Anti-theft bypass (was Re: e36 key cylinder won't turn)

[Drew Mouton <drew@xxxxxxxxx>]

Ugh.

Okay, hoping somebody can give a pointer who knows more than the dealer.

Recall that I've been working through some issues with a '98 E36 328i. 
The background is that it drove off the road, then sat for several months 
because the lock cylinder was broken (and subsequently the key was lost).

Thanks to everyone who chimed in about the lock cylinder - looks like I'm 
going to drill it out.

Meanwhile, the bigger hassle is this: bought a key from the dealer, then 
last weekend I pulled the ignition switch off the back of the cylinder, 
inserted the key into the ignition to try to start it, turned the switch 
with a screw driver. Nothing. 

Talking to dealer today they're telling me that with the EWS II anti 
theft on the car, the _only_ way to get a key to work is to not ONLY buy 
one of the 10 coded keys available for that cylinder, but ALSO to have 
that key info provided to the anti-theft computer by a "special machine 
that only the dealer has."

So they're telling me I have to have the car flatbedded to them, so they 
can "program the computer so the key will be recognized."

Of course this car hasn't been started for half a year, and I'm trying to 
check it out for any other problems, but can't do so without a being able 
to start it.

So my question is: is there any way to bypass the antitheft on the car, 
and/or does what the dealer say ring true?

Regards,

Drew

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