Valet horror stories?

[RYU]

The gf asked last night (as we were heading for a nice steak dinner) why do you avoid having your car parked by valet? After all these years I never thought she cared. I then mentioned to her all the horror stories i've heard over the years including my own experiences.

I've personally had something as benign as scraping the front chin to things stolen from my car to rims being scratched. Worse of all... On my truck, they must have thought the 4wd lever was the stick. They engaged 4x4L and locked up the hub locks. I heard the wheels screeching and dragging as he pulled in-n-out before I stopped his a$$!

Anyone else out there as paranoid as I am or have similar stories? Perhaps this can be a useful tool on where NOT to get your car valet. At the very least it should lead to good laughs (unless it's happened you :redface

 

[NSXLVR]

LOL. I dont mess with valet. Luckily, after getting many primers advice, I've learned that if I tip valet and tell them I have to park it myself, I'll get to park my baby in front of the resturant. Best for both of us, they get tipped, and I dont cry for smelling burnt clutch :tongue:

 

[RON98]

lol.

one word.

DONT!

 

[Big_D]

I valet parked my wifes SUV once at the Chart House in Del Mar. I gave the valet the keys and went inside and sat at the bar. I could see him out the window parking the vehicles. He would double park the cars and pull up untill the car he was parking bumped into the car in front of it...then he would back up a little to leave some room.

I couldnt believe he was actually waiting for the bumpers to make contact before he backed up. I was pissed. When I got my car I looked carefully and could see some damage to my front liscense plate. I was glad it was just the plate and not the bumper. I don't even know what the car looked like that was in front of me. I gave the valet a ration of shit and left him there without a tip. That was the last time I parked valet.

 

[Prospeed]

4 Words for you....


Ferris Bueler's Day Off!

Nuff said...
That scared the crap out of me.

If you don't know, rent the movie! lol

 

[Scruffy1]

Took my NSX on a road trip which included a wedding, figured I could park it away from others. Turned out reception was at a CC which only had valet Tipped the valet to take care of it, got it back w/ no dings but seat back broken - cost $650!

 

[RYU]

The one and only time (but may not be the last) i've had to valet the NSX was at yet another Hollywood/LA club on La Cienega. I think it was called Republic. I asked the valet if I could park it inside. It was literally a 30 ft drive. He said sure for $40. I thought about potential damage and realized $40 is cheap insurance. However, when I gave him $40 he would not let *me* park the car! He insisted he did it. Oh... I was livid. I worried about it the whole night because it was parked right next to a high foot traffic area. Gone are the days of wanting to show off but instead all I could think of were potential haters who would be out to damage it. Good news was when I got out it was parked next to a Gallardo

 

[gdae]

The one and only time (but may not be the last) i've had to valet the NSX was at yet another Hollywood/LA club on La Cienega. I think it was called Republic. I asked the valet if I could park it inside. It was literally a 30 ft drive. He said sure for $40. I thought about potential damage and realized $40 is cheap insurance. However, when I gave him $40 he would not let *me* park the car! He insisted he did it. Oh... I was livid. I worried about it the whole night because it was parked right next to a high foot traffic area. Gone are the days of wanting to show off but instead all I could think of were potential haters who would be out to damage it. Good news was when I got out it was parked next to a Gallardo

That's just the thing. Stupid valet parking takes away your peace of mind. You can't enjoy your evening knowing a complete stranger is in (or out of) control of one of your more valuable chattels.
Luckily for me, valet parking usually occurs at gatherings I don't want to attend in the first place, and if it's valet park or nothing, I happily choose nothing.

 

[DocL]

I used to be a valet attendent and I have a pretty bad story. I was working at very prestigous country club for a PGA golf event and a nice new 328 GTS comes in. Well two of the other guys decide to take it for a joy ride. A few hours later a NY State Trooper comes by and asks for the valet manager. The guy driving the car lost control, totalled the car, and was thrown from the vehicle. I think he ended up being paralyzed and the passenger was also badly hurt with multiple broken bones. After that day I never ever fvcked with another car, even though I never really did more than a few burnouts in the parking lots or blast the radio.

