And it's stupid to pay $225 for a key that will wear your tumblers away. Titanium is one of the hardest metals. Ever wonder why your brass keys wear out over time? It's to protect your tumblers. Better the key wears out than the ignition.

 

They dont make em anymore

gotta buy one from a person, like the guy on ebay. If you did spend $225 for a key, you would destroy its value by cutting it. Save your money, use a plastic key, or get a nismo one for $50 or something.

 

The blanks are purely collectors items. Like ZPYRATE said, if you have them cut the value is destroyed.

Also I'll say that although Titanium is a hard and light metal, it will not wear out your tumblers in your ignition or locks. My car is a 91 which came with the Titanium key and I've never had any problems with locks or ignition however the key itself is pretty worn (too the point they wouldn't copy it) The tumblers are made of steel which I believe is harder than titanium but much heavier. the lightness to strength ratio is what makes titanium so expensive.

 

Ooop one more thing>>

I also forgot to mention that alot of them are just replicas and not original blanks. I couldn't tell you what the difference is.

 

Sorry dude, I have to call bullcarp on you. Titanium is harder than standard steel. (Steel = 30 HR, Titanium = 39 HR)

Aircraft grade titanium is even harder. And I have the titanium key from my Z and it was eating the tumblers in the locks. I stopped using the key when little shavings of metal started coming out. The titanium had almost no wear.

 

Don't get me wrong...

I'm not claiming to be a metal expert or anything so I apologize for coming off that way. And I imagine you are right about the tensil strength or whatever it's called. I just know from my own experience. A 12 year old car + original locks and ignition + a titanium key that is too worn to be copied. You do the math. My point is obviously in my case the tumblers are stronger than the key other wise my key would be perfect and the ignition wouldn't work. Either way, its a cool key.

 

Same here...

93 Z, Ti key that has rounded teeth. I think the Ti part was just the key handle part and the actual teeth area is of a softer composite. I dont think Nissan would sell a key that would screw the ignition up.

 

Re: Same here - Mine too!

My 90 came with the Ti key, and the key itself is badly worn. If I insert the key in the conventional manner (with the rounded head closer to the floor when in the "on" position), the key will fall out of the ignition and leave it running. If I flip it over, it works perfectly and stays put. As for wear on my tumblers, they seem just fine - my black & red keys fit very tightly.
I like the GTR ones, but I don't think I'd spend $40 for one...

well, maybe.
~b

 

Well, Billy the Kid....

...hasn't read this thread yet, so I'll tell you about his titanium key experience. The key wore his tumblers so badly, he can start his car with a screwdriver.

Different experiences just means no sure answer on it. That's enough reason to forget that key.