Terry Adams

I tell them I have special insurance that does not cover valet parking. On one occasion I had to explain to the manager that I park myself or eat elsewhere. Works in both cheap and fancy places. I always tip as if they had parked it.

Traffic53

really? i'm surprised, but not really. seems most of the folks on this board have...'different', shall we say, priorities. for this, i am thankful. the info and advise that's available here is absurdly useful. however, it is these types of threads that leave me scratching my head. are you all that concerned about the car that you won't enjoy the pleasure of having the car parked while having a lovely meal at a fine establishment? let's be honest...many of our cars spend much of their useful lives approaching redline on a racetrack just before standing on the brakes, just to do it all over again in the next corner. smashing the car into a pole aside- what is a valet going to do to your 911 that it can't handle?

i was also a valet at a very fine club in suburban chicago. did we occasionally 'floor 'em'? well, yes. the 'vettes especially. did it hurt them? i doubt it...though with chevy products, one never knows. -certainly didn't bother the 930s that were popular at the time.

relax. it's a car. it'll be ok.

Bull

Exactly!

Pedro356C

Hi Mike...I'd say "floor'em" is not exactly my main concern...the risk of getting massive door dents and dings is on top of my list! They usually park the cars really close to each other in order to save space and the probabllity of an ugly dent is very high in my opinion.

AZ Rich

Yes, the car should be enjoyed...but only by ME.

Repairing any damage that occurs when I drive it is painful enough...Damage caused by someone else (which also includes door dings caused by carelessly parking it too close to another car) takes it to another level...

Like several others, I can recall many moments of "youthful stupidity" that still make me wince...

I was 40 when I was finally able to get the car of my dreams...and I am damn protective of it...

So, no, I do not valet park. I know they don't care nearly as much as I do.

Cheers!

mborkow

the pleasure of the fine meal would be ephemeral if i were to walk out of the restaurant and discover a new door ding, etc on my car...if i were to valet my car and return to find it damaged my night would be ruined. i love to go out for dinner; i just don't bring my car with me when i do.

911CabSteve

I agree with Traffic53... Especially if your with the wife at nice places that have a lot of other expensive cars and where no other parking is available. Then I reluctantly valet.. I'm not going to walk 1/4 mile in nice threads while my wife waits for me just so I can park my own car...

I'm a big guy and tell them "they better take GOOD care of it, or they'll be paying for it" and they usually either park it right in front, or drive it off (and back) very carefully. When I get it back, with the valet standing there, I walk a very deliberate 360 around the car and carefully inspect all sides to make sure no "incidents" occured.. I also check the odometer to verify it has not been driven more than 0.25 mile or so... I've never had a problem.. Maybe I've been lucky...

Joe S.

It cracks me up how other people get so tweaked on what others do when it has nothing to do with them. If it’s a pleasure for you to get car valet parked good for you, it’s not for me. Get it?

After just a sampling of the stories here from former valets that should be reason alone not to have a valet park your car. Like I’m going to hand my keys over so someone can joy ride in it or abuse it, door dings etc. after I worked for it? Yes, it’s only a car and yes, it’s only money, but do I want to put my car in such a risky situation, do I want to be wasteful with my money? Do I want the headache of dealing with the establishment that damaged it, insurance, body shop, the fact that the paint or whatever will never be correct again? Probably not...

pcar964

yeah everything will be fine - until some punk valet decides it's a good idea to ram the gearshift and powershift up the road, or over-rev the engine, or hits something, or....

Like I said, I worked as a valet for some time, and at very exclusive establishments (private clubs, fancy restaurants, private parties). And I will never trust my car to a valet because of what I saw.

pchak

I have no problem with valet-ing the car whatsoever. It seems in most places, I get a spot right in sight. I also tip well (long-time in the nightclub biz), so that always helps.

Most places though, the point is moot. I'm that guy who always seems to get "that spot out front"

InTheAir

My sentiments exactly. Because of the valet ~I~ was, I won't valet my 993.

InTheAir

Just so you know, because someone tipped well didn't stop me from raggin' on their car--they often had the nicest cars to rag on. Heck, I didn't get the tip until after the night was over and I already played with their car on the 1/4 mile.

pcar964

You think a tip will help? The valet has already raped your car up and down the road by the time you're ready to leave and give him a tip. You're basically whoring out your car to a stranger, except that YOU PAY HIM for the privelege! haha

Seriously guys, you need to be less naive. I know it's just a car - but when a valet parks 10 cadillacs in a row and then a Porsche or Ferrari pulls up, it's like Christmas morning to those guys. Think Ferris Bueller. Seriously.

Arena993

All I can say is I was young once and if I had a p-car to joy ride in I would drive it in a heartbeat and i would thrash the sh!* out of it whether I got a big tip or not. Hell I would pass on the tip just to drive it. My opinion only and think about it if you park it yourself there is no one else to blame.

Mike

Traffic53

"tweaked?" "get it?" ??? anyway, seems we agree that we both get cracked up about others opinions.

so the only place you can get door dings is leaving it with the valet? maybe the majority always park on the outskirts of the mall, 1/2 mile from everybody else. but that's asking for it in my opinion. it's not the valet or careless parking neighbor i'm concerned with. it's the ultra-fanatical weirdos that can't cope with material showmanship that will gladly run a key or wood screw down the length of your porsche just for owning it. no getting away from that. parking a mile away and taking two spots to do it might even induce such an act.

no big deal though. valet it, don't valet it. i don't give a rats ***. i was just commenting like everyone else. i just think those who worry most fall the hardest. i also wonder if some would benefit from spending a little less time and thought with the porsche, and a little more with family and work.