Lock Picks for Cars
Lock picks for cars, sometimes known as auto jigglers or tryout keys, come in quite a variety of shapes and sizes. Tryout keys are roughly shaped like automobile keys. The key cuts on jigglers are designed to mimic the most popular cuts on authentic automobile keys. They resemble keys but there are no guarantees given by manufacturers or resellers that they will actually work on any specific vehicles. Auto Jigglers (aka lock picks for cars) are usually quite inexpensive ranging from a small set of 5 jigglers for about $20 to larger sets of 10 or 15 which usually run from $25 - $60.
There are many different tools on the market today that enable law enforcement, professional recovery agents and locksmiths to gain entry into any vehicle without having a key. Auto jigglers or tryout keys are not generally used by professionals much these days. There is no substitution for a good pick set and a lot of recovery agents still prefer this method of gaining entry into a locked vehicle. To them, picks are a sure thing. Tryout keys are just that, try this one, maybe it won't work...try the next one, maybe it will. Nonetheless, there are a great many pro's out there that have a set or 2 of these in the toolbox...just in case.
Opening cars can actually be a lot easier than picking locks. After opening just a few cars you'll begin to develop a feel for using the right amount of force to manipulate the right rod linkage. Use common sense when you're doing an auto lockout. You always want to work on the passenger side door as the driver's side door has a lot of electronic gadgets that the other doors don't. It is also a good idea to have the owner of the vehicle sign a work authorization form that releases you from false damage allegations.
It is not our intent to teach would be thieves how to gain entry into a locked vehicle. Towards that end, we are not going to discuss the specific methods of vehicle entry. There are, in fact a lot of locksmiths that earn big bucks doing nothing but lockouts. These lockout specialists earn up to $90 per call depending on the geographical area they are servicing and the time of day a call is responded to. Lockout specialists do not generally use tryout keys but they do use lock picks that are designed specifically for cars as well as professional lockout kits. They understand the locking mechanisms of a variety of vehicles and must keep on top of and continue to learn about the newer, higher security locking systems that manufacturers are installing in new vehicles.
There's more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to opening locked cars. There are locksmiths that prefer to use lock picks for cars and some that feel that picks are too complicated to bother with. As with other techniques, it comes down to personal preference and the quickness with which you can complete the job.
