Pushbutton key fob: Essential, or can you do without?

[MHM]

I really hate carting around bulky keyfobs.

I far prefer simply having a dumb but much slimmer key on my keyring, even if that means sacrificing some functionality. I'm going to be getting into the bloody thing after all so it's really no advantage to me to be able to unlock it from three steps away.

So...is it possible to do away with the electronics of the keyfob altogether, and simply lock / unlock / start the car with a simple metal key? If so, does the alarm still arm/disarm when you lock/unlock the car? Is there still a way of deadlocking the car? Or, is there a smart chip in the fob that talks to the onboard electronics that renders anything but a registered keyfob useless?

Thx,

Michael.

 

[lfe]

No, it is not possible, if you separate the key metal sword and try to start the car with that alone it does not work. The electronics of the key have an RFID chip that if it is not detected, the car will not start.

For many years ago all European cars have had this anti-theft system.

But perhaps in a car key specialist workshop or in the official Peugeot workshop they can make you one with only the RFID part and not the buttons, which will be smaller.
I had a Citroen that has the second key like this.

 

[2retro]

I haven't locked/unlocked a car with an actual key in about 3 decades. I'm not bothered about going back to that way!

 

[MHM]

I haven't locked/unlocked a car with an actual key in about 3 decades. I'm not bothered about going back to that way!

I bet you have a flushing toilet in your house and use one of those newfangled "cellular telephones" too don't you, you flash bastard. I'll stick to my horse and dray thanks very much mumble mumble schimf schimf.

But yeah, to answer @lfe 's suggestion...I had a talk to a locksmith yesterday and they can do a key which has a big plastic head, embedded in which is the RFID chip. So no buttons and batteries. It's not a bad halfway house between the present bulky fob and nothing at all, except that they want NZ$200 (ie about 100 euros near enough) for it.

 

[Pedro]

The ignition barrel reads the key chip that's why its all integrated into the key fob many people have found the cars been immobilised from the key for different reasons like a dead battery etc