never again!!! someone at valet smoked the tires off my car

V10SpeedLuvr

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I'd have to admit this story sounds a little fishy to me also. Turning a set of PS2 rears into a set of slicks would take a considerable amount of effort (time and "nerve" by the rogue valet) not to mention the wheel area of the rear fasica sprinkled with black tire residue and a noticeable odor.

Nonetheless, the only time I attempted to valet my car (back when I had a '96 RT-10 in 2000) was when I drove up to a local restaurant in Houston. I handed over the keys to the valet and before I could get to the door of the restaurant, he asks: "sir, how do I open the door"? I promptly asked for my keys and parked the car myself. Haven't used a valet since and don't ever plan to.

In his defense, on a 96 RT/10, the question "how do I open the door?" isn't that crazy of a question :) That's prob the question I've gotten most since I bought the car!
 

ViperTony

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BS! With that much rubber burned off at one time you would have smell it getting into the car, even hours later. You would felt the handling difference while driving also.

I'm thinking the stench would be quite noticeable if not unbearable. I'm surprised nobody at/around the restaurant heard the V10 spinning the tires unless the valet took it for a ride to a remote location and let loose on it. Was there any evidence i.e. burnout marks in the pavement near the restaurant? With so much rubber gone...there must be a donut trail somewhere around there.
 

AFL in NJ

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There's only one place I've ever valeted my Viper and I ensured that it'd drive a very short distance and right into a spot out front. On my way into the bar and from inside, I can watch the valet....and if he left that area, he'd have faced my wrath. I valeted for a short time and enjoyed talking cars with the owners, but I was always very respectful (despite my looks) and earned the customer's trust.

Sorry to hear you're out a set of PS2's.

Regards,
Aaron
 

wikkid

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You gotta be a little numb on top, if you think the ********* parking your Viper isn't going to have some fun, if youhand over your car and walk in. Lesson learned
 

MKvpr

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I was on the receiving end of something like this a long time ago. I was 20, (1990) and a valet on weekends at a somewhat infamous Italian restaurant in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, NY. (Use your imagination...)

One afternoon, this young hothead pulls in with a pretty new Mustang GT convert. with a PA plate on it, my partner parks the car, but comes back telling me he couldn't get the key out from the column... I go to it & try it myself, but I couldn't do it.

Bear in mind, this was a busy place, so we were both pressed for time as we tried to get this key out to place it on the board... Maybe an hour later, this kid comes out & we tell him his car was parked, but we couldn't seem to get the key out. He throws a fit, saying we were out joyriding in his Mustang, he gets the manager out, etc...

I take another try at it & finally find the lever on the column which released the key! I didn't want to drive the car at all at that point, so I came back with the keys, handed them to the hothead & told him where the car was parked... He starts crying that his hood was still hot, so we HAD to be out with his car!! :rolleyes: (And driving from PA @55 :drive: wouldn't make the engine a BIT hot?!?)

In the end, nothing happened. But I park my car myself, wherever I go.
 

BigDawg

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Pay the Valet money for a front spot, if one is not available instruct them to move a lesser car. Never hand them the keys. Some time they claim they must have the keys but that is BS. If they still insist, go to another establishment.
 

99 R/T 10

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Maybe I missed it, but did anyone ask the OP to post pictures? Pictures are worth 1000 words..............................:D
 

Andrew/USPWR

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I guess be glad it's just the tire:(

It's always a gamble when you valet but it's ***** to have to walk your wife though the parking lot rather than valet because you don't trust the A$$holes. How many times do we not drive out cars because of that?

These days with GPS tracking we could always just leave the wifes smart phone in the car and see if it leaves the parking lot.

I'll sometimes ask the guy to park it up front then make a phone call and stand there talking on the phone till I see the guy park it.

Bottom line, how badly do you think the guy cares about his job and your car?
 

ViperGTS

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When I checked in at the Hilton in Frankfurt a few days ago there was ONLY valet parking.
Never!
I parked my SRT-8 Jeep across the road in the next parking garage on my own for half the price of the hotel parking.
Needless to say, when I walked back to the hotel the valet guy jumped in a V10 R8 roadster and hit the gas pedal very hard for 50 feet to park the car ... a**holes.
 

FLL-B/W-GTS

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Never let anyone park your Viper.Pay the dude his 20.00 and tell them you want to park up front and take your keys.If they still want the keys tell them NO,they will back off.I have done this many times and it works.



2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S
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2013 Future Gen 5 Viper Owner for sure.
 

john2456

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This guys story may be bull but I had BMW M5 that I let Valet park 4 years ago. Dumb 18 year old drove it into a new Lexus, caused 3,000 in damage and 3 weeks at autobody shop. My last car was a FFR Cobra. Valet kids begged me for keys . I gave them keys but I had a remote switch that totally disabled car. I saw several stupid valet kids get in my Cobra and were totally frustrated cause they obviously could not start it. When they gave me my keys they said "hey man you have a dead battery". I said, I know,too bad. Then started it and burned rubber in their face. Last weekend, real "slick" **** wants to park my Viper. I told him I would park my own car,and also told him to go order me a martini at the bar. I was happy he looked pissed.
 

v10enomous

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The other thing about valet parking is waiting for your car especially at banquets that break up and everyone makes a mass exodus. I was at a spare no expense lavish wedding in Livingston NJ a few years ago for my Buddy's daughter when someone on the groom's side accidentally knocked down the bride's elderly ailing father on the dance floor and the bride's redneck beer muscles relatives went after the the guy who was an MMA fighter along with most of his friends and they trashed the place:omg::rolleyes: Police cars from 7 surrounding towns responded and nobody could leave for over an hour while they commandeered the van going back to the hotel and used it as a ***** wagon to bring in at least a dozen people... I kid you not... But it was always a pain when the company Christmas parties would break up too. I hate valet parking:crazy2:
 

Slithr

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After my wife valet parked her (exotic :D) 2002 Isuzu Axiom, she lost her claim check. When leaving she asked for her keys without her claim check and they were giving her a hard time. She said "Really, so you think in this sea of Ferrari's and Aston's, that if I was trying to pull off an auto heist ..... I'd be asking for my Axiom?" The valet smiled and said good point, here's your keys.
 

C.Hermsen

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Slithr:2996346 said:
After my wife valet parked her (exotic :D) 2002 Isuzu Axiom, she lost her claim check. When leaving she asked for her keys without her claim check and they were giving her a hard time. She said "Really, so you think in this sea of Ferrari's and Aston's, that if I was trying to pull off an auto heist ..... I'd be asking for my Axiom?" The valet smiled and said good point, here's your keys.

:lmao: this is funny...
But wait, you drive a Viper and you make your wife drive an Isuzu?? That seems unfair!
 

Vooodoo ACR

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IMO all high performance cars should should with a valet key that when used limits the car's power and total mileage it can be driven with that key.
 

STUGOTS

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even with a valet tune/key I would NOT go for it, even a 5mph crash can make damage
 

viper067

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... The rubber that was on had only 3k on them........ So now, i have to buy 2 new PS2 and might as well replace the fronts while I'm at it since they have 24k on them anyways!! (BTW, car still runs perfect, phew!!)

24k on the fronts and 3k on the rears? Seems to raise the suspicious factor ....
 
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