"If you had access to a car like this, would you bring it right back? Either would I." Ferris Bueller
I was a valet in Newport Beach California in my younger days. When you gave me the car, you had no worries. As you left the restaurant, the car was there before you needed it. Since I have the beast now, no one drives it. Only at Caesars and the Palms in Las Vegas have I had to leave because they wanted to drive my thing. Boy, it is a wrong idea to think of driving my 550. I do tip well. 12 cylinders or walk.
After watching valets park endless exotic cars in the parking garage of the hotel I worked at I came to the conclusion that most of them knew exactly what they were doing. The real problems popped up when the owners insisted on parking the cars themselves. I saw a Murcielago high-center and a new Gallardo that burned out a clutch after getting stuck going out the entrance (wrong way). For the Ferris Bueller fans, the car below was parked and moved by our valets all week (without incident of course). C. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Yeah, because that way as soon as you walk back out of the casino/restaraunt, the valet guy doesn't have to run all over god's creation to get your car. He just hands you the keys and you drive off. Alot of business's (around here anyway) get exotic cars coming in all day, every day, so they dont "appreciate" it as much I guess.
In the Washington, DC Metro area, we had teams of car thiefs taking cars from the valet lots. Many valet lots leave the keys unattened either in an unlocked lockbox or in the car. In addition, the contents of many valet parked vehicles are sometimes stolen because the cars were left unlocked. There might be more threats to the ride than a scratched quarterpanel or an extra 100 miles from a careless valet IMHO. The only way a valet will get my key is by prying it from my cold dead hand. Even then, good luck getting it out!
I think you guys are giving valets a bad rap. I know all of the valets on the Northside of Indianapolis (where I live) that work at the nicest restaurants and they never take the cars out. I treat every car the same whether it is Jermaine O'neals Rolls Royce Phantom or some high school girls Honda Civic. The only difference is I park all the nice cars in the front to make the restaurant look better. There have been times where the owner of the restaurant has had to park his Vanquish in the back but he knows nothing will happen to it. I think it is based on how comfortable you are with the valets and how much you go into that particular institution. Usually if you are nice to them, they will be nice to you and your car.
in LA's Universal Studio park with my own eyes i saw one valet pulling out of space and hitting Jeep Cherokee that another valet was trying to park.
I would not let anyone drive my car especially a valet. When i went to a valet only parking establishment i tipped the worker extra to let me park my own car and keep the keys. He still gave me the best spot in the lot.
I look for the head valet. Then I ask him where I can park it where it will be the safest for him to watch using his vaket lot. I also let him know I have a handicapped sticker if that is better. I then park it and lock it. If he asks for the key, I give him a bogus key that does not work. I also tip him 20 bucks. They are usually happy with that deal.
I applaud those of you who are trusting enough to allow a stranger to valet your car. I've just heard too many horror stories to even think about it. All I own is a Chevy and I will never valet it. Not because they may wreck it, but what they may steal from it as well.
No way in hell. I'll make my girlfriend driver her Sentra before I'd let anyone valet the Italian toys.
The person that hit the jeep just means that he is a bad driver. I have never come close to hitting anything and have parked tons of cars from the biggest car you can think of (or at least that i can think of) to the smallest. Anything from 10k to 400k. I think some of you guys are like the old saying about BMW drivers that they are *******s because they have a BMW. Just quit being so damn paranoid, nothing will get stolen or hurt and you know what if it does, tell the manager the company insurance will reimburse you for it and the valet will get fired, problem solved, that is if there is a problem.
>>>I have no issues letting others drive my car<<< Tillman, I need to borrow your 328 for this weekend.
This is the BEST way to handle it. I used to valet & there were those that would actually STEAL from the cars or worse: We had one clown that would rifle through the glovebox, get the registration info/address, call a buddy & have him go break into the house while the owners were out to eat! He got jail time.
Hahahahahaha I DON'T THINK SO! Why even let it get to that. Just don't let the valet park the Ferrari in the first place and the problem will be avoided all together.
When i finally own 134282 and i find myself at some restaurant, i'll ask the valet if s/he knows how to operate an F1 transmission (which, by the time i can actually afford 134282, will be standard on every car in the world)... If so, they can valet my car... Chances are, the kid's eyes will light up like never before and i'll just let him know, "If you have any problems or questions, just come inside and get me... Don't worry about disturbing me while i'm eating..." And when i'm done, if he has time and his manager's okay with it, i'll take him for a short ride... If he dings the car or scratches it or whatever, i'm sure it'll be worth it once he gets a ride... If i can afford an Enzo, i can afford to have the scratches and dings taken care of...
