I hate transponder keys

[nilamo]

I actually used to work at a locksmith years ago.  Those keys are only expensive if you only have one of them.  If you already have two, and want a third, it's $25 or less.

If it's a vats key (pic attached), then it's less than $5 regardless of how many keys you have, since they don't need to be programmed.  But those aren't really used anymore, they were for GMs in the mid-90s.