Valet damage

[dyee]

Anyone been in dispute with valet causing damage(casinos, high end restaurants, hotel/resorts). My NSX didn't have any damage when I dropped it off at 9 PM. I picked it up the following day 2:30 PM to go to a basketball game and noticed the paint was damaged and the plastic bumper had gouge/pitted blemishes when I got out to retrieve my shoes and jersey. What did you do to resolve it?

 

[drtruong]

Some guy took your car to drive around the town (do you remember the mileage on your odometer before you gave the key to them? probably not).

I would first talk to the manager and then they probably would ask you to see if your car was damaged before, any witnesses, any picture was taken recently.

If there is no settlement, then you talk to your insurance and explain the situation , let your insurance deal with them.

Sorry to hear about your car. Good luck

 

[dyee]

Thanks, the mileage trip counter was on par. Can you explain how my insurance company could be involved in this?
1) I haven't contacted them.
2) My deductable for that car is $2000
3) The damage isn't $2000.

Here's what's suspicious:
1) No valet personnel took my claim ticket.
2) No valet person was there (at the car) to get my $10 tip.
3) Valet person who retrieved my car the day before doesn't remember driving my car to me. Her words were.... "Sir, I park hundreds of cars a day and I don't remember being in it".

Maybe I'm a candidate for the looney farm?????

 

[NSXDreamer2]

not remember parking a nsx... it's a good excus if it's a honda accord..

this maybe too late, you should always see if you could get the comprehensive lower. $2000 is way too much. For nsx, I would do at least $1000 collision and $200 comprehensive; at least...

Check with your insurance company, the comprehensive premium is not that much of an increase, and trust me you could use it a lot more often. (In cases like that, not your own fault, you will get paid to fix your car without increasing your premium.)

I have $500 and $100 on all my cars.

 

[The Kid]

When I was staying in MD's Inn Harbour, the valet put a door ding in my 325i. I showed the hotel, sent them the bill and they paid no questions asked.

 

[JUNIOR11X]

oh yes i have... I went up to vegas for a vacation and had my car parked by a valet at the bellagio. When it was time to get my car back from the valet i noticed my rear left wheel was damaged. I quickly brought it to there attention. They made me fill out a complain sheet and within a week i received a check in the mail for $1,200 with no hesitation. Btw they where amistad wheels...Big places usually take care of there guest.

 

[drtruong]

Yeah, it might be too late after reading your thread.

1)You should have talked to the manager at the time you picked it up, but I think it is still worthwhile to go back to talk to the manager to see what he has to say.

2) If your deductible is high, most of the insurance might not want to waste their time to deal with them; unless your insurance has to pay for the damage and they want to recuperate the money they paid out.

Anyway, talk to the manager first and call your insurance to see what they have to say.

 

[gdae]

I wouldn't valet park my civic, much less my NSX. I refuse. In a pinch, you could let the valet dude ride shotgun and tell you where to go. Otherwise, no.

BTW, once at a fundraiser car wash one of the girls stopped scrubbing the car and told me, "Back when I was a valet parker this is one of the kind of cars I would drive like this." And then in a really loud, obnoxious voice she went, "WAAAAAAA, WAAAAAAA, WAAAAAA!" like she was redlining through the gears. She even worked the imaginary shifter.

Just say hell no.

 

[Big_D]

It probably too late to discuss the damage after the car has left the premesis. I would consider lowering the deductable on your insurance in the future. I don't think I would ever valet park my car...I would be a nervous wreck.

 

[docjohn]

Agreed don't ever leave the venue until you have filed a damage report with management.Most reputable hotels deal with this all day.I had some bumper scuf years ago at an atlantic City casino same deal made the head valet guy document it and I was reimbursed by mail for the repair.

 

[Paul91]

[QUOTE

=gdae;1050924]In a pinch, you could let the valet dude ride shotgun and tell you where to go. Otherwise, no.

Great idea...​

 

[dyee]

Thanks all!! I did file a report when I got back to the hotel. They took pictures, my friends took pictures, and I spoke with the risk management person handling the case.

I called Monday, was assigned to a gal named Tracy. She wasn't at work Monday or Tuesday. On Tuesday when I called back, another gal named Malena was assigned.

