I was wondering how many of you would trust valet parking? What kind of car do you drive and would you? Why? Reason i ask i was out of town today and the closest parking was valet and i was in a hurry so i parked there. I didnt let them park even though the guy argued with me saying he could only do it. Reason i made the choice were i had my bmw and interior is a creme beige and black. This guys was very dirty. He was also smoking so no way in hell im letting him get it. I wouldnt allow him in my tl either. Just curious what everyone else here thinks and feels.

 

I wouldn't. i have worked valet service and there are idiots with licenses

 

I would say no, but there are places around my home where you either have to valet, or run 6 lanes over.

 

I just dont want to pay.

 

While i was there i also saw them shifting from drive to reverse while the car was in motion. It was very disturbing lol. It was in a range rover to. What an idiot that guy mustve been.

 

Nobody drives or touches my car.

 

I lived in LA years ago and you get used to it. Of course, I never had and do not have a flashy car. Wifey had a Ford LN7 (like the EXP) and the handbrake did not work well. Whenever we Valeted the car, they would drive up, Valet would jump out to hold the door and the car would start rolling away slowly. Always used to crack us up when that happened....

 

and it's "couldn't care less"...

 

I don't even let 98% of my friends drive my car. So far I've only trusted my dad, my brother, and a few of my friends to drive my car, and even then it was mostly when I was piss drunk and I could trust them enough to drive without doing something stupid.

So make that a hell no.

 

My mom drove my tl once, and never again did she touch it. She backed out straight and cracked my bumper. So now shes scared to drive it.

 

no

 

the only time i will valet park, is at sporting events...just because i dont feel like walking 10 blocks to park in a parking garage lol

 

theres only been 2 people that have driven my car besides me. 1 is my detailer who lets me drive his Z06 while he does my car, and the other was my friends sister who stole it and took it for a ride when I had to leave it at his repair shop when picking up my company car from him.

My GF has never even hinted at driving any of my cars...and never will if she knows whats good good for her!

 

I'd let my mom drive my car, but in an open parking lot just so it can scare the shit out of her. It'd be funny as hell. Surprisingly, even though she's an older Asian lady she actually drives pretty good *knock on wood*. But she can't drive stick anyway....

What she did do that made me laugh though is that she took touchup paint for our 97 Civic (Taffeta white) and tried to touch up the bumper of our WDP TL. I asked her why it didn't match and she said she thought the Civic white would work with the TL white too

 

fawk no

 

I try to avoid valet parking- mostly for potential damage, valet BO (yes-- happened last year, but car aired out in a couple of hours) and time reasons (hate lines), although I'm cheap too.

 

X2

ill pay the valet fee and park my own car sometimes if there is no other parking.

 

heres a funny valet story:

car: a new manual civic
valet goes to park it, right as he gets to the spot and starts pullin in, he lets his foot off of the clutch and the car launches forward into a parked car next to it and then crashes into the fence... FUCKED the car up and i saw it all happen

 

I give the valet $10 and park it myself. Sometimes, like this one hotel i have to park at to go to ruths chris, the valet charges $20 for me to park in front of the lobby. Othertimes, they ask to keep the key but park the 911 right in front. I'd still rather do this than take my chances in a crowded parking garage or on the street

Most valets are super cool about it, heck they make $10 and don't even have to get off their ass.

 

Do it all the time, but the keyless sucks.

 

I usually don't care and let them do it.

I try to avoid valeting, mostly cause I am cheap, but a lot of places here and LA, I don't really have a choice.

I remember I valeted my CL-S at a nice hotel in pasadena once. They parked it right out front between a rolls phantom and a bentley. I figured if they did have an accident, they'd have a lot more to worry about than my Acura.

 

Yeah i paid the guy 20 and he showed me the spot and i parked it. No way im giving him my keys.

 

Not since an incident that happened a number of years ago. Myself and a girlfriend were visiting Vancouver for the weekend and decided to have a late drink on the waterfront at The Pan Pacific Hotel. We pulled up in front of the hotel in our rented Buick. Parked directly in front was a new Ferrari 550 Maranello. I handed the keys to the valet and said we had to run up to our room for a few minutes (we were not staying there). He politely took my keys without question. We had a drink and a romantic stroll and later returned to retrieve our car. The valet I had originally spoken with was no longer around. The 550 was. I approached another valet, hand outstretched with a twenty, and remarked we now wanted our car. He asked which one, to which I replied the 550. Without hesitation we walked up to board, found the keys to the Ferrari, came back and placed them in my outstretched hand while thanking me for the tip.

