C240-Merc

Guys, I just got back from lunch today and had the vallet park my car. After lunch I went back to the office and noticed that my front and rear driver's side wheels have been scratched. The vallet scratched the two wheels on the curb leaving approx. 8 inches of curb rash on both wheel lips. I immediatly called the vallet and went back to file a claim. I thought it was funny when I got there because he already had my car's information written down on the claim form. (Keep in mind that when I called I did not leave my name or give him any information). I am so pissed off. Is there anything that I can do and has anyone else experienced filing damage claims against vallets?

Zillarpillow23

Nothing can prevent you from making a claim towards damage caused by a valet parking company. The hassle is getting something done about it. At least you filed a claim or it was already done for you as you say. It also depends where you reside. I work down here in south beach and valet companies are horrendous. They totaly messed up my fiance's mazda 3 with little dings and scratches. Half of them can barely speak english.

Your first step is to contact the establishment where you had lunch (they're the ones who actually hire the valet company). Then if that doesn't go anywhere, contact the owner of the valet company and try to deal with the problem immediately. The longer you put it off, the harder it will be to resolve. If they refuse to help or pay for your damages, then you take it to small claims court but you have to act fast.

The only problem with all of this is that you actualy forfeit responsibility when you hand your key to a valet parker. It sometimes explains this on the back of the voucher or stub that they hand you when you valet.

Establishments such as restaurants take responsibility all the time when it comes to a customer like when a server spills a drink on someone's dress or suit and the they offer to pay for the dry cleaning. Believe me I know!

CitronC230K_03

i never valet for that reason. i dont trust those guys to drive the car, let alone not steal from the inside as well.

C240-Merc

I appreciate your responses. The place were I had