 

[Khiladi1020]

The one and only time (but may not be the last) i've had to valet the NSX was at yet another Hollywood/LA club on La Cienega. I think it was called Republic. I asked the valet if I could park it inside. It was literally a 30 ft drive. He said sure for $40. I thought about potential damage and realized $40 is cheap insurance. However, when I gave him $40 he would not let *me* park the car! He insisted he did it. Oh... I was livid. I worried about it the whole night because it was parked right next to a high foot traffic area. Gone are the days of wanting to show off but instead all I could think of were potential haters who would be out to damage it. Good news was when I got out it was parked next to a Gallardo

Haha... exact same sequence of events happened with me too at Republic in my NSX a few months back. $40 and they parked it in the front of the driveway entrance alongside the wall... I was worried about it getting f'd with too, until I realized there was a white Bentley and Maserati on the street in front of the place that was getting all the attention. :redface:

 

[pgilliam1]

I was a valet at a country club. If you think for a minute the person (sorry for the generalization - there has to be at least 1 or 2 good valets out there) that parks your car doesn't have a little resentment for having to "park someone else's car", you're mistaken. And at the level of pay the valet's get, what is their chance to "drive" a nice car - only when someone gives them the keys .

 

[03 raw nsx]

A news crew in SF's north beach got a Valet service on tape...

Someone valet'd a Porsche Cayenne...
from the hand off of the car...
- they used it bring other valet drivers back to the restaurant
- they got dinner for other valet drivers
- and kept it working until the owner came out

then the news crew spilled the beans to the owner

holy &*&**, try being in those shoes...calm my A$$

never valet

 

[ChopsJazz]

There's always this thread from a few years ago.

 

[Ski_Banker]

Here's a bad story (mine) although it didn't result in any damage to my car:

In South Beach, the city counsel loves promoting full employment initiatives, of which mandatory valet parking is one. Many of the new high-end condos have parking garages that were built/zoned such that ONLY valets could park cars in them, not the residents (owners or renters) in those buildings. When I moved into one of those condos, the "mandatory valet" was pretty much overlooked and I could self park my car without issue, but when the building mgmt company changed, they started cracking the whip on owners/renters that tried to self park. Using video cameras and "eyewitness reports" they tagged and towed some of the residents, from their own very expensive homes, for trying to park their own cars. The only way I could get around this was by pulling up to the valet circle, getting out of the car and into the passenger seat, and riding like a little girl with the valet into the parking garage. This, naturally, happened usually when there were crowds of beautiful women waiting for their valet cars -- giggling and chuckling about "that guy" who won't let the valets drive his Acura.

yep, that sucked. but it was better than giving my keys to the valets and letting them joyride in my car and wreck it, like they did to one residents modified M3.

 

[mickeylex]

Valet never. If valet is required, I'll pay them; $20, $40, whatever and self park - and I keep my keys. If they are not good with that, then I leave.

 

[RYU]

Here's a bad story (mine) although it didn't result in any damage to my car:

In South Beach, the city counsel loves promoting full employment initiatives, of which mandatory valet parking is one. Many of the new high-end condos have parking garages that were built/zoned such that ONLY valets could park cars in them, not the residents (owners or renters) in those buildings. When I moved into one of those condos, the "mandatory valet" was pretty much overlooked and I could self park my car without issue, but when the building mgmt company changed, they started cracking the whip on owners/renters that tried to self park. Using video cameras and "eyewitness reports" they tagged and towed some of the residents, from their own very expensive homes, for trying to park their own cars. The only way I could get around this was by pulling up to the valet circle, getting out of the car and into the passenger seat, and riding like a little girl with the valet into the parking garage. This, naturally, happened usually when there were crowds of beautiful women waiting for their valet cars -- giggling and chuckling about "that guy" who won't let the valets drive his Acura.

yep, that sucked. but it was better than giving my keys to the valets and letting them joyride in my car and wreck it, like they did to one residents modified M3.

I must say.. that story is pretty funny. Being in development myself developers and/or planning commission members come up with some crazy statutes.

The women are just jealous you take better care of your car then them. :tongue: Which in my case is sometimes true and very sad at the same time. haha

 

[nikey22]

don't valet period.

ppl are jealous of your car and don't give a damn about destroying it.
If you are desperate and MUST do this, at least write down the odometer (trip as well) and "see" what the difference is once you pick up the car, confront them with the difference if there is a huge one..

Good luck.

 

[KSXNSX]

Do not valet your car if you have a choice.

If you have ever heard valets talking about their job or customers cars, you will understand why.

These guys don't care about your car, or how well you take care of it. They are there to make minimum wage and tips.

If you don't tip them well, they feel as if they have a right or obligation to screw with your car.

I always tip very well when i drop the car off to make sure they are happy and ask them very nicely to take care of my car.

 

[rossii]

I've never liked valet parking period! I cant stand anyone driving my car especially a stranger. I remember I moved to LA and in Westwood the grocery store had valet parking?!?!! WTF??? I just want a gallon of milk....

Besides valet I also hate the type of garages where you park and then have to hand over your keys just incase they need to move the car........If I see one of those I keep driving.