Keys, Clones, and Cobra Effects with Mike Maleski [E205]
Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech Training and Pico Technology
Live(ish) from ASTA 2025 in Raleigh, I “borrow” a guest from a Keith Perkins immobilizer class: Mike Maleski of PSK Automotive and Rosedale Technical College. We dig into the business of keys/immobilizers—what drew him in, locksmith gatekeeping, where OE tools beat aftermarket for workflow, flat-rate incentives (hello, Cobra Effect), cloning/EEPROM realities, and teaching diagnostics to the next generation. Also: yinzer linguistics, Applebee’s barters, and Tibbe-key kryptonite.
Mike Maleski — Owner/tech at PSK Automotive (Pittsburgh, PA) and instructor at Rosedale Technical College.
Topics we hit
- Getting into keys: margins, ROI, and focusing the service line
- Locksmith gatekeeping → locksmiths moving into module programming
- Market realities: dense dealer competition vs. being “the only game in town”
- Inventory truth: FCC IDs, chip types, look-alikes that aren’t
- Aftermarket vs. OE: when GM/Volvo VIDA and other OE paths are faster/cleaner
- Cutting machines: Dolphin starts; Triton support/updates; Tibbe/Jag quirks
- Cloning & EEPROM: freeing used key slots (e.g., BMW), virginizing/clone vs. dealer order
- Service mix & referrals: “different, not better,” building two-way trust
- Pay plans & culture: misaligned incentives, base-plus-performance sanity
- Wages vs. geography: think cost-of-living ratios, not raw dollars
- Teaching at Rosedale: bench → car, lightbulb moments, ScannerDanner lineage
Quotes
- “OE software isn’t always about coverage; sometimes it’s about friction.”
- “Flat rate isn’t evil; misaligned incentives are.”
- “You can stock 200 keys and still not have the right one.”
Takeaways
- Adding keys/immobilizer? Plan inventory, price subs, know your dealer landscape, lean OE when it reduces rework.
- Build referral networks; you won’t go broke sending work to the right specialist.
- Audit incentives in your pay plan.
- In teaching/mentoring, bridge breadboards to the messy reality of in-car faults early.
Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech Training
NAPA Autotech’s team of ASE Master Certified Instructors are conducting over 1,200 classes covering 28 automotive topics. To see a selection, go to napaautotech.com for more details.
Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology
Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Pinpoint faults in sensors, wiring, and components with unmatched accuracy. Visit PicoAuto.com and revolutionize your diagnostics today!
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