711-117182-37290-0%252F2%253Fmpre%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ebay.com%25252Fi%25252F381649735267%25253Fchn%25253Dps%252526dispItem%25253D1%2526itemid%253D381649735267%2526targetid%253D328367455882%2526device%253Dm%2526adtype%253Dpla%2526googleloc%253D9019680%2526poi%253D%2526campaignid%253D866251394%2526adgroupid%253D46421867649%2526rlsatarget%253Dpla-328367455882%2526abcId%253D1129076%2526merchantid%253D101744918%2526gclid%253DCjwKCAjw2ZXMBRB2EiwA2HVD-B0unlEZR8ZkEvxgP9BOz9F9ZBMraZludrHrJIg9T9M_88zWidVS3xoCYVoQAvD_BwE%2526srcrot%253D711-117182-37290-0%2526rvr_id%253D1276435857480

[Pilsy]

Nice work, hazelden!

[Susie]

Aug 5, 2017 21:41:42 GMT -5 hazelden said:

Get a cover here www.ebay.com/i/381649735267?chn=ps&dispItem=1&ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F711-117182-37290-0%252F2%253Fmpre%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ebay.com%25252Fi%25252F381649735267%25253Fchn%25253Dps%252526dispItem%25253D1%2526itemid%253D381649735267%2526targetid%253D328367455882%2526device%253Dm%2526adtype%253Dpla%2526googleloc%253D9019680%2526poi%253D%2526campaignid%253D866251394%2526adgroupid%253D46421867649%2526rlsatarget%253Dpla-328367455882%2526abcId%253D1129076%2526merchantid%253D101744918%2526gclid%253DCjwKCAjw2ZXMBRB2EiwA2HVD-B0unlEZR8ZkEvxgP9BOz9F9ZBMraZludrHrJIg9T9M_88zWidVS3xoCYVoQAvD_BwE%2526srcrot%253D711-117182-37290-0%2526rvr_id%253D1276435857480

awesome, I did not know that was a thing!

[lindyanne]

They might have the covers above at your dealership

[lemoncupcake]

I'd just do a dot of nail polish or something similar that's free. Of its still a problem, then look at a cover or something.

We have two subarus with identical keys - one is a year older so it's more scratched up, but otherwise the same. I just generally just grab one and push the unlock button - if it was the wrong car, lock and then press unlock on the other key. It might sound like a lot of extra steps, but it takes seconds.

[chimera]

They have the silicone covers on Amazon too. We did this for the spare Toyota keys when my sister still lived at home -she and my parents all had the same SUV. They were different colors so the covers on the spares matched the car color.

[UnderProtest]

There are also key rings like this.

www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-Push-Apart-Key-Rings/4712763?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-ToolsAndHardware-_-KeysAndAccessories-_-4712763:Hillman&CAWELAID=&kpid=4712763&CAGPSPN=pla&store_code=1192&k_clickID=78cd6fc3-3279-4569-8b2b-000000fee47d&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_JrMBRDPARIsACis1HxSIj_jDQuaStveSNBjOVUGfv0bzzOQA5sKh5GONQgoTOrRPZ16mgAaAmWrEALw_wcB

It allows you to keep them together when you want, but take it apart when you don't want it to hit your knee. I had a nicer one from Coach years ago that had a clip which also worked.

[thatgirl2478]

I would do the nail polish too (because it's free and I'm cheap). But the cover is nice ...

[VillainV]

I was going to suggest a small piece of washi tape on the smooth plastic part.

[sillygoosegirl]

Can the dealer re-key the cars so all 4 keys work on both?

[Susie]

Aug 18, 2017 18:30:46 GMT -5 sillygoosegirl said:

Can the dealer re-key the cars so all 4 keys work on both?

Is that an option!?

For now we'll hold on that because one of our two cars is a TDI that is going to be sold back by the Sept 2018 deadline for the diesel buyback program.  With a year or less to go, it's not worth spending $.  But we're planning to replace the TDI with a VW Atlas, so we will be right back in the same scenario immediately next summer, with 2017 and 2018 cars that we plan to keep long term... and that have identical keys.  Then I would be curious if this is a thing!

[sillygoosegirl]

Aug 18, 2017 19:38:24 GMT -5 Susie said:

Aug 18, 2017 18:30:46 GMT -5 sillygoosegirl said:

Can the dealer re-key the cars so all 4 keys work on both?

Is that an option!?

For now we'll hold on that because one of our two cars is a TDI that is going to be sold back by the Sept 2018 deadline for the diesel buyback program.  With a year or less to go, it's not worth spending $.  But we're planning to replace the TDI with a VW Atlas, so we will be right back in the same scenario immediately next summer, with 2017 and 2018 cars that we plan to keep long term... and that have identical keys.  Then I would be curious if this is a thing!

I'm only guessing, since they are mostly, if not entirely, electronic now rather than mechanical.