[Mardio]

Sorry man... karma is going to get them.

[PAMidge]

This is such an awful story, and why I never valet my car. The problem is that you didn't do a once around your car, which I always do after leaving a dealership, car wash, or my work parking lot (which I only park in front of the cameras).

If you approach valet, they will deny it, and will argue you did it as soon as you left.

It looks like they hit hard enough to damage the bumper, not just the cover, so you're probably looking at an insurance claim.

Sorry about your story, it sucks

[Zero23]

I'm not going to lie, when I was 17, I applied for a couple part time valet job at a few luxury condos in Boca Raton. I lied on the application saying I knew how to drive manual. I had no clue. That summer I learned how to drive manual on a 911, Corvette, and an Audi S4. After many stalls and burning of clutches that weren't mine, I learned how to drive manual. Needless to say, I never valet my car unless absolutely necessary.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by Zero23

I'm not going to lie, when I was 17, I applied for a couple part time valet job at a few luxury condos in Boca Raton. I lied on the application saying I knew how to drive manual. I had no clue. That summer I learned how to drive manual on a 911, Corvette, and an Audi S4. After many stalls and burning of clutches that weren't mine, I learned how to drive manual. Needless to say, I never valet my car unless absolutely necessary.

When I was about 20, I lied on an application that I had experience in fine restaurants as a waiter. So I got this job in a Greek restaurant and the owner observed the way I carried trays, couldn't open up wine bottles, got the orders mixed up (I never wrote anything down). In no time he promoted me to head waiter, but I actually did learn and eventually did a good job. I guess I'll never know why but I think his wife had a thing for me.

[infinitigor]

Just buy a used painted bumper on ebay for around 400 shipped and then have the bumper put on. You didn't mention the damage until a day after, you'll lose in court guaranteed

[ARSAIR]

wow, this post is back from the dead. Insurance won a default against the company but as yet we haven't collected and I am out my $500 deductible.

I have never used a valet since this incident. Valet and BMW manual transmission = disaster, Reverse next to 1st on a luxury car that will often get valet parked is just stupid.

[edirtaynine]

fuck valet companies. the saying goes "the few bad ones ruin it for the rest" but in the case of valets, "the majority are fucked up idiots that ruin it for the few honest ones."

[xborndaballx]

I've worked as a valet runner in the past and I can tell you that I would NEVER valet my car anywhere after working there. There was a guy that said he could drive stick (which he couldnt) and rode the **** out of a clutch in a Jeep. You could smell it burning for over a hour, and all the supervisor did was have another driver drive it around for 20 mins to air it out before returning it to the owner.....

[atown88]

Originally Posted by xborndaballx

I've worked as a valet runner in the past and I can tell you that I would NEVER valet my car anywhere after working there. There was a guy that said he could drive stick (which he couldnt) and rode the **** out of a clutch in a Jeep. You could smell it burning for over a hour, and all the supervisor did was have another driver drive it around for 20 mins to air it out before returning it to the owner.....

Wow.

[E902009]

I look at the employee selection and I'm immediately afraid for my car when I hand over the keys. The only time I would not mind having valet is when I have a rental. I know what goes on with valet services. I used to work in TV news, and we did an investigative piece for sweeps on valets in LA. We wired up some hidden cameras, and the footage we got were shocking.

Abusing the piss out of our news car, theft (they took an iPod, some change, and a couple of tickets to a Lakers game), and some even smoked weed in our car.

[Kalidian]

Originally Posted by E902009

I look at the employee selection and I'm immediately afraid for my car when I hand over the keys. The only time I would not mind having valet is when I have a rental. I know what goes on with valet services. I used to work in TV news, and we did an investigative piece for sweeps on valets in LA. We wired up some hidden cameras, and the footage we got were shocking.

Abusing the piss out of our news car, theft (they took an iPod, some change, and a couple of tickets to a Lakers game), and some even smoked weed in our car.

Sue them for every last penny you can squeeze out of each and every one of them, and afterwards hand them over to the police plus all the video footage.

[E902009]

Originally Posted by Kalidian

Sue them for every last penny you can squeeze out of each and every one of them, and afterwards hand them over to the police plus all the video footage.

I don't remember exactly how it was handled, but we did confront them with a video playback machine to the foreman, showed them highlights of the footage we got. The main office for the valet company called us and apologized, and offered to replace all items missing from the sting, and full detail of the car. Of course, we got that treatment because we called them out on it, and we have it on tape. They also promised that they would start implementing new hiring and training policies immediately. Who knows if they've done it?

The valet service that had the employees hot-boxing in the bait car did get fired. I really wish car companies would start putting in "valet mode" in cars. Make the car governed to 25mph, unable to unlock the trunk and pass-through, and instantly display the miles accrued once valet mode is activated.

