Valet Drivers = Your car's worst nightmare

straightdrive · 25th September 2009, 15:14

Haven't suffered any serious damage due to valets - only a scratch but that's bad enough for me.

Now I make it a point to park the car myself at restaurants. One of the factors on which I choose a restaurant is whether there is easy parking or not.

arin_12 · 25th September 2009, 15:21

Recently I had been to Nandhini Palace for a small B'day party. Listening all this story I was bit reluctant to hand over my car to these driver. But some how I was forced to give. Later when I saw the receipt it was clearly written that they are not responsible for any damage of the car :( So incase of any damages also u cant blame.

dreamdiesel · 25th September 2009, 15:29

This incident happened almost a year back. I went to this Andhra Style restaurant for dinner on JC Road, Bangalore. As the restaurant is on the main road they have a parking place right behind the restaurant in a dark alley. I gave my keys of my precious car to this guy to park the car. I go up and sit down with my family at the restaurant to have dinner. I was having this gut feeling that something is wrong. While my family started dinner I went down, asked for the location of the parking place and walked towards it. Good I see my car safely parked there.

I go around the left side and I see the front left side window wide open and there is a slight drizzle and no one around to look after the cars. I go back, give the guy a piece of my mind, get the keys and lock the window and take the keys back with me.

I mean what if the rains had become heavier, the interiors would have messed up and also no one to look after the cars; anyone could have taken away things kept inside the car through the open window.

So after that incident, goodbye to Valet Parking. Even if I have to walk a kilometer to park the car I happily do it and make sure its in a safe place.

amitoj · 25th September 2009, 15:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by arin_12

Recently I had been to Nandhini Palace for a small B'day party. Listening all this story I was bit reluctant to hand over my car to these driver. But some how I was forced to give. Later when I saw the receipt it was clearly written that they are not responsible for any damage of the car :( So incase of any damages also u cant blame.

Which Nandhini did you go to? The two that i know of, Indiranagar and Koramangala, don't have any valet service.

gaurav_chopra04 · 25th September 2009, 15:58

On 11th september, when it was raining heavily in Delhi, I went to bar-be-que nation in Janak puri for a dinner with my friend. I gave my cedia to the valet people and the idiot jumped into my car with all messed up boots, as in kichad on all his shoes, I didnt notice it that time. Further the guy parked it next to the wall so must couldnt have been able to get off the driver side, hence got off from the passenger side, with all the wet mud on my center console and a bit on dash and gear lever area. I am sure he must have got back the same way. I finished my dinner, came out, since the car interiors are black and it was dark outside as well, didnt notice the mud that time and went back home. Next morning I got up and the cleaner wasnt there as it was still raining, had to go some where, so got into the car and I noticed what the hell, the floor mats (thank god I have plastic ones), the center console and gear lever thing was full of mud. Cleaned it with a wet cloth, then got some polish for interiors and thank god again, the marks went off.

I have made it a point not to give car for valet parking unles I go to a 5 star (I anyways go to 5 stars rarely

).

krazyking · 25th September 2009, 16:07

I had a similar incident with my Honda City at the JW Marriot in Mumbai.

My parents had given the car to the valet parking guy, and left the hotel late at night so didn't realize that any damage had taken place. They only realised till the next morning that the car had been scraped and dented from the right side!

I couldn't beleive myself when I found out such acts occur at five-star hotels in India. Especially at one of the most well known ones in Mumbai where even celebrities go to!

Dippy · 25th September 2009, 16:34

I am very particular about giving my car to the valet. One thing is that I'm always unsure if those dudes know how to handle an Automatic in the first place so I park myself. In the worst case I ask the valet guy to get into the passenger seat and guide me to the parking space.

One one occasion the valet guy got into my car and then I heard a loud revv. I turned around and ran to the car. Iasked him what happened he goes "Sir I'm new to an automatic" I just asked him to get out and then parked the car myself.

Unfortunately there are times when my family gets bugged with me and my brother goes " Why are you so hesitant to give the car to the valet? Its not a Mercedes anyways"

Quote:

Originally Posted by .anshuman

Not only Valets even Authorised Service Centers are bad when it comes to taking care of the car, Last week a NHC almost hit my Punto and sped away, We chased the car and forced it to stop and the driver turned out to be a Honda ASC mechanic and it was some customer's car who gave it for service. We informed the ASC manager of the same but he was defending the driver.

Everytime i giveout my cars for service i specifically ask and write on the Jobcard to avoid a testdrive under any circumstances.
ASC: Ringroad honda, Udyog vihar, Gurgaon

In that case you should read what happened to me:

Linkway Honda crashes my car

Wolfheart · 25th September 2009, 17:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

hey this opens up a new line of thought - I will re-check the insurance document specifically - though I have a comprehensive policy.

I checked with my insurance company. Even a comprehensive policy doesn't cover any damage whatsoever if the vehicle was driven by a person without a valid driving license.

