The last time I used a valet park, the valet brought my car to us then pushed the #1 Memory to set my seat. He got a $5 tip.

 

Parking in Manhattan, even 15 yrs. ago self park was nearly non-existent. They are smart--I've never been charged oversized for my wife's SUV--I once stupidly reserved oversized knowing that it is--guy goes how much you pay with the app? I told him and it was like $14 more than he would have charged me (parkwhiz gave me a $10 credit when I told them the app cost me more than in person, and why). No oversized surcharge means bigger tip. I went to the guy but this is over 70", it's oversized, right? He goes I'm not sure and winked back. Meaning the way to do it is to pay regular, and let the valet decide you have to pay extra beyond the app price.

I don't generally like valets. In DC, this valet was clearly gnashing up all the gears when he was picking up this woman's Subaru (Crystal Marriott--$300/night)--she said wth is he doing he's ruining my car? I want to talk to the manager.

After a BMW event in Phila., my car smelled like weed. I was about to flip out and my wife goes I think his jacket smelled like weed, they didn't smoke in your car (then the news highlights all these people who paid to park in Manayunk, got ticketed and towed because the parking cos. were taking more cars than they could hold, and left them on streets).

Lastly at a friend's fancy wedding reception, I refused to let the valet take my car, it had like < 3,000 miles at the time (meanwhile a Ferrari is behind me). I said I will tip you! Let me drive my car to the space with you inside! She said sir you're gonna have to pull over and talk to the manager you're holding everyone up. C'mon who has a wedding at Mt. Fuji? Self park should be optional!

 

The seats are not my concern, the entire car is!

I used to think DC was expensive to park. We parked a couple Sundays ago, walking distance from the National Mall, $5 in a garage, using an app. I think the sign said $10 pulling in.

Again the only place I feel there is simply no choice is Manhattan. Everywhere else, I'm with you. In Philly, my Maxima was < 1.5 y.o. at the time, and my co. had me go to center city 1/wk and paid the parking. In only 6 mos., I had dings on my car and scrapes on the bumper--not making it up. Mint cars you're gonna have to have them put them out front, and that may take a $50 tip.

 

Valet curbed my rims so I never use Valet if I can help it.

 

So, I refuse to use a valet garage downtown. I'll plan ahead and find a good self park garage. However, at a nice hotel or resort, or a nice restaurant, Country Club I'm okay letting the valet park the car. Certainly at a wedding I would let the valet park the car.

I think a lot of it depends on what you drive, and how you tip. I always tip well when the valet takes the car, and tip again smaller when its brought back. Tip upfront, make him like me upfront. Never had a problem (knock on wood).

Sure I'd rather self park, but sometimes thats just not possible at some restaurants, resorts, hotels, etc.

 

I worked the valet industry off and on for 10 years in the 00's and early 10's, from bottom rank to city manager. Let me tell you this is a shady *** industry because the restaurant, hotel, parking garage, no matter the place, nobody wants to pay the valet company a decent amount of $$$$ to where they can pay the valet attendants a decent hourly wage. Its like restaurant waiters, valet guys are tipped employees, so you pay them $2.13 an hour and hope they make good $$$$ on tips.

Most of the time this isn't the case, so you are paying **** wages at like $8 to $10 an hour with the tips, so you get **** employees who are high on the job, steal from the cars, race customers cars around, wreck customers cars, people just don't give a **** at that wage. And that in there is the paradox, if you get bad service at a valet, its either you waited 15-20 minutes for your car or your car was wrecked, something was stolen, ie the stakes for bad service are much worse than you having to wait an extra 10 minutes in a McDonalds drive thru or have your order screwed up.

 

I worked the valet industry off and on for 10 years in the 00's and early 10's, from bottom rank to city manager. Let me tell you this is a shady *** industry because the restaurant, hotel, parking garage, no matter the place, nobody wants to pay the valet company a decent amount of $$$$ to where they can pay the valet attendants a decent hourly wage. Its like restaurant waiters, valet guys are tipped employees, so you pay them $2.13 an hour and hope they make good $$$$ on tips.

