If anyone is still considering Valet parking

[TheProton]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/6400271.stm

Seriously, I don't think I'll even valet the daily driver anymore, this is nuts. Upwards of 106mph, left on the side of the road, etc. And this is what they caught them doing with a tracking device, I'd imagine this is the tip of the iceberg.

[jriva]

I've never used valet and I never will, unless we're in my girlfriends car, then i could care less. I've seen Ferris Bueler's day off.

[fitfan]

in the 2x i have had to valet, i handed them a 10 out the window and asked to park it myself up front - not a problem.

[Boondock Saint]

Also, just in case some of you still valet, I used to valet every once in a while with my friend who owns a Valet company for some extra cash and to drive the nice cars mostly for big Hollywood parties. I love cars and treat them with respect so people don't have to worry about me but the things I have seen. Some guys don't even know how to drive stick first of all. They do drive the cars hard as soon as they turn the corner. If the parking structure or the street they are parking the cars on is far they use one of YOUR cars (usually an SUV) to transport the valet drivers back and forth to the drop off spot. They do look for change or valuables that may be easy to take. Also, if one of the guys likes your car but someone else is already parking it they will get the keys from that guy and take your car for a little test drive. I stopped helping them because 1. I don't need the money, 2. Most of the cars weren't very exciting, and 3. I got sick of seeing how they treat cars when the owners weren't looking.

[ematiK]

Imagine coming back early to find out your car wasn't there...geesh I could never imagine treating someone elses car like that.

[milehitom]

What I want to know is how does somebody have and "unauthorised car park" near a major airport?

"Gatwick Airport said Pink Meet and Greet were not approved or endorsed by them, and was one of a number of unlicensed operators which used its forecourts to provide services.

'It is extremely difficult to identify and restrict access to such providers.'"

Good to know, post-9/11...

Tom

[Transonic]

Originally Posted by jriva

I've never used valet and I never will, unless we're in my girlfriends car, then i could care less. I've seen Ferris Bueler's day off.

"You guys got nothing to worry about, I'm a professional"

[LARRY]

Don't valet a Lotus.

Ever.

[cj323]

I never valet any car. I used to know a lot of them. The stories I could tell you...that article is just the tip of iceberg when it comes to things they do.

[jtj]

when my wife and i were dating while she was in college, her sorority always had these "formal" events.(i just read it as an excuse to get drunk) she didnt have a car, so I always drove. It was a 64 VW beetle with a spray can paint job, a plexiglass rear window and no interior other than the front two seats. I took the baffle out of the baja stinger and the ignition switch was stuck so you had to jump the starter wire to the toggle switched ignition on i had hanging from under the dash. NO valet EVER wanted to park that car much less "test" drive it, so of course I always let the valet park it and I acted like it was a rolls royce too.... and if they sneak it out you could hear it from a mile away. Of course she hated it too, but she still married me anyway. I did get rid of the bug first though....

[Unca_Tim]

I wouldn't let a valet ride my bicycle.

[Flash G]

I think it's much tougher to not valet in places such as LA, etc... where parking is tough and every restaurant/club/bar/hotspot has valet only.

It comes down to two choices... do you self park on the street where someone could damage the clam - or do you valet. I valet the car every weekend all over town. Have done it for a year and a half with no problems yet. knocking on wood

[cstetter]

Originally Posted by Flash G

I valet the car every weekend all over town. Have done it for a year and a half with no problems yet. knocking on wood

Did you get an ECU printout lately?

[bgsterling]

Originally Posted by Flash G

I think it's much tougher to not valet in places such as LA, etc... where parking is tough and every restaurant/club/bar/hotspot has valet only.

That's true. I went to college in LA. Much like jtj, I had an, uh... unique vechicle back then. Mine was a '79 Honda Civic CVCC with oxidized green paint, dents, and a 3" rust hole in the rear quarter. Rust in LA is quite rare. The car (generally) started and ran, but the parking brake didn't work. I had to valet that thing all the time when we'd go out. I'd have to pray that the valet stand wasn't on even the slightest of inclines or else I'd have to turn off the car. By far, my favorite point was my parting words to the valet as I'd hand him the keys. With a straight face and a serious tone, I'd say "Hey, be sure to park this someplace nice. You see all this s**t (pointing to the dents and rust). It happened the last time I was here!"

[pixlpush]

My dad had a friend who was going out to a nice dinner in downtown Detroit with his wife. It was cold out and they pulled up in front of the restaurant and left the keys with the Valet, something he wouldn't normally do but hey it was cold. When they left the restaurant they valet was no longer there so he went back inside to see if they had left the keys with the hostess. The response is one you probably see coming by now, Valet? sorry sir we've never had a valet. The car had been stolen, I don't remember what it was but I do remember that it was brand new. Easy pickings all you need is a red vest and a piece of peg board with some old keys on it and people will give you their cars. Be careful out there

[bgsterling]

Originally Posted by pixlpush

Easy pickings all you need is a red vest and a piece of peg board with some old keys on it and people will give you their cars.

Anyone else remember this as a sketch on "In Living Color".

Mo' money! Mo' money! Mo' money!

[Brian 111]

I would never valet, ever.

I met a couple that took their new 528i to one of the CT casinos about 8 years ago. The car had 350 miles on it. Some kid who worked there attempted to have a lapping day in the garage, and slid the car into a 4' wide concrete post, hitting between the front passenger side wheel and the door hinges. The insurance company was talking about fixing it until they found mounting points sheared off the block and trans. The casino bought them an identical new car and a substantial comp package for the hotel, restaurants, and casino.

[shay2nak]

i used valet once and they let me keep the keys. I'll probably have to use the same guys tomorrow for 10 minutes.

[spf4000]

The parking situation in LA does suck, and it's very hard to find a place that doesn't force you to valet park. But both my wife and I hate valets with a passion, so we avoid them at all costs. All the scrapes and scratches I got on my wheels on my previous car were from valets.

I mean, look at it from their point of view. What do they care what happens to your car? It's not their car, they get paid minimum wage, and they are bored. If a hot car comes in, of course they'll want to try it out. If they scrape it, whoops, oh well, it's not like they have to pay for it themselves, and they can deny that they did it.

[pwe]

We valet the c230 all the time in San Francisco but I wouldn't do so with the Lotus. I might leave it with a valet at a nice hotel if we took it on a road trip, but only after explaining that I know exactly how many miles are on it. We'd like to buy a really nice car in a few years (we'd love a used DB9, for example) and keeping the c230 as my wife's DD, which would put me into the situation of having to valet something that I really care about...