Calling 96, 97 Owners...
 

Okay, I got a bit jealous of all the 98> owners with there flip keys and needed a spare key so decided to buy a flip one from eBay. I got the key for £36.50 inc p&p. The key came with a blank blade which a local key shop cut for me for £4. I then programmed the key using this guide from Audi World http://www.audiworld.com/tech/misc13.shtml I can now unlock and lock the car using the remote, however when I start the engine using the new key it cuts out after 2 seconds, this is because I still need to reprogram the immobiliser, if you have the immobiliser code you should be able to do it via VAG COM or you will need to take it to Audi.

Talk to Audi mate, it usues rolling codes so they will have to ask the German's to put put the code through their algorithm. Think thats right anyhow.

indeed - the buttons are dumb and can be programmed, the blade can be cut (although thats a great price for cutting!! - thought it was way more) but the coded part (the part with the key blade sticking out if you pull the thing apart) is coded and thats an Audi job about £100 ish I think.. could be wrong but not cheap..

There are tools out there (ah-hem) that can extract the immobiliser codes for the early cars over the ODB diag port...... A 4 digit immobiliser login code was supplied on the original key fob of all A8's up until about 2000.... so if by any chance you have that, jobs easy....

With a car that early, I would suspect it would be quite successful extracting it...

You could then login to the immobiliser and code them yourself in theory... +++

A thought occurs
 

Would one be able to remove the transponder from the key that one gives to the garage and put it in a new fob?

My central locking is infra red, does any one make nice shiney new key fobs for them?

Has any one else with an infra red system set up their AV amps programmable remote to unlock the car? Or am I the only complete child here?

Bill