Freelander 2 (LR2) Replacement Remote Fobs

I need to get a (at least) replacement remote fob for my F2 as it only came with 1.

I'm going to buy an Autel AP200 to program the key into the car. But I'm a bit confused about which fob(s) to buy.

A "genuine" LR fob (LR013005) is about £175.

https://www.car-keys-online.com/ quote that the OEM manufacturer of the fobs for LR is Visteon, and they can provide 1 of these for £140...


So that would be a better option that genuine, but neither come with the key blade section of the key.

They also sell aftermarket fobs for £20 including the key blade section...


They will also cut the key blade for £5 given the key number.

If I were to buy this, I'd get 2, so I'd have 3 keys, then if one is lost, I still have 2.

However, how good are these likely to be? Is it likely to fail on me when I'm 300km from home away for the weekend? I suppose at this price, I can just get a redundant 1 and leave it in the car somewhere. If a fob breaks, I just open the door with the physical key and use the redundant one. At £140 for an OEM one, that is not such an attractive proposition.

I presume these aftermarket ones are just what you can buy off of AliExpress, so I might just as well get them from there and save a few quid.

I have also seen fobs priced at between the OEM price and Aftermarket...


This is about £65. But, that's to cheap to be the OEM one I'd have thought, so is likely just a very expensive aftermarket - but are there different quality of aftermarket manufacturers? If there are, is this one likely to be one of them!

I'm inclined to buy 2 or 3 aftermarket ones (giving us 3 or 4 keys for the car) and keep a spare in the car - I don't suppose anyone wanting to nick the car is going to rifle though all the nooks and crannies in it to see if someone has left a key in it.


What are people's thoughts?

I use this Car Keys Online outfit as an example, there are likely other suppliers offering what they do.

My i6 only came with one key. I got a cheap replacement from China (under £10) then programmed it to the vehicle using SDD.
I didn't get round to having the emergency blade cut, but I was told it can be cut from the spare.

As to them failing, I don't think they render the vehicle inoperative, as the transponder part doesn't use power from the internal battery, so once it's docked the vehicle works as normal. However it's quite common for the internal rechargeable battery to break loose (on of mine started misbehaving last weekend), making remote entry difficult or impossible. Obviously this isn't a problem if the emergency key is available to open the door.

It's up to you which you choose, but I do know the LR key is very durable, and supposedly environmentally sealed, which the cheap Chinese replacements don't appear to be.

I replaced both of mine with the type that has the removable standard battery, so no soldered nonsense, bought four of them but then they were cheaper at that time. The firmware holds the code when the battery is replaced, coded them myself with my AP200. Cheaper ones are available but you can only buy one at a time.

I like chips said:

I replaced both of mine with the type that has the removable standard battery, so no soldered nonsense, bought four of them but then they were cheaper at that time. The firmware holds the code when the battery is replaced, coded them myself with my AP200. Cheaper ones are available but you can only buy one at a time.

Datong World 315/433Mhz ID46 Chip Car Remote Control Key For Land Rover Freelander 2 3 LR2 Ranger Rover Sport - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

Click to expand...

1 of my F1 fobs doesn't work at the moment because the clip holding the battery has come away from the PCB.

Something has to be soldered to the PCB, whether its the battery or the clip.

Its the 2nd time this has happened to me, dunno if its the same fob. Had to have the clip soldered back on last time.

All ordered.

We'll see which arrives first - the AP200 from Auckland or the fobs from China!