I was told by Porsche the chip in the key is bad and to replace the head of the key with the chip and to reprogram is around $290. I don't need the 2nd fob but just want it to work, so is there another route other than the dealer for this to save some money?

 

no. not if you want the electronics to work from the fob. the good news is the key will still work.
add: the fob" has nothing to do with "turning the car over" it's just the locking mechanisms/seat memory features etc. car will still start/stop/lock whether fob works or not.

 

ok but I am lost on what you mean. The key will unlock the car and turn the ignition but just not start the car. Whats the fix?

 

When you pull the battery and board out of the key you'll see a tiny pill next to where the key slides into the head. That pill needs to be the right frequency and married to the car. You probably dropped the key and it broke.

It could also be dislodged? Try taking it apart and putting it back together.