drnd

Valet it once in hollywood. Washed the car the next day and found a 2 inch curb rash in the rear wheel.
It only cost me $15.00.

VNTGSPD

Depends. At a high end restaurant I might if regular parking is not convenient. Definitely not at malls, movie theaters, etc. I have found lately with my wifes car that the valets I have dealt with have been good - radio, seats, etc. all untouched. At the hospital recently I refused to valet and walked a block instead. Upon picking up my wife at the entrance, the valets pull up in a CLS55 AMG and a new Range Rover. Of course, owners of those high dollar cars may not care about blemishes.

Funny story:
I was in Cabo last February and there were 5 of us eating at a high end resort restaurant (members only). We were driving a POS Chrysler Sebring rental car. After dinner, I hand the valet my ticket and he pulls up on a brand new Denali XL. We all looked at each other and took a step forward - then realized this type of joke might be crossing the line and told the valet he had the wrong car. Needless to say the valet was quite relieved.

Van1

As an average Joe, I have never been anywhere high class enough to have valet parking, except for Las Vegas casinos. But if I ever were to visit such an establishment, I would self park. The only car that I might let some young punk drive is my 100k+mi BMW. But the VW and Pcar, no way.

ZombiePorsche44

Never........ZP44

AOW162435

Another enthusiastic, "NFW".

Andreas

Tom W

All the time and never an issue. While it looks great, it's a 12-year-old car. I'm thrilled if they ask if I want it left out front (which, as Terry says, they always do at the Ritz), but most places leave it close anyway.

Air Kuul TT

Well... up until about a month ago my answer would have been "NOT A FRIGGIN CHANCE" too. But we went out to a nice restaurant with some friends and he was in his ZO6 and I was in my 993TT. I called the valet in advance and they told me that I can have my car up front (where I can see it from our table). He didn't ask for extra but I gave him $20.... So all in all it worked out for me... but I don't know if I will do it again.

95 C4 993

It generally turns into an education session with the immobilizer and after a couple of times "your car doesnt start", I stopped doing it.

jimhsu

I am just curious: I agree with all the NOs, but then what do you do - do you find your own spot on the street or do you drive it into the same garage yourself? And do the valets really let you do it?

I have been to some valet-only places, and I have had some places where the garage is not right next to the restaurant, hotel, etc. and therefore it's not so obvious where to go.

Cactus

So what do you do at all the hotels that won't let you self park? It sucks having to stree out over all your travel plans because of parking. I'm sure there are people that will say it is just a car but people in this world do not care about anything so in order to have something nice there is stress!

black ice

My head says, "It's an old car with lots of rock chips. What's the likelihood that they damage anything?"

My heart says, "What kind of idiot are you? They're gonna put it in reverse and back into a rusty '71 El Camino."

Oh, sweet cognitive dissonance.

atan888

only if I park it myself (in front) I dont care if he charges me double.

rconnon

i usually tip the guy/girl and ask them where the lot is :P

a friend of mine works at a boutique dealership here in vancouver and when they have parties they get these beautiful girls to valet the cars from 'GoGo Valet' - they are stupid hot.. but not a chance in hell they are sitting in the drivers seat.. passenger seat i'm all for

David Ray

Here's a true valet story I've been dying to tell since May 07:

For my daughters 19th birthday we finally break down for the dreaded 1st car! I pick her up from college and we go to the most ridiculous used car lots I can find. OMG she was a riot – the look and body language was priceless when we looked at the misc. cars. LSS: she wants a Passat and we buy a Passat. (Yea, yea I’m easy). We bring it home and it’s beautiful! All the pic and poses with the new ride.

That evening we have dinner res. at Flemming’s in La Jolla and of course she wants to drive the new car. No problem. Anyone familiar with the three restaurants at the Aventine complex (SD) knows there’s "only" valet parking unless you want to walk a good bit. We pull in, park, get out, turn the car over to the valet, start to enter Fleming’s and b-a-n-g, girls screaming, etc. I hesitate but decided to look back. (The rest of the family have already entered the restaurant).

Much to my surprise there’s a Land Rover sitting on the hood of my daughter’s new car. Mind you, just over 3 hours old. I start ranting at the valet in my daughter’s car and almost loose control. Finally he gets a word in and says, “the guy in the Range Rover backed into your car, I hadn’t even put it into drive yet!” I look at the valet in the RR and he takes off running. Apparently he put the RR in reverse thinking it was drive and floored it...well the rest is history!

Every mgr from every restaurant comes out to see what the problem is. My family comes back out, the Valet mgr comes out and it’s a frickn crying fest!!!! Yes it goes on and I won’t bore you – yes free dinner and two very nice bottles of Silver Oak (Napa) Cab 2001.

$4,000 dollars later the car is fixed and the valet company was incredible in their commitment they made to make sure the car was restored to it’s original condition (with genuine VW parts). I’ve never been through a more seamless transaction after something like this but truly the valet company made it easy.

As for my 993 – NO! I don’t valet.

Leander

I was quite chuffed when the valet parked my p-car right up front outside The House Of Blues on Sunset...