miws
CMP, your post reminds me of my early years in the parking business in the early-mid ’80’s.
Although it was not totally unheard of to have the key from one car work on another from the same manufacturer, it was fairly rare on most, but seemed somewhat common on the Toyotas, and IIRC Mazdas and perhaps Datsuns/Nissans too.
“Breaking into” was fairly simple as well on those cars. The first car I got into for a customer that had locked their keys inside was a ’70’s Mazda RX7. I had maybe watched another attendant once or twice on other cars, so had a bit of an idea on where to aim for with the slim jim.
I slipped the tool between the window, and the rubber on the outside of the door, and wiggled it once I got it near the lock to watch for the inside lock button on the top of the door to wiggle. Then I’d know I was in the general area, and could keep working it. The lock button barely wiggled, and popped right up!
I think the customer may have been impressed with my “skill”, but it was pure beginner’s luck, mixed with a scarily easy to defeat locking mechanism on the car!
Another incident probably back in the mid-late ’80’s, but not at work. I was at a favorite bar, and another one of the customers had locked their keys in their (IIRC) ’80’s Toyota Pick-Up, with the same, or at least similar, locking mechanism to the RX7. I grabbed a metal spatula/turner out of the restaurant kitchen, used it in the same manner I would have with a slim jim, and it worked!
Mike