HELP!!! 99 Jetta Key/Alarm System problem

[bigmike9726]

Hi guys, I am new to the site but I am in a bind here and could really use some help, and i was told this is the place to go...

My girlfriend has a 1999 Jetta (GL, Auto, stock, ~120k)), which she bought used about 4 months ago from a private seller. On New Years, she lost her main key, so she went to try to start the car with the spare, but it wouldnt work. The alarm was on, and eveytime she tried to turn the ignition the alarm would sound and the engine wouldnt turn. We tried a few things but ended up having to get it towed to a local dealer in Syracuse (which she never went to) because we figured it was a key related programming problem which only a dealer could fix (damn germans!)

Anyway, after the car had been sitting there since Friday, they finally called her with bad news.... ~$700 to fix!!!!

She did have something wrong with the door, where when she used the keyless remote to lock the doors, the front driver side wouldnt lock, so she would have to manually do it with the key. The dealer said that this had something do with the cost, as well as the fact that she lost the master key. Unfortunately she spoke with the dealer and not me, so i didnt get the complete story.

Am i the only person this sounds ridiculous too? i know dealers always overcharge, but this is a little crazy. Do you think they could just remove the alarm alltogether and she can just go without it? It is the factory installed alarm.

I really appreciate your help!!!