Question for you owners of high-end Porsche cars. When you go to A restaurant or hotel that requires valet parking, do you feel comfortable letting some person you don’t know get into get into your $$$$$$$ car and drive it away?
I have to say I have mixed feelings about that. More particularly because the new PDK trans in the 911 TTS could be confusing for someone who’s not used to driving your car.
Specifically you pull the lever back, to go forward and push the lever forward to go back. I like probably some of you, when I initially started driving this car was prone to push the PDA lever forward.
I could just imagine letting someone jump in your car to park it who is not familiar with PDK, and pushing it into reverse unknowingly and slamming into a car behind them. Talk about a perfect nightmare? I don’t know if my heart could stand it, ha ha. A couple of places I go to let me pay the valet and then park the car myself in the valet parking area. But in places that I’m not familiar with I don’t know that they would let me do that. What to do?
Obviously, too much time on my hands! Ha ha, please advise
FP

 

I never valet my sports cars, if I'm going somewhere that valet is the only option then I'm taking a DD. When I was younger and single and hitting the hot spots downtown etc I'd pay the valet to let me park myself up front, but those days are long gone lol.

 

This - I never let anyone else drive my TTS - on the rare occasion I take it to the dealer for warranty work - I'm paranoid while they drive it around to the shop

 

I would never let a valet drive/park my low slung cars. I’m very OCD with all my cars. Valets at higher end restaurants know how to operate expensive cars but they could probably careless about your car. If we go out to a restaurant that requires valet parking, I’ll just take one of our SUVs. If I want to take a toy car, I’ll just find my own self park even if it requires a walk. This could be you!

 

Yeah I would never give your 911 to a valet. It is low to ground. The wheels and side skirts can get damaged very easily. A simple hit to the curb could cause thousands in damages and you may not even see it when you get the car back. If you do see it, then you have to deal the hassle of getting it claimed and fixed. I had two friends that worked at a valet in college and stuff got hit all the time. The valets are always in a rush, you don't want that. If a valet is required, take an SUV or park away and walk.

 

I’m a self Park kind of guy

 

I have let them park my car in the past but the place where I’m thinking about they put it right out front so I think they only moved it like 20 feet

 

Nah.. Too much temptation. Even a baby rev. They have no right. Plus they dont care and aren't as cautious as you. The last time I valet my 911 was 7 years ago and it was the last time. It was obvious theyre threw up the keys on top of the steering column and they scuffed the clear plastic covering the tachometer. The car had less than 300 miles on it. It was pretty annoying looking at that scuff on the tachometer every single drive on a brand new 911. Never again.

 

If the guys aren't familiar with you or the car it's nothing a $100 bill won't solve. Or tell them it's a got a racing clutch and its beyond stiff they won't want to touch it after that.

 

Never

 

park yourself....

 

I like that! I mean, the clutch part not the hundred dollar bill though ha ha.

 

I never valet any vehicle. If it's a place with a valet only parking, I will Uber/Lyft there.

 

You're never too old to hit up the hotspots downtown, right?

 

I went to a restaurant once and the parking lot was so crowded. I drove around for 15 minutes looking for a spot. I couldn’t find one. I even went across the street and couldn’t find one so I gave up and had them valet it. He saw that I was driving around looking for one and he said “I guess you couldn’t find a spot“. Everything worked out fine.
in general, I felt very comfortable with that place and the guys that were parking the cars. I could easily see where they were parking.
But overall, I don’t think it’s a great idea.