To valet or not to valet...

Hey guys, I'm really excited to say that my 04 Maserati Coupe is coming in one week. I just was wondering how you guys deal with valeting your cars. I'm getting the cambiocorsa and I was wondering if some of these valet guys (even at nice places) would know how to work it. I just am kinda worried about giving the keys to someone who has never worked an F1 tranny. But some places require valet, so I guess I'm pretty much stuck. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Pay the valet, park yourself.

 

Allanlambo is right on the money. Pay the valet to watch over your car, but park it yourself. Most valets are probably okay, but I've heard horror stories from other Italian car owners about joy rides, smoking clutches, and body damage. Even though the odds are high that nothing will happen, I don't want to test the theory.

 

I hate valet parking. We went to a restarunt this summer where they had to drive the car around the block to park it, and I stood there and watched the kid gun my car pretty hard. He probably thought I went inside already.

Pissed me off- then when we were leaving I actually heard them then talking about the fast M5 to each other when I told them I owned the "stickshift 5 series" & two of them left to get it. Its not even an M, it just has the M logo on the stickshift.

With an F1 style tranny I would just ask to park it yourself- it may feel weird asking to park it yourself, but if you just leave the keys the worry you'll have (especially when your baby is brand new) will be worse. I agree with the others- slip them a couple of bucks and just say you'd like to park it yourself.

 

...and keep the keys.


Coupla months back so this valet try to manuever this black 360 F1. Guy was fiddling with the shifter and blipping the gas pedal and the car suddenly lurched rearwards and nudged a 'reserve' sign post. Nobody yelled so obviously the owner wasn't there.

 

Absolutely right fellas. I let no one park my 355 F1. I also pay extra to park up front away from other cars. The one night I didn't do that, someone hit my M3 and cost me $350. Valet was nowhere to be found and the parking lot claimed no responsibility because the valet service was just renting the lot from them. I could not get a hold of the valet service the next week. They had no address. Only a phone answering machine. Always inpsect your car when coming back. If you frequent some places, get to know the valets by name. Good luck.

 

I don't even let my wife drive my Maranello.

Of course she doesn't let me drive her Murcielago.

I guess we're even.

aehaas

 

Most valets will let cooler cars park themselves. I normally tip the valet anyhow. I have very rarely had a problem with this. The only time I can think of is in West Palm Beach.

 

I would have to agree with everyone else.

Pay and park it yourself.

Luckily, I have a valet key code so the boost is turned down to 1psi if I HAVE to valet. No joy riding because there would be no "joy" in it.

Fortunately I know most of the places I frequent really well and I know the valets. I always make sure to leave the baseball bat in plain site in the car.

 

I am a valet myself....If you have any concerns about the valet knowing how to drive your cambio corsa or F1 transmission....just ask him/her to explain to you the process. Always ask for the head/manager of the valets. At fine establishments, valets are use to dealing with high end and exotics. Of course, there will always be horror stories. But at the place I work at, we treat exotics like gold...and we always park them up front in plain view of the customers.

 

I tell the Valet where I want to park it, then pay them anyway. I've never had a problem.

 

unless you know the valet do not do it. I had the valets at the Ritz in New Orleans not put the 308 in gear and it went into the back of a limo. the only valet who touches my car is one at a rest. that has been parking my cars for years he has been there over 10 years never a problem. but he is the only one who will touch my 308 or 348

 

Car sitter !!

 

On my 996TT I had a GAIC programmable key fob.
1 position for factory ECU settings 91 oct,1 position
for 93 oct,1 position for race fuel, 1 position for VALET!
Car would not go over 35 MPH in this mode and Valet
didn't have this keyfob!! I had a lot of fun with this mode.
Even used for freinds who weanted to drive my car when
I wasn't with them!!!

 

I agree with Allanlambo (perish the thought !!!) you really should park your car yourself. My dad has had his wheels scuffed like clockwork on: new Jag XJR, XJR convertible, 2004 Carrerra 4s, 2001 911C2 and his OZ wheels on his '01 Lotus TT V8 all at a very exclusive yacht club. Usually, these are nothing but kids and it does not matter how many high-line or exotic cars frequent the establishment, these kids cannot resist the temptation to play Michael Schumacher when they get behind the wheel of an exotic. I won't even let a valet park my wife's '01 MB E sport model. Usually these valets are familiar with the liability rules and they know there are so many loopholes, since most valet "companies" merely sub-let the "right" to park the cars and give the establishment a percentage. The best testimony to this is when I was in high school in the late '80s a friend of mine was the valet at THE MOST EXCLUSIVE restaurant in Tampa, Florida, Burn's Steak House, and he was constantly ragging Testarossas, Porsches, et al. In addition, many times things would mysteriously go "missing" from owners glove boxes etc. One night he "commandiered" a patron's bag of mary j from their glove box in a M635CSI (a hot car back then). What were they going to do, call the cops?

 

its real simple.............NO VALET parking. park it yourself or leave it home. I have heard too many horror stories. as the saying goes.........it's better to be safe than sorry.

 

Thanks to all who have replied--- I just picked up my 04 Maserati Coupe and I absolutely love it. I've never driven an F1 style tranny let alone a manual tranny, so I'm still getting used to it--btw, if any of you have any tips on what proper rpm is for easy driving (least gas mileage) and if it's ok to be in 6th gear at like 50 or 60 mph, it would be greatly appreciated. Back to the ubject--I still am very nervous about valeting, but the problem is that this is my only car and there are places where I absolutely have to valet. So I'm guessing that I just tip the guy $5 (is $10 too much?) and tell him to let me park it myself and he will tell me where? Thanks a lot to everyone on this board, you guys are a great help.