Most of the time this isn't the case, so you are paying **** wages at like $8 to $10 an hour with the tips, so you get **** employees who are high on the job, steal from the cars, race customers cars around, wreck customers cars, people just don't give a **** at that wage. And that in there is the paradox, if you get bad service at a valet, its either you waited 15-20 minutes for your car or your car was wrecked, something was stolen, ie the stakes for bad service are much worse than you having to wait an extra 10 minutes in a McDonalds drive thru or have your order screwed up.

 

I worked the valet industry off and on for 10 years in the 00's and early 10's, from bottom rank to city manager. Let me tell you this is a shady *** industry because the restaurant, hotel, parking garage, no matter the place, nobody wants to pay the valet company a decent amount of $$$$ to where they can pay the valet attendants a decent hourly wage. Its like restaurant waiters, valet guys are tipped employees, so you pay them $2.13 an hour and hope they make good $$$$ on tips.

Most of the time this isn't the case, so you are paying **** wages at like $8 to $10 an hour with the tips, so you get **** employees who are high on the job, steal from the cars, race customers cars around, wreck customers cars, people just don't give a **** at that wage. And that in there is the paradox, if you get bad service at a valet, its either you waited 15-20 minutes for your car or your car was wrecked, something was stolen, ie the stakes for bad service are much worse than you having to wait an extra 10 minutes in a McDonalds drive thru or have your order screwed up.

Also regarding the OP about his seat being adjusted, I always told my guys to adjust the seat and mirrors to where they were comfortable to park the car. I'd much rather have a guy push the seat up/down or back/forth, and adjust all the mirrors so he can see out of the car and park it professionally without hitting something. I'm sure you'd be much more pissed off if a guy wrecked your car but couldn't see because he didn't dare fiddle with your mirror. I also tell them to turn off the radio so they can hear stuff like car horns,cars driving by, pedestrians shouting at them, etc.

 

So I suppose you felt it was unethical for that valet to review the (then) new M3 on his YouTube channel, when it was a customer's car? lol

I agree I avoid, which seems possible in DC and Phila., northern NJ, but not Manhattan. Truth be told, I've never had an incident in Manhattan, and those guys are generally nice--I think it's about the tip. It's rather amazing how closely they can get vehicles, almost scary. But our vehicles were never damaged, unlike in Phila.

 

This is always something I think about. I would agree with you if there was one individual, but generally there is a valet crew and not just one individual. I tip when I pick up the car if there is a crew. Usually the one that gets the car has to use more effort to run around the corner or to the lot to promptly get the car back, particularly if it is at an event. Yesterday morning I used the valet at a local hotel for a meeting and while there was a crew, I went back to the individual that took my car so he got a good tip. I have never had any issues with valets. If the seat is moved, I just hit the button and it returns.

 

Thats why I tip on both ends

 

 

Dude nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to valet horror stories. Like I said, pay **** wages, get **** employees.

Also, I don't valet my cars, ever. If I'm downtown and need to park at a place that only has the valet up front, I usually slip the valet guy $2-3 and ask where is the best deal to park myself, I don't mind walking. Works every time.

 

I've always wondered, how does anybody get busted with those? They actually do not realize the car has cams? Probably in the future shops will say, all dash cams must be removed prior to our working on the vehicle. I'm not going to go out of business over a YouTube upload, seriously. I clearly remember a Three Stooges where a shop foreman goes wtf are you guys doing, is that a camera? Get that **** out of here. (they just joyrode in the car and now pulled it back in--again, they don't know there's a cam, yet a foreman in the shop sees it upon the car being pulled in?)

I understand BlackVue also has an optional casing or something to prevent anyone from disconnecting the power source. But again, if I am a shop, I don't work on vehicles with cams, period. Too much to lose, nothing to gain.