Cost of replacing passkey

I have recently purchased a '99 Buick LeSabre that has the passkey II system. The previous owners lost one set of keys several years ago, and I now have only one set, but would need to purchase another set. Do I go through the dealer? Is it true that it will cost me a couple of hundred dollars?

Welcome to AF! I got an extra PassKey II key for 20 bucks from a locally owned lock business, you don't have to go to the dealer. Some others on here have found even cheaper replacements.

I've recently paid $9 for a replacement, up from $7 a few years ago. This was at a locksmith, not the dealership. A few phone calls might save you some $$$.

I bought 3 on ebay for $6. You can go to the dealer and have them tell you what chip # you have, then go find a key blank with that #.

Once I got the key, the problem I had was no place would cut the key. I went everywhere in two towns. The answer I got was those keys cost hundreds of dollars, if we wreck one, it costs us to much.

I went to a local store and found a kid working. He told me the same thing as the others, I told him I had a pack of 3 I bought on ebay for a couple bucks a piece. If he wrecked one, it would be no problem. After I told him that, he did it.

If you get a key bank, be prepared to maybe get that response from places that make keys.

Hope I could add something to help,
Chris.

There is no need to visit the dealer to identify the key blank. Test the resistance of the pellet and compare to the chart:

http://72.19.213.157/files/VATSResistanceTable.jpg

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply. I am relieved that this will not be a huge expense. BTW, how is the resistance of the pellet tested?

Connect an ohmmeter lead to either side of the resistance pellet on the key.

FWIW, the #1 key blank was discontinued fairly early in the series (about 1987-88) so there's one less possibility.