Top mechanic Scotty Kilmer has warned drivers buying certain cars could put themselves at serious risk of losing money and being targeted by criminals.
According to the leading mechanic, petrol, diesel and electric car owners with keyless ignition systems could be caught out.
He warned that keyless fobs which open cars using buttons instead of twisting an ignition may be more hassle with a range of simple problems.
They warned that keyless fobs usually “cost a fortune to replace” and may even make models “easier to steal” in a major blow.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Scotty said: “Today I’m going to talk about something I hate. Keyless ignition systems.
“I like plain old keys. They very rarely break. These computer ones have a lot of ID signals in them.
“They cost a fortune to replace if you lose them. Unlike the plain old key, they are not waterproof. If these fall in the water or go through the wash. Goodbye.
“Lastly, they make your vehicle easier to steal. People can copy these signals, have one and steal your car.
“With a regular key, they’ve got to make a copy of the key. There’s no key to copy here, just a computer signal.”
According to CheckaTrade, replacing a manual car key is likely to cost owners around £160.
However, motorists are likely to pay double for a remote car key with average fees around the £320 mark.
Meanwhile, manufacturers can set hefty fees on key replacements with some luxury brands even charging thousands of pounds.
Keyless vehicle owners are also at risk of ‘relay attacks’ with thieves able to use a sophisticated strategy to gain illegal entry to vehicles.
Thieves capture signals from a legitimate device like a key fob and relay these signals. This effectively tricks vehicles into allowing access to a car without the actual key in place.
Specialists at Tracker suggested ‘relay attacks’ were a major concern as they continued to be the most common technique used by thieves.
Plan Insurance Brokers explained: “A Thatcham-approved vehicle tracker is worth serious consideration and on high-value vehicles, they can be mandatory for many insurers.
“The device won’t necessarily prevent the vehicle being taken but it could enable the police to recover it.”