It must have been a real nightmare for the honda owner!

f1fan · 25th September 2009, 17:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I for one dont like anyone getting near the driving seat of my vehicle - call me possessive or a control freak or whatever you like but boss it is my hard earned car and I would certainly prefer not to have to experience things similar to what is exemplified in this photograph you have posted.

+1. Call me paraniod if required but I too strictly dont let any valet person touch my car.

harry10 · 25th September 2009, 18:14

People do Valet parking for 2 main reasons as been judged by responses of people around me -
1.- too lazy to walk 10-20 metres.
2.- Some feel important by giving it in valet.

RajaTaurus · 25th September 2009, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by f1fan

+1. Call me paraniod if required but I too strictly dont let any valet person touch my car.

+1+1 here. Never give car to the Valet guys. Also these drivers stand out sweating under the sun and after they get in and out of the car, the car stinks and you need full blast of venting with open windows for few minutes before you close windows. Keeping an Air-freshner can be handy, but, poses 'explosion' problems when parked under Sun.

RajaTaurus · 25th September 2009, 18:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by harry10

People do Valet parking for 2 main reasons as been judged by responses of people around me -
1.- too lazy to walk 10-20 metres.
2.- Some feel important by giving it in valet.

Agree. I have observed the reason to be 2 in many occasions. Feeling important.!?

jatinganapathy · 25th September 2009, 19:04

I learned not to valet park my car the very hard way in December 2006. My car was a brand new swift (6 months old) fully ICED & alloyed etc. Went to a certain 5-Star hotel in Bangalore & was requested to have the car valet parked. I obliged. Came back about 2 hours later. Ticket stub handed over but no sign of the car for ages. I kicked up a fuss over the delay. 45 minutes later the entire security staff line up in front of me & shame-facedly tell me that they couldn't find the car on their premises.

Turns out the car had been stolen. Apparently, the valet tickets have the car no: on it. The thief had casually walked over to the valet key hanger at the reception/portico & helped himself to a set of keys without being seen. He then used the car no: on the valet stub to find my car & just drove away in it. CCTV footage showed me driving in, but no clear footage of the car exiting because the thief had used the rear exit where the camera coverage was pathetic.

Usual drama followed with the hotel claiming no responsibility saying "read the fine print on the receipt" and the police harassing me saying I was their No. 1 suspect because I was trying to avoid paying the car loan (had to show those &@$^@%&$ my bank records to prove my clean credit record) etc etc.

I threatened to go to the press, court etc unless they compensated me in full for the value of my car with all accessories etc.

To cut a long story short, after me pulling some major strings with top management etc, the hotel reluctantly compensated me the depreciated value of the car with those accessories that I had bills for. But lost about 75k on this whole drama on personal belongings & accessories w/o bills. Not to mention innumerable visitis to the hotel, police station, RTO, insurance co. etc.

This 5-star hotel has since revamped their valet SOP & do not allow car numbers to be written on the receipt + some other anti-theft measures. Don't know whether its still being followed 3 years down the line though. The story/case became famous in all the 5-stars in Bangalore thereafter.

The learnings from this:
1. Do not valet park your car even in a 5-star.
2. Do not leave your original RC Book & other docs in the car (I know,I'm stupid).
3. Do not leave/keep any expensive personal belongings at any time in your car.
4. Use your own driver or a rent-a-driver from a reliable agency
5. If you don't have connections at some level, chances of getting ANY compensation in an incident like this are pretty bleak. (This is India).

Wolfheart · 29th September 2009, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by jatinganapathy

compensation in an incident like this are pretty bleak. (This is India).

Dude tell us the name of the Hotel. I'll make sure that I never give them my business.

carboy · 29th September 2009, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by jatinganapathy

2. Do not leave your original RC Book & other docs in the car (I know,I'm stupid).

How do you get around this? Atleast in Maharashtra, you need to have the originals at all times with you. So you have two options
- keep them in your wallet
or
- keep them in the car

I keep them in the car.

25th September 2009, 15:14	#91
straightdrive BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 259 Thanked: 6 Times	Haven't suffered any serious damage due to valets - only a scratch but that's bad enough for me. Now I make it a point to park the car myself at restaurants. One of the factors on which I choose a restaurant is whether there is easy parking or not.
	() Thanks

25th September 2009, 15:21	#92
arin_12 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 635 Thanked: 103 Times View My Garage	Recently I had been to Nandhini Palace for a small B'day party. Listening all this story I was bit reluctant to hand over my car to these driver. But some how I was forced to give. Later when I saw the receipt it was clearly written that they are not responsible for any damage of the car :( So incase of any damages also u cant blame.
	() Thanks

