If you’re looking for the short answer to this question, it’s no, unfortunately we don’t. But some may question ‘why not, surely a lock is a lock?’. The reality is that no two locks are the same, and this is particularly true when comparing a car locksmith (better known as an ‘auto locksmith’) with a residential/commercial locksmith.
Each of these types of locksmith are specialists in their respective fields and require a very different set of specialist tools. Let’s face it, you wouldn’t want a brain surgeon performing a triple heart bypass.
You may find locksmiths that do offer both as a service, but there’s a good chance that they don’t specialise in either. This would be more like asking a handyman to build you a house. So what exactly is the difference?
Auto locksmiths
If you have managed to somehow lock your keys in your car, or you’ve lost your car keys and need a new one to be made, an auto locksmith is who you should call.
As mentioned earlier, they have very specialist equipment for performing these tasks. Equipment that requires a huge financial investment. For example, your auto locksmith may need to access the on board computer for your vehicle to unlock it.
A good auto locksmith will have a regular workflow of jobs that maximises the use of that specialist equipment, which means that they don’t have time to deal with residential/commercial locks.
Other types of Locksmith
The other types of Locksmith you will come across are residential or commercial. These specialist areas are much more closely related than auto locksmiths, and require similar tools. Which means that it is much more likely that you will find a Locksmith offering both of these as a service.
Residential Locksmiths
These are the people who will get you back in to your house when you’ve locked yourself out, and also change the locks on any of your doors and windows. You will also find residential locksmiths that can repair or replace your uPVC windows and doors. These are all just some of the areas GPM Locks can help you out.
Regaining access to a property may require some drilling of the lock, but there are locksmiths that specialise even further in this area using ‘non-destructive’ methods to minimise the drilling required.
Commercial Locksmiths
If you’re a hotel owner and require mass installation of a large volume of locks, you need a commercial locksmith. At GPM Locks we can install 350 locks in less than 9 days.
Again, the ability to do that requires a very specialist set of tools, knowledge and attention to detail. Which is why you won’t find commercial locksmiths offering auto locksmith services.
You may also find the non-destructive locksmiths mentioned under the residential section operating on commercial property.
Where can I find an auto locksmith?
Good question! The key is to start by using the right phrase when searching the internet using your favourite search engine (Google or Bing etc). Some phrases you may want to start with are:
- Auto locksmith
- Auto locksmith <insert your local area>
- Auto locksmith near me
A good auto locksmith will have gone to lengths to make sure that their website appears on page 1 of your search engine results.
When you arrive at their website, take a look at the photos that are used. Do they contain buildings or cars? If it’s the latter, it’s a good bet that you’ve found yourself an auto locksmith.