[Sethism]

Originally Posted by E902009

I don't remember exactly how it was handled, but we did confront them with a video playback machine to the foreman, showed them highlights of the footage we got. The main office for the valet company called us and apologized, and offered to replace all items missing from the sting, and full detail of the car. Of course, we got that treatment because we called them out on it, and we have it on tape. They also promised that they would start implementing new hiring and training policies immediately. Who knows if they've done it?

The valet service that had the employees hot-boxing in the bait car did get fired. I really wish car companies would start putting in "valet mode" in cars. Make the car governed to 25mph, unable to unlock the trunk and pass-through, and instantly display the miles accrued once valet mode is activated.

I always note my mileage when valet parking. Also, use a valet key if the car has one (my 328 does not).

[E902009]

Originally Posted by Sethism

I always note my mileage when valet parking. Also, use a valet key if the car has one (my 328 does not).

Most valet keys don't do much other than locking out the glove box and the trunk. Luckily I've only had to valet my car a couple of times. Both times I got out, asked the driver to wait, then record a video clip of me walking around my car. I then explain to him that it's not that I don't trust them, but I've heard horror stories. If they empathize with you, then all is well. If they were going to do shit to your car, they might think twice after seeng you shooting a video clip of your car before they drive off.

Quoting Ronald Reagan (when he was asked about loosening the tension between the U.S. and the former USSR): "trust, but verified."

[Kalidian]

Originally Posted by E902009

I don't remember exactly how it was handled, but we did confront them with a video playback machine to the foreman, showed them highlights of the footage we got. The main office for the valet company called us and apologized, and offered to replace all items missing from the sting, and full detail of the car. Of course, we got that treatment because we called them out on it, and we have it on tape. They also promised that they would start implementing new hiring and training policies immediately. Who knows if they've done it?

Interesting. You guys were so nice about it lol. If valet kids screwed around in my car like that and I had the video evidence that you did I would bring the wrath of god down upon them so hard and so fast they'd have bloody shits for a year. I'd just bash them mercilessly until I've milked all that I can out of civil court payments and whatever manner of compensation my lawyer(s) and I could get. And afterwards (or simultaneously) I'd get the police involved as well.

As far as I'm concerned smoking in the car (especially weed) is straight up damaging it. Not even a full detail is going to be able to take that smell out especially after they've hot boxed it. It completely ruins the interior.

[E902009]

Originally Posted by Kalidian

Interesting. You guys were so nice about it lol. If valet kids screwed around in my car like that and I had the video evidence that you did I would bring the wrath of god down upon them so hard and so fast they'd have bloody shits for a year. I'd just bash them mercilessly until I've milked all that I can out of civil court payments and whatever manner of compensation my lawyer(s) and I could get. And afterwards (or simultaneously) I'd get the police involved as well.

As far as I'm concerned smoking in the car (especially weed) is straight up damaging it. Not even a full detail is going to be able to take that smell out especially after they've hot boxed it. It completely ruins the interior.

It was a news vehicle. They get the shit beaten out of them on a daily basis. It was a sweeps piece for our news program, so it made for good TV. If anything, I hope people who watched that series take notice on why you shouldn't just hand your keys to the valet. On TV, they were all apologetic. Of course they were. They were caught red-handed on TV, but would they do that to average Joe and Jane like us if we confront them about it? Absolutely not.

[Kalidian]

Originally Posted by E902009

It was a news vehicle. They get the shit beaten out of them on a daily basis. It was a sweeps piece for our news program, so it made for good TV. If anything, I hope people who watched that series take notice on why you shouldn't just hand your keys to the valet. On TV, they were all apologetic. Of course they were. They were caught red-handed on TV, but would they do that to average Joe and Jane like us if we confront them about it? Absolutely not.

Oh true lol Im thinking the entire time about our own bimmers lol not a news van beater. Still - it's the principle of it, and video evidence is pretty damning. And I'm sure the involvement of lawyers and police would change their tune if they were anything *but* apologetic to us "average Joe's".

[kodathedog]

I new guys in NYC that use to vallet on weekends and spend hrs driving cars around in the garage. Ferraris, Porsches - they would beat the crap out them.

[taibanl]

Originally Posted by ARSAIR

The saga continues. So my original estimate from my insurance appraiser was $1000.00, roughly. Well I took my auto to Marcos Autobody in South Pasadena, they do work for a Dealer out here and from what I could gather good work, but they may not be the cheapest place, but since this is an insurance claim, I figured why not.

Wow, they are quoting me, $5000, $1000 for parts and $4000 for labor!! Seriously!! Now I am concerned my insurance will go up if they agree to cover this, originally my adjuster told me it would not affect my insurance at all, but now I am concerned. Any one with experience in this please respond and let me know your thought. I mean I know they are trying to get more money but come on.

The Valet insurance company is requesting 2 quotes to "evaluate" the claim. So they are neither accepting it or denying it. So they are pissing me off, I am pretty sure if I show them a $5000 appraisal they will flip and say hell no we will litigate. This is just eating up too much of my time.

Standard practice is to offer to settle for cheapest quote. Get some more. BMW Certified Collision Repair on bmw.com.