Valet Parking

[SYCO GT]

This is what goes through my mind when I think about valet service in general, although I am sure there are exceptions.

Disclaimer: Photo is used for demonstration purposes only and not intended as a commentary on events real or imagined. Photo was not taken by this forum poster, and is placed here for educational purposes only, and will be removed upon request by original photographer.

 

[B O N Y]

Thanks, I needed to see that picture and abuse of that car,,,, glad that did not occur at Rally III... talk about harry high school drop out...

 

[SYCO GT]

Here is proper Ford GT parking etiquette, which I experienced on our group trip to Palm Desert a while back. It was in the early days of GT ownership, and I brought my wife with me on the weekend getaway. I was already nervous as it was, but didn't help to have questions from other GT owners on the drive such as, "You are actually going to park your car unattended at the hotel?"

And I didn't want my wife to see me worrying about my car. I've never been once for valet service, I would usually just self park in a nice spot and walk the extra distance, rather than have someone drive my car. The GT was my first exotic car, and I scoured the lot for a nice safe spot, but there was nothing. So, I started to get nervous, it was a tight and packed lot on a Saturday night. I asked the front desk, just said I had a nice car, and they said, "this guy had a Porsche Boxster and he gave the valets $50 and they were so happy they parked it up front and watched it all night."

So, I had my solution. It worked well and I didn't worry about the car (too much). They even put little stanchions around the car and I kept my keys. Keeping your keys is a big psychological benefit, in my opinion.

Of course, situations vary, and we all just do the best we can. You can't live life in fear. I actually don't have a lifestyle now where I frequent places that valet cars too often.

 

[Neilda]

I did all of the above at one of the nicest restaurants in Austin. I came out after dinner and some joker was pushing his hand on the nose of the car to watch it bounce back. No valets in sight.

:eek

Holy friggin' macaroni! I would have turned into the Hulk at this moment.

I would never let a valet park my car - any of them actually. But the GT particularly. It's an idiosyncratic car with too many opportunities for:

"I didn't realise the doors opened that wide..."

"I thought it was first gear - it won't have damaged it...."

"I only let my friend sit in it for a moment...."

"It was like that when you arrived sir...."

 

[ChipBeck]

I've heard of this......

.......and I've even seen a few people do it. Valet Park the Ford GT! :ack Kind of like walking on a high wire between the twin Towers in New York City (when they still existed). Even though somebody else has done it, I can't imagine doing it. We'll just back this baby right up to the parking block..... whoops, there goes that $3500 rear extractor. :ack Or we'll pull it in nose first and.......... whoops, will have to replace that front splitter. :ack I can tuck it right in here between these two Buicks and......... whoops, the paint on the door edge will have to be redone. And worst of all...... Let's take this baby around the block and see what it'll do. :willy "We'll valet park your GT for you" sounds almost exactly the same to me as "Can I borrow Veronica for about 30 minutes to do some condom testing". :eek

I don't take my GT to dinner unless I've made arrangements in advance to park it myself in a protected spot.

Chip

 

[Empty Pockets]

:eek



"It was like that when you arrived sir...."

THERE'S the #1 "defense" they always pull. ALWAYS.

I've parked a "rental" via the valet route on occasion, but I A-L-W-A-Y-S do a "walk around" with the lad B4I hand him the keys - AND I get his name in case some OTHER dude brings me the car later.

'Went 'round and 'round with the outfit that handled the Valet parking at West World in Scottsdale 3-4 years back. They brought my rental to me with a remodeled left front bumper. It was OBVIOUS it'd just kissed something as paint chips were still hanging from the scratches AND the scratches were OBVIOUSLY fresh. 'Took literally SIX MONTHS to get 'em to cough up the money. And guess who had to front said money to Avis before that happened? Uh huh. 'Correct-a-moon-doe'.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Is this a quote from EP? :lol:rofl:lol

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeh - NO.

Waaaaay back in the 'hot babe/hot car' days I didn't have the money to buy a GT! :frown

 

[Neilda]

THERE'S the #1 "defense" they always pull. ALWAYS.

I've parked a "rental" via the valet route on occasion, but I A-L-W-A-Y-S do a "walk around" with the lad B4I hand him the keys - AND I get his name in case some OTHER dude brings me the car later.

'Went 'round and 'round with the outfit that handled the Valet parking at West World in Scottsdale 3-4 years back. They brought my rental to me with a remodeled left front bumper. It was OBVIOUS it'd just kissed something as paint chips were still hanging from the scratches AND the scratches were OBVIOUSLY fresh. 'Took literally SIX MONTHS to get 'em to cough up the money. And guess who had to front said money to Avis before that happened? Uh huh. 'Correct-a-moon-doe'.

Remind me to tell you the story one day about my Murcielago and how the London dealer crashed it and used the 'it was like that when you delivered it sir....'