I laughed and then remarked that the 550 wasn't really my car. The valet looked absolutely horrified

Terry

 

LOL thas a dirty trick. Makes you think, id be pissed if my car was given away.

 

i was late for a job interview downtown and against my better judgement i had to let some guy valet my car in at a hotel lot....needless to say when i went back to get my car i hear 3 stall outs at the bottom of a hill and then up comes my poor car

 

Sounds familiar- the first/only time I left my manual shift Integra with a hotel valet, where I was either at a meeting or a seminar at a hotel on Sunset Blvd., the valet stalled it right in front of me as I was about to walk into the hotel.

 

Hell no to all 3 cars. I can park it myself thank you much.

 

Hell no. I once had a valet park my 3GTL and they scratched my bumper. When I filed a claim, they refused it. The only other time I've had valet parking was at a hotel in Boston (no choice but valet). I took pictures of the car with the valet standing next to it. Scared them spitless!

Luckily, there are few places in Cleveland that are valet-only. I am generally able to park myself. Goes triply in my S2000. NO ONE, not even my wife, touches that car.

 

Depends how cold it is and how packed the lot is.

90% no but there will be times i am just that lazy.

 

i voted no!

however, i have valeted some of my cars in the past, my durango, when it was stock and new, my CL a few times (don't really care) but NEVER any of my Legend's. no way i'd let em at the 6spd.

 

Helllllll fking noooooooooo!

I've seen how the valets drive at affairs I've been to in brooklyn...the only time I valet the car is where i'm going has a big parking lot that the valet will not have to drive on the streets to find a spot to park my car. Even with that I prefer to park myself but if I have to give it to them, that would be the only circumstance that i would do it.

 

Hell no.

The only time I've ever done it is when I spent the night up in Tacoma. The parking garage was several blocks away and something about the hotel employees only having access. I was hesitant but finally agreed. I still don't like it.

 

Valeted my TL a bunch of times, never the 335i or the M3.

 

I voted yes. Sometimes you don't have a choice.

 

fuk dat. If I have to valet, I drive it myself into their area and still tip them...better than letting someone mess up the 'crispness' of my 6MT

 

in that situation, NO... that's totally un-professional...

but I DID voted YES because on some occasions like going to the Irvine Spectrum on a weekend (night)... I'd have to park sooooooooooo freaking far away... and if I'm with friends or a date... I'd feel bad... so, that would be the only place... and also high end hotels... otherwise... I always park it myself... far away from anyone to avoid door dings

 

I try not to-but sometimes it is just easier.

However, I took a trip up to Dallas for the weekend to go to a concert. When we checked in, I told the valet that we would be down in a few to go to dinner. Checked in, came back down, and the car was nowhere to be seen. After talking to a few folks, and then finally the manager, they had parked the car, but couldn't find the keys. They ended up calling up a limo for us for the rest of the night and finally found the keys the next morning.

Turns out that the valet who parked my car was a new guy. He lost the tag for the keys and was scared he was going to get in trouble-so just kept the keys. No extra mileage, but I did make them rekey the car.

 

Damn you got a 750Li too???

 

I said yes, although I'm going to try and avoid it if possible, I would never valet my acura, but I valeted my truck the other night at a christmas party, and the valet guy must have hit my remote button like 10 times in a row because he blew the freaking fuse, causing my ECU fuse to also blow, causing my truck to not be able to even go into gear, so I have since changed my stance on valets, cost me $100 right before xmas at the dealer for diagnostics because I couldn't find the burnt fuse

 

wow.

i voted no. i just don't like other people driving my car. especially if it's someone i don't know. and i'm too cheap to pay someone for parking.

there have been instances where i had to do valet. and when i got my car back, the seat positions were changed, radio stations changed, sunroof open, etc.

and i drive an 05 TSX if that matters to the OP.