25th September 2009, 15:29	#93
dreamdiesel BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 420 Thanked: 63 Times	This incident happened almost a year back. I went to this Andhra Style restaurant for dinner on JC Road, Bangalore. As the restaurant is on the main road they have a parking place right behind the restaurant in a dark alley. I gave my keys of my precious car to this guy to park the car. I go up and sit down with my family at the restaurant to have dinner. I was having this gut feeling that something is wrong. While my family started dinner I went down, asked for the location of the parking place and walked towards it. Good I see my car safely parked there. I go around the left side and I see the front left side window wide open and there is a slight drizzle and no one around to look after the cars. I go back, give the guy a piece of my mind, get the keys and lock the window and take the keys back with me. I mean what if the rains had become heavier, the interiors would have messed up and also no one to look after the cars; anyone could have taken away things kept inside the car through the open window. So after that incident, goodbye to Valet Parking. Even if I have to walk a kilometer to park the car I happily do it and make sure its in a safe place.
	(1) Thanks

25th September 2009, 15:58	#95
gaurav_chopra04 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New Delhi Posts: 1,264 Thanked: 574 Times View My Garage	On 11th september, when it was raining heavily in Delhi, I went to bar-be-que nation in Janak puri for a dinner with my friend. I gave my cedia to the valet people and the idiot jumped into my car with all messed up boots, as in kichad on all his shoes, I didnt notice it that time. Further the guy parked it next to the wall so must couldnt have been able to get off the driver side, hence got off from the passenger side, with all the wet mud on my center console and a bit on dash and gear lever area. I am sure he must have got back the same way. I finished my dinner, came out, since the car interiors are black and it was dark outside as well, didnt notice the mud that time and went back home. Next morning I got up and the cleaner wasnt there as it was still raining, had to go some where, so got into the car and I noticed what the hell, the floor mats (thank god I have plastic ones), the center console and gear lever thing was full of mud. Cleaned it with a wet cloth, then got some polish for interiors and thank god again, the marks went off. I have made it a point not to give car for valet parking unles I go to a 5 star (I anyways go to 5 stars rarely). Last edited by gaurav_chopra04 : 25th September 2009 at 15:59.
	(1) Thanks

25th September 2009, 16:07	#96
krazyking BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Mumbai/Hong Kong Posts: 329 Thanked: 5 Times View My Garage	I had a similar incident with my Honda City at the JW Marriot in Mumbai. My parents had given the car to the valet parking guy, and left the hotel late at night so didn't realize that any damage had taken place. They only realised till the next morning that the car had been scraped and dented from the right side! I couldn't beleive myself when I found out such acts occur at five-star hotels in India. Especially at one of the most well known ones in Mumbai where even celebrities go to!
	() Thanks

25th September 2009, 18:14	#100
harry10 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Faridabad/Delhi Posts: 2,743 Thanked: 4,100 Times View My Garage	People do Valet parking for 2 main reasons as been judged by responses of people around me - 1.- too lazy to walk 10-20 metres. 2.- Some feel important by giving it in valet.
	() Thanks

25th September 2009, 19:04	#103
jatinganapathy BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 29 Thanked: 8 Times	I learned not to valet park my car the very hard way in December 2006. My car was a brand new swift (6 months old) fully ICED & alloyed etc. Went to a certain 5-Star hotel in Bangalore & was requested to have the car valet parked. I obliged. Came back about 2 hours later. Ticket stub handed over but no sign of the car for ages. I kicked up a fuss over the delay. 45 minutes later the entire security staff line up in front of me & shame-facedly tell me that they couldn't find the car on their premises. Turns out the car had been stolen. Apparently, the valet tickets have the car no: on it. The thief had casually walked over to the valet key hanger at the reception/portico & helped himself to a set of keys without being seen. He then used the car no: on the valet stub to find my car & just drove away in it. CCTV footage showed me driving in, but no clear footage of the car exiting because the thief had used the rear exit where the camera coverage was pathetic. Usual drama followed with the hotel claiming no responsibility saying "read the fine print on the receipt" and the police harassing me saying I was their No. 1 suspect because I was trying to avoid paying the car loan (had to show those &@$^@%&$ my bank records to prove my clean credit record) etc etc. I threatened to go to the press, court etc unless they compensated me in full for the value of my car with all accessories etc. To cut a long story short, after me pulling some major strings with top management etc, the hotel reluctantly compensated me the depreciated value of the car with those accessories that I had bills for. But lost about 75k on this whole drama on personal belongings & accessories w/o bills. Not to mention innumerable visitis to the hotel, police station, RTO, insurance co. etc. This 5-star hotel has since revamped their valet SOP & do not allow car numbers to be written on the receipt + some other anti-theft measures. Don't know whether its still being followed 3 years down the line though. The story/case became famous in all the 5-stars in Bangalore thereafter. The learnings from this: 1. Do not valet park your car even in a 5-star. 2. Do not leave your original RC Book & other docs in the car (I know,I'm stupid). 3. Do not leave/keep any expensive personal belongings at any time in your car. 4. Use your own driver or a rent-a-driver from a reliable agency 5. If you don't have connections at some level, chances of getting ANY compensation in an incident like this are pretty bleak. (This is India).
	(1) Thanks