It was a moderately brief conversation.

I won.

 

[skyrex]

Remind me to tell you the story one day about my Murcielago and how the London dealer crashed it and used the 'it was like that when you delivered it sir....'

It was a moderately brief conversation.

I won.

So how did the trial go after they removed your bullet from his rear-end?? :biggrin

 

[Neilda]

Lawyers were involved....

I paid $364,000 for this car, so not an inconsiderable sum. They clearly thought I was dumb - but, as I pointed out to them, the fact that I bought this car and they merely sold it to me, rather distinguishes the two parties.

I'm still angry about what happened after all these years!

Anyhoo, I don't want to hijack a Valet thread! :cheers

 

[fjpikul]

Blew Coca-cola out my nose Chip. You and Neilda at the same time are tooooo many zingers.

 

[AlohaGT]

In a moment of weakness and incredible hunger, I handed over my key to a restaurant valet in Santa Monica before the Rally. I thought it would remain put but come to find out, it was moved not once but twice - both times at high revs. We exited the restaurant just as the second valet was backing it up right adjacent to a tall hedge. It would've been impossible for the valet to exit without pushing the door well into the hedge. After telling him to pull the car out, he dropped my key and fob on the asphalt (the painted key covers from Andrew Revai) and they broke the plastic ring.

My wife rightfully admonished me. Prior to that, I've parked the car myself 99.99% of the time and always tipped the valet handsomely. I will ALWAYS park the car myself from now on or we'll park it somewhere else.

There are simply too many issues for even a talented valet to keep in mind - first gear and reverse locations, front splitter, rear diffuser, doors, painted key covers...

 

[AlohaGT]

Hell I almost have a heart attack every year in Texas when I need an inspection sticker and I am required by law to allow some underinsured station perform the driving part of the test and drive around the block out of my eyesight. Valet Parking....once a year is enough stress for me. BTW guys my new Corvette ZR1 came off the line this week and should be delivered in a few weeks. It will be nice to see how it compares to the FGT.:thumbsup

Are you kidding me? Some grease monkey has to drive every car every year as part of the inspection? That's insane. :ack

Post the pix of your new ZR1 when you get it and let us know what you think. Price/performance equation has to be one of the best.

 

[skyrex]

I have yet to have a bad experience but you all have enlightened me that I am not paranoid enough!! I am thus exercising preventive medicine and doing all parking from this point forward.....that way I only have myself to blame for a bad park. :ack

 

[PeakCompletions]

I have never had to let anyone drive one of my cars for an inspection in Texas!! You might try switching inspection places :willy

 

[soroush]

this is a funny threat and it really hits home for me, I should say that in my younger years I worked as a valet in a very exclusive resturant and although I respected the cars very much, my suggestion to all here is never, ever let the valet drive your car, eighter they are a valet because they need the job, which mean cars dont have any special interest to them and as such they wont respect the car and look after it they think oh just another car, or worst yet they got the job cause theyre like me, car crazy, which is even wrost, they will respect the car but trust me you dont want know how.:biggrin

only if the cars I parked could talk:lol

disclaimer, I never damaged any of the cars I parked, just some spirited parking.:rofl

dont let anyone drive your car if something happens to it you have to deal with the headache of sorting it out. Pay the valet they usually will let you park it yourself and be specially aware of the ones that wont let you park it yourself that only mean they want to drive your car, and that should make you worried:eek

 

[Waxer]

Valets can be useful if employed properly as Kirby pointed out.

Strategy.

Park the car yourself in an appropriate spot with sufficient breathing space (preferably an end spot, up front by itself, or parallel to the curbing). Show the Valet a $20.00 and make it clear that if the car stays perfect just like it is now the $20.00 is his when you leave.

 

[gt40man]

i cant beleive we are even talking about the possibility of using a valet.

 

[SYCO GT]

I have yet to have a bad experience but you all have enlightened me that I am not paranoid enough!! I am thus exercising preventive medicine and doing all parking from this point forward.....that way I only have myself to blame for a bad park. :ack

It's funny, with the Ford GT, I have likewise found myself increasingly more and more paranoid over time.

Maybe it's all the crazy stories floating around...:eek

 

[djs]

Here's what I've been doing at various restaurants I take the GT (with my wife) to.
1. Call the restaurant and ask if they have valet parking.
2. Tell them you're driving there in a Ford GT and since they don't know what that is, tell them it's like a Ferrari only better.
3. Tell them you want to park it yourself, keep the keys, and to be seated where you can keep and eye on it, and if that's not possible, have the car in a completely safe area.

My experience doing this has been very positive. I give the valet guys a few bucks to keep people from hanging on the car, and I don't have to worry about someone dicking around with it, or moving it, etc.