Get this though...... she said she'd get back to me TODAY. I waited until 4:45PM to give her space so it didn't look like I was over-anxious. Guess what?????.... RECORDING. I call back at 4:55 (just before closing) Guess what???.... you guessed it.

I'll look into changing the deuductable on the comprehensive.

If I lose, I will get it fixed.... but I'll be the biggest prick alive when I go back to the Mandalay Bay. I swear I will make their life a living hell for bending me over and breaking it off.

Last thing: where do you park your car (in a parking structure) and keep it from collisions, scratches, or theft? I was thinking of parking it away from cars (like I normally do) but it's not I'm leaving it for 3 ,4, or 5 hours. Im leaving it overnight and well into the day.

 

[gt_nfr]

not remember parking a nsx... it's a good excus if it's a honda accord..

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Valets park some nice ass cars through the day and especially given that its a hotel he may not very well remember if he's parked a lot of cars. I worked as a valet last semester part time and most of the valets only talk about driving bentleys and Ferraris....no one really looks twice at P-cars or NSXs

 

[dyee]

In terms of numbers, if an NSX comes rolling in on your shift and you pulled it up for the customer and the customer asked you for directions to a particular location in Vegas ( I didn't tell this forum this detail) with conversation regarding this location, you honestly wouldn't remember pulling up the car. SHE even told me she had to move the seat forward. I guess with so many cars to park, any car that looks like a limited production car is valeted the same way as any Camry, Accord, Cadillac, Tahoe, etc.....If you park cars for a living, and a Saleen S7 twin turbo rolled in you wouldn't remember that one because the other valets mention Bentlys and Ferraris?

 

[gt_nfr]

In terms of numbers, if an NSX comes rolling in on your shift and you pulled it up for the customer and the customer asked you for directions to a particular location in Vegas ( I didn't tell this forum this detail) with conversation regarding this location, you honestly wouldn't remember pulling up the car. SHE even told me she had to move the seat forward. I guess with so many cars to park, any car that looks like a limited production car is valeted the same way as any Camry, Accord, Cadillac, Tahoe, etc.....If you park cars for a living, and a Saleen S7 twin turbo rolled in you wouldn't remember that one because the other valets mention Bentlys and Ferraris?

Are you seriously classifying an NSX in the same league as a Saleen S7?

Wow, I hope you don't fall on your way down from that high horse....

I think the NSX is great and an iconic car but its by no means a Saleen S7.

 

[mickeylex]

Are you seriously classifying an NSX in the same league as a Saleen S7?

Wow, I hope you don't fall on your way down from that high horse....

I think the NSX is great and an iconic car but its by no means a Saleen S7.

Look in the mirror lately? Read your post above lately? And you make a crack about someone being on a high horse?

 

[heySkippy]

I think the NSX is great and an iconic car but its by no means a Saleen S7.

True, the NSX is much better looking than the horribly overstyled S7.

 

[dyee]

Well boys, fold up the tent...... I lost but they couldn't answer any of the questions I posed to them. No more Mandalay Bay for me. Start spreading the news.... not an honest operation.

 

[gt_nfr]

Look in the mirror lately? Read your post above lately? And you make a crack about someone being on a high horse?

My quote concerning Bentley's and Ferrari's have nothing to do with me....I was just stating that the OTHER valets seem to notice those much more. I'd hate to say it but the average person sees Bentley's and Ferrari's has status symbols, which was the point of my post. An NSX to your average Joe is another Acura.


To the OP, that really sucks but the general policy of valet companies is that once you drive off the lot, they are no longer liable for anything. Sorry about your situation and I hope that guy gets whats coming to him.

 

[drew]

If you want to avoid such things, you must request "INVENTORY". They will note any imperfections on the back of the receipt.

It also puts them on notice and they will treat the car totally different. (I just feel like a jerk every time I make them do it though)

Otherwise they will state any damage was "pre-existing", I'm surprised any of you folks got a payment without conducting an inventory prior to giving up possession.

Also, there are some very cool inexpensive solid state DVRs for cars...you can record hours of rolling video.

Drew

 

[tosugrad]

I wouldn't valet park my civic, much less my NSX. I refuse. In a pinch, you could let the valet dude ride shotgun and tell you where to go. Otherwise, no.

