I'm guessing they didn't have the logistics to keep the body and ignition cylinders in sync.

 

They did. You could order fleet cars "keyed alike" so the door key worked in the ignition. My old cop car was like that. It was weird to start the car with a round "door" key.

 

Fords unidirectional single key is only great until you have to replace the ignition cylinder (dad had to do it to both of his E-series vans).
BTW, I never found GMs 2 keys to be a pain or found myself "fumbling" to find the right key. Round for door. Square for ignition....pretty simple. Now the 2 tiny ass keys that the toro uses....thats a PITA (because they're tiny and look the same), but the P.O. painted one orange, so its easy to see what key is for what.

 

Having two keys is perfect. In the event I were the type of person to allow other people to touch my cars (which I am not) let's say I was at a garage or mechanic.

I can leave them the ignition key, but keep the oval "open" key myself. Thereby, while they can now start and move the vehicle, they cannot access the trunk (Okay, so my Cadillac doesn't have a trunk) or glovebox of my vehicle. I now do not have to worry about the contents of either of these being touched or taken.

Speaking of Fords, my Lincoln always had three keys. Door key, ignition key, trunk key.

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That really depends. Some of the Fords use incredibly sturdy ignition cylinders. Some do not and use the generic cheap ones (literally a few bucks online, direct from China)

My brother's '04 Focus was like this. With no surprise, it broke and I learned it is in fact a constant problem with his car and people have been complaining about it forever.

I replaced it with a much better ignition lock and it has since never had any sort of problem again.

Funny thing about Ford Focuses of his generation that I did learn though. There are only 32 possible keys available for them and two of these designs will open the doors to ANY Ford Focus. While dismantling the ignition lock on his car, I also learned that hotwiring these cars should take no more than around sixty seconds.

However, in the event I ever needed to "borrow" a car from someplace (Which I say without shame that I have had to do, but only for an appropriate, very noble cause and the owner was more-than-reimbursed for their unintentional loaning of their vehicle) I would still avoid taking a Focus altogether. I simply...do not like them.

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"Look, Biffy - I can start the car from over here !!!" .............. "Muffy, That is SO cool !!!"

I actually designed a remote-ignition system that allows me to start a car (and operate certain functions) from anywhere in the world, so long as where we are (The car and I) we both have acceptable phone signals. It operates over a mobile phone, rather than a handheld controller.

This has proven useful, but only because I lead an unusual life and this was a task-specific design, engineered to solve those particular isolated problems that the average person would never face in daily life.

Outside of that, I could not really care any less for the ability to start my car in the driveway from inside the house.

Laziness. Besides, remote ignition systems are not famous for their effective application on carburetor-equipped vehicles, particularly if the engine is cold. Since most of the vehicles I own (and 100% of the ones I actually drive myself) are these same vehicles, the systems do not wow me any.

I will say though that the novelty of being able to start a car 3,000 miles away has proven hilarious, at times.

 

I wish they STILL used 2 different keys.

........... but now we all need more bells and whistles than the next guy. It's a gamesmanship thing, and he with the most buttons, toys, lights, whistles, LCD screens and switches wins the bling rights.

"Look, Biffy - I can start the car from over here !!!" .............. "Muffy, That is SO cool !!!"

 

I always liked the two key system too. Get one of those little pull-apart key ring and you could lock it up while idling it to warm up in winter.

 

The only logical reasons I can see is so that you can give someone the door key to enter with and not be able to start the car or to keep a valet out of the glovebox/trunk.

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Isn't it funny how such obvious things go right over our head.
This can still be achieved with 2 similar keys.

 

Odd. I never thought of this as annoying, really. It seemed like it would keep things cheaper for you.

Ignition cylinder breaks? No problem. Replace - one key. Can still get in and out of car, etc.

But then, I've never owned anything that DIDN'T have GM dual keys, either. So... yeah.

 

There's only one logical reason which I will answer with a question -- What is better than ONE gold Cadillac key?!?!?!?!?!!

 

I don't like Ford keys, all the Fords I have had had two keys also.
I have had numerous GM's rekeyed so same key works for everything.
I had used the old lock car and run back into house trick with pull apart key chain myself.

 

Also, GM had dual keys as recently as 2005 (when the Park Avenue/LeSabre were killed off).

Not as back-in-the-day as you might think.

 

The 2 key systems works well for me.
I use the square key to start the car (of course) and use the key fob to open doors and trunk. The round key resides in my wallet for those special occasions when I lock the keys in the car.

 

FYI Lesabre has been one key at least since 2000. My 2005 has one key.

 

I seem to remember my '00 Regal having 2 keys

 

I may have the actual answer.

GM execs said in an interview that it was originally to keep parking attendants from getting into the trunk and glove box. However, when other manufacturers were switching to single/2way keys and valet keys in the '80's, GM introduced VATS. In order to have one key, all of the lock cylinders would have had to have been able to fit the resistor pellet into them, which would have required a redesign, and unnecessary complication.

 

See, that is plain dumb. The valet will lock your car. They might need to move it again for some reason before you come back, happens all the time. Especially in a garage where they have to double park cars because there isn't enough spaces.

 

This two keys for Valet thing makes no sense to me. Do valets leave the car unlocked in an urban parking garage? If they locked it to control the contents of the car they would be screwed.

I know my Mom had a 97 crown vic (one key) and it had a special "Valet" key that would open the door, start the car, but not unlock the trunk or the trunk button.

 

I know my Mom had a 97 crown vic (one key) and it had a special "Valet" key that would open the door, start the car, but not unlock the trunk or the trunk button.

Our '01 Chrysler is the same way. Single key, but the valet key works in everything but the glove box.

 

Yeah, I don't quite get it either. It would make sense for the Ford 2 key system, because one key opened the doors and started the car.

 

At one time Buicks had a position on the ignition switch where you could withdraw the key and still turn on and off the ignition with a couple of ears that stuck up from the switch cylinder. The starting switch was on the carburetor so you turned on the ignition and stepped on the gas pedal to start it. When it started, engine vacuum pulled a little steel ball out of position and disabled the switch. When you stopped the engine the ball fell back down and you were ready to go again

 

When was this? Recent?

My '61 Impala had this ability. I think it was commonplace then. If you removed the key in the "lock" position, a key is required to start the car. But you can remove it in the "off" position and not need a key the next time. Mine, you could remove the key with the engine running as well, but I think this only happened as things started to wear.

 

I remember that feature on the early '50's Buicks. I don't remember that capability on other cars of that period. I think it had something to do with Buick using the throttle pedal to start the car, most other makes used a push button on the dash. Key actuated starters came I later in the 1950's and became the standard of the industry by the mid fifties. I remember thirties and some forties cars having a separate pedal which was used to actuate the starter.

 

Chevy had that through the late '40s, maybe into the early '50s. Was a cost savings--you were the solenoid on the starter.

 

My 1988 Subaru has two keys, one for the door and ignition and one for the trunk.

I don't think it was designed that way, however.

 

It changed over time. My 69 FWB, the square key works the door and ignition. The round key works the trunk and glove box. If the logic is valet security, that arrangement makes sense. On the 77, the square key only works the ignition. The round key works the other three locks. Why the change? Beats me!

 

My 65 is the same way. The old octagonal keys, though. Door/ign, glove/trunk.