The Mustang Forum for Track & Racing Enthusiasts

Taking your Mustang to an open track/HPDE event for the first time? Do you race competitively? This forum is for you! Log in to remove most ads.

  • Welcome to the Ford Mustang forum built for owners of the Mustang GT350, BOSS 302, GT500, and all other S550, S197, SN95, Fox Body and older Mustangs set up for open track days, road racing, and/or autocross. Join our forum, interact with others, share your build, and help us strengthen this community!

TracKey wildly varying installation prices

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

So I just ordered my TracKey from Tousley (which came out to a little over $200) and started calling around for install prices. This is what I was quoted so far

Dealership A: $200
Dealership B: $0
Dealership C (where I got the car from): $98

What gives? Is this normal?
 
Ford suggests 1 hour labor, which would probably put it close to the $98. Maybe the 0 thought you bought it there, as several people have gotten it for free with purchase. The $200 might be because they have never done it before, and assume it will take longer. My local dealers all were willing to do it for 1 hour labor, which varied from 120 to like 160 depending on the location.


Get it done by a dealer that has done it before, some don't seem to be able to handle it.
 

fbbob96

2013 SBY #0750
Just recieved my trak key delivered today from Tousley Ford. $229 delivered. Have an appointment next Tuesday morning to have it installed. Talked to the service mgr there and he has done 4 others. So, I'm comfortable with that. He said about $100 to install it. That works for me too. My selling dealer here wanted $200 and 2 days to do it!! No chance there. So off I go for a two hour ride Tuesday morning. I feel very confident about going there. Will report back with the results next week.
 
Your getting a great deal at those prices,Boss Track Attack sheets list the price at 302.00 dollars not including installation.Every place I've seen lists it at 302.00 dollars not including installation.
 

fbbob96

2013 SBY #0750
Had my trak key installed today.Cost me $120...took about an hour and a half.The exhaust sounds really good!Cruising home on the interstate I averaged 60-70 mph.The trip to the dealer was 115 miles each way. Got 24.6 mpg going and 24.9 coming home using the red key. So total spent was $349. So far,so good. Glad I had it done.
 
My Trackey was programmed as part of the purchase of the BOSS at MSRP. The programming took a little over an hour to complete.
 

ace72ace

Zaino, I put that $hit on everything
1,242
71
CaliMR said:
Ford suggests 1 hour labor, which would probably put it close to the $98. Maybe the 0 thought you bought it there, as several people have gotten it for free with purchase. The $200 might be because they have never done it before, and assume it will take longer. My local dealers all were willing to do it for 1 hour labor, which varied from 120 to like 160 depending on the location.


Get it done by a dealer that has done it before, some don't seem to be able to handle it.
My Boss is on the 2nd full day at the dealer on top of the wasted half day last week, (all during my vacation) trying to get the install done at a dealer that never did it before.

So the advice above is sound, and let me repeat it. Unless you like wasting your time and gas,

DO NOT HAVE YOUR TRACKEY INSTALLED AT A DEALER THAT NEVER DID ONE - YOU ARE ASKING FOR TROUBLE

Just because Ford says that 'any dealer should be able to install this' doesn't mean they can.

And this with still no assurance it will be completed today. I just want my spare keys and am asking for the voucher so that another dealer that has already done this can do it and not waste any more time, mine or theirs.
 
So some of you guys paid extra to get the key, then even more to program it? Mine came with the car but I still have to program it. I always thought everyone got theirs with the car at delivery like I did.
 
You have the key, you have to pay for the installation code and for the installation of the software. It is just a regular key until install
 
SOCOMech said:
So some of you guys paid extra to get the key, then even more to program it? Mine came with the car but I still have to program it. I always thought everyone got theirs with the car at delivery like I did.

You are supposed to get one black key and one track key but needs to be programmed so $302 is right around the final cost.
 
SOCOMech said:
So some of you guys paid extra to get the key, then even more to program it? Mine came with the car but I still have to program it. I always thought everyone got theirs with the car at delivery like I did.

