The short answer is this is a "if you have to ask" type of deal. Your best bet is to order from a dealer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zulu95
You do not give any info as to which year/model you are talking about. For later E70 models(LCI) I would suggest biting the bullet and going to the dealer as I found out the hard way this is the cheapest alternative.
Cloning a key can brick you CAS module meaning you need to have the vehicle flat bedded to the dealer and a new CAS module installed and programmed. That was around $1300 in my case. Then I still required a key that cost $540 from the dealer.
Your money, your choice.
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Long answer: It is possible to cut and program the keys available on ebay/aliexpress/etc. The big issue is the security system on E70s which consists of the CAS (immobilizer), DME, key, and the EGS or transmission computer. There are a couple things to know about this system. 1) The key is authenticated by the CAS and the DME and EGS talk to the CAS. 2) When your vehicle was produced, 10 key values were programmed into the CAS at the factory which are known by BMW. IIRC, 4 keys were included with the vehicle which leaves 6 "slots" available in the CAS. As spare keys are ordered from BMW, they use the digital keys already stored in the CAS. Once all 6 spares have been used, BMW will say they can no longer order spare keys unless they change the CAS. Aftermarket programmers work by altering the key values stored in the CAS. This means that old, lost keys can be overwritten, effectively nullifying the 10 key limit. It also means that it is relatively dangerous to use the aftermarket programmers as you risk corrupting the CAS. They only work with specific CAS firmware versions and, in fact, will downgrade the CAS if on the latest firmware so that the keys can be manipulated. There is a very real risk of corruption during the downgrade process. Back to the DME & EGS... they have security codes as well which are stored or known by the CAS. When those codes don't match, the car won't start (for the DME) or it will refuse to shift out of park (for the EGS). The security codes for the DME can be read by aftermarket tools and aren't a big deal to restore in the event the CAS is corrupted. However, for LCI E70s, no aftermarket tools can currently reset the EGS security which means you're stuck with a vehicle that will refuse to move. The earlier E70s, like yours, can supposedly be reset although I haven't done it.