BTW, once at a fundraiser car wash one of the girls stopped scrubbing the car and told me, "Back when I was a valet parker this is one of the kind of cars I would drive like this." And then in a really loud, obnoxious voice she went, "WAAAAAAA, WAAAAAAA, WAAAAAA!" like she was redlining through the gears. She even worked the imaginary shifter.

Just say hell no.

Here is the funny part. You won't valet any car but you will let some fundraiser folks WASH your NSX??????????????

 

[gdae]

Here is the funny part. You won't valet any car but you will let some fundraiser folks WASH your NSX??????????????

I was wondering if anyone would notice that.
But I couldn't help myself. It was girls in bikinis ....

Or at least a few (Going into flashback, cue harp music):
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90341

 

[Brooklynzson]

Thanks all!! I did file a report when I got back to the hotel. They took pictures, my friends took pictures, and I spoke with the risk management person handling the case.

I called Monday, was assigned to a gal named Tracy. She wasn't at work Monday or Tuesday. On Tuesday when I called back, another gal named Malena was assigned.

Get this though...... she said she'd get back to me TODAY. I waited until 4:45PM to give her space so it didn't look like I was over-anxious. Guess what?????.... RECORDING. I call back at 4:55 (just before closing) Guess what???.... you guessed it.

I'll look into changing the deuductable on the comprehensive.

If I lose, I will get it fixed.... but I'll be the biggest prick alive when I go back to the Mandalay Bay. I swear I will make their life a living hell for bending me over and breaking it off.

Last thing: where do you park your car (in a parking structure) and keep it from collisions, scratches, or theft? I was thinking of parking it away from cars (like I normally do) but it's not I'm leaving it for 3 ,4, or 5 hours. Im leaving it overnight and well into the day.

I would never let anyone other than my dad drive my car, so valets are out of the question, especially after watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

When I park in a garage or parking lot i try to park either next to a wall, and get the passenger door within an inch or two away from the wall that way I have at least a couple feet distance away from the car next to me even with the doors open.

When I park outside i try to park next to the little sections where there's grass or a tree, ( http://www.nsx1.com/images/pag/pag_080809 /pag_080809_101_800.jpg )
If worst comes to worst and I HAVE to park in between car i try to park in between nice cars & not a beater that no one cares about because have seen people just kick there door open and hit the car next to them with total disregard.

 

[drew]

For those of you who state they would never "valet" there are places in Los Angeles that will tell you---"that's fine, but you will have to find some place else to park." If you complain they give the irrefutable standard TSA line: "Security Policy, no exceptions."

You really can't take your business elsewhere if you have a meeting...lets say in Library Tower, where there is no other parking for a mile radius or so. Or a Hollywood event, places where individuals of high net worth preside or an otherwise secure facility: they simply don't allow people to walk around in certain areas---ESPECIALLY the parking areas, where kidnap, paparazzi and other mischief have a greater probability .

I suppose you could park your car and take a cab back and forth.... At some point you have to prove to your business colleges that you are above your car and that you have bigger worries (like getting company business done efficiently and quickly...and not worrying about your damn car).

Get an "inventory" and be done with it.

Just the facts of life

Drew

 

[tom4416]

I find that $20 upfront makes a huge difference. Many a time, they have simply parked the car out front, away from everything and all by its lonesome. Another $20 when I pick it up insures that they are fighting over it the next time I roll in. Sure, it's blowing through $40 but that's a whole lot cheaper than getting a wheel refinished or trying to fix a ding in the aluminum body.

Does anybody here have a GPS locator on there car? I've always thought it would be interesting to track the car on my cell phone when it's supposed to be parked. I suspect if you walked up the manager at a high end establishment and showed him your valet parked NSX being tooled around right on your cell phone, they'd be willing to throw some serious money at you to make it right.

A couple of my friends with teenage drivers have added on board telemetry that captures a lot of data onto an SD card and is readable on your PC. They weren't overly expensive, might be worth adding one to the NSX to capture the data while it's in someone else's hands (do think it has to be an OBD-II car to work).

Remember the original ZR-1 that had the valet position? It basically made it an economy car and was specifically for valet parking attendants. Maybe not a bad idea for high performance cars.