Every Boss comes with the Red Trackey, however it is just a normal key until you purchase the software code from Ford Racing and have the dealer install the software. When you use the Red key if you dash display does not show Trackey Active, then your Red key/Trackey is not active.
 
I'm having my Trackey installed tomm. at the dealer that I bought my car from, althought they have never done one before. I'm kinda worried, as said dealer didn't know what the trackey was or even that my car already came with the red key. They tried to sell me a red key and wanted to charge me $348 just for the trackey software. I'll keep you posted.
 
my local dealer said total cost for the software + installation would be $79.95. Found this hard to believe, but the service department says they've done track key installations before and that's all that it would cost because they are able to download the software themselves and simply charge for labor since according to the manager, "it's just a simple reflash." I think this is to good to be true but sounds like a great deal. other dealers in the area are around the $300 range. I think this is their way of maybe just making sure they get the majority of the boss's in south texas to come to their dealership. they do sell boss's.

what do you all think?
what should i take to show that i know the process and guarantee its done right?
planning on going tomorrow with the instructions from ford racing to make sure they know all the info and the process before actually proceeding with them.
 

ace72ace

Zaino, I put that $hit on everything
1,242
71
FYI there are 2 important things the dealer that's never done this before needs to be aware of. One is a required software patch listed right on the main page of the Trackey web site. Two is this;

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/vdirs/help/IE7&IE8_Security_Change.pdf

My service dept. has done everything it can and their PC is still FUBAR.
 
went earlier today to my local dealer who was claiming a $80 total price tag and I took them copies of the dealer installation instructions and both the service manager and technician, said that all that work and voucher id number isnt neccessary and havent had to input them on any other trackey installs. safe to say they aren't doing it correctly as they keep saying i dont have to spend the $302 for the code. The technician told me that he only has to input the key, reflash and done. after reading what you guys say about the installation process, im guessing my dealership is wrong?
 
Had the TracKey installed this morning, and went off without a hitch. Well except for the fact that they scratched the crap out of my roof from working with a laptop up there. They charged me 1 hr labor, came out to $110 with tax. What a blast, dropped out the baffles too!
 

Justin

Save the dawn for your dishes!!!
BIGbossSID said:
went earlier today to my local dealer who was claiming a $80 total price tag and I took them copies of the dealer installation instructions and both the service manager and technician, said that all that work and voucher id number isnt neccessary and havent had to input them on any other trackey installs. safe to say they aren't doing it correctly as they keep saying i dont have to spend the $302 for the code. The technician told me that he only has to input the key, reflash and done. after reading what you guys say about the installation process, im guessing my dealership is wrong?
How do you tell if the installation has been successful?
• If the TracKey itself has been successfully programmed, the message
"TRACKEY ACTIVE TRACK USE ONLY" will appear on the message center
when the ignition is turned to the ON position with the TracKey. If both the PCM
and the TracKey have been successfully programmed, the green speed control
light on the dash will blink continuously twice per second when the engine is
running and Pit Lane Speed Control has been activated.
To activate Pit Lane
Speed control on a 2012 vehicle, press the "OFF" button followed by the
"RESUME" button within 2 seconds. To activate Pit Lane Speed Control on a
2013 vehicle, make sure the speed control indicator light is off (not orange or
green) then press the "RSM" button twice within 1 second. To deactivate Pit
Lane Speed Control, press the "RESUME" or "RSM" button once. Note that if
the PCM is not programmed correctly, the "TRACKEY ACTIVE TRACK USE
ONLY" message can still be displayed on the message cluster but no
action will be taken by the PCM so none of the TracKey functionality will
work.
 

Dark Horse

2012 BOSS 302 LS 541
The Laguna Secas came standard with both keys but the red one is not programmed. The cost seems to depend entirely on what the dealer wants to do. Mine was the very first TracKey the dealer had done. They had no issues and did not charge me for it.
 

Justin

Save the dawn for your dishes!!!
ALL BOSSES come with two keys a red key and a silver key. The dealer with a voucher and an hour of labor will turn the RED KEY into a Trackey. Anyone tells you different they dont know what they are talking about
 

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top