Valet Parking Advice....

[Viper99]

How do you handle restaurants/clubs with Valet Parking?
Aside from asking the Valet to park the car yourself, does anyone call ahead to the restaurant to request a "safe, visible" parking space?
Just wondering what your thoughts are....

 

[Kid97GTS]

No matter what you do there will still be some risk when giving your keys over to someone else. There was a story not too long ago about a valet and his buddy totaling a Ferrari at the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point - they smacked a palm tree in the lot. I'd say if you have to valet, as long as the lot isn't too far from where you drop it off, there's not much else to do. You are probably less likely to get dinged in a valet lot than you would be in a crowded self-park lot.

 

[Ulysses]

I had my wifes car valet parked at the Biltmore in Santa Barbara (Montecito area). With such a classy place you wouldn't expect anything to go wrong. Ends up they backed the car into a brick wall, left a scrape a foot long and 3 inches wide along the bottom rear of the bumper where you can't see it unless you were looking for it. Valet didn't bother to tell me and a quick look around the vehicle did not reveal any damage (unless I got on my hands and knees and looked under the bumber). The guy took his tip with a huge smile and sent us on our way. I didn't discover the scrape until I was washing it the next day. Obvious brick dust imbedded in the paint the same color as the brick surrounding the Biltmore. I DO NOT TRUST any valet.

 

[BWoodbury]

Don't even think about leaving your keys with a valet at a club or restraunt. Valets do not like car keys, they like cash. When you arrive, get out, hand him/her $10 or $20, tell them that you want the car out front, and ask where you should park it. Park it where they tell you and take the keys with you.

Restraunts like to have high end cars up front by the entrance as it makes the place look more upscale. And valets like cash. This way everyone gets what they want, and your Snake is safe from everything except your driving on the way home

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[JGK95]

I was a valet for about 2 yrs in total while I was gathering monies for college (Read: no student loan) and have seen firsthand too much like the above story where cars were bottomed out or 4 foot scars from miscalculated turns around hi level curbs to ever trust a valet. If I had to, I'd either pay to park myself or drive a non noticeable car. But trust my keys to an absolute stranger? NO WAY.

 

[Supercharged Vipermad]

DO NOT EVER PARK YOUR VIPER WITH THE VALET!!!!They just had a TV spot on valet's and it showed them hot rodding all of the sportscars.I am not saying that all of the parking attendants would act in this manner but the majority of them are young guys and would not pass up a chance to take your snake for an around the block pedal mashing!!I would not let anyone that I do not know extremely well drive my car.IF you are going to a very crowded place take another car!

 

[SoCal Rebell]

I used to valet in midtown Manhattan in the late 70s and there is one rule cash talks, like BWoodbury said give them a $10 or $20 up front and it should be taken care of, I've had no problems so far following that theory.

 

[Joseph Houss]

Dined at a great waterfront restaurant last weekend, the valet actually declined, pointed me towards an wide empty spot, and told me he'd keep an eye on it! That's what I call a classy place!

 

[slaughterj]

Just don't turn your keys over to the kid in the Mountain Dew commercial!!

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[Ulysses]

Truck with *****?!! Was she in the passenger seat or driving!! I personally never let my ***** drive my truck. "In the passenger seat with you, *****!!" I always say to her. Heh heh

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(just kidding)

 

[SteveBCloud9]

Some bad stories. I guess it comes down to trusting the place. I'm with Bob, but TELL them where to park it (Even in handicap). And park it out front. Haven't been turned down yet. They always back it in for me too (As all Velets do). I guess I'm not hung up on the car, although, if I had a bad experiance I may think twice differently.

 

[Ulysses]

Here's another one for you. I went to a party at a couples' estate where they had hired an independent valet service. They had a long, narrow driveway leading up to the house. A stucco wall on one side and a slight drop off on the other. The valets would meet you at the entrance then drive the car to the back to park it. After a while there were so many cars that they started parking them along the right side of the driveway. At the end of the party they would meet you at the entrance to the house and bring your car up to you. They were in such a hurry to move people out that they were not so careful fetching your car for you. As they quickly drove one very wide car up the driveway, they took a mirror off of a brand new jag. The driveway was so narrow that when I left I had to drive at a very slow pace to avoid taking out a mirror myself and often veered off the driveway and very close to the wall in order to avoid hitting a car.

 

[Robert1994]

I got a call last week from a body shop on Maui. He has
two vipers in his shop right now, both damaged by valet
parking at two different fine eateries. One backed into
something and broke the right rear of the hood off, and the
other was parked about a foot to close to a wall.
I beleive I will park my own, thank you.
Oh, the one with the right side damage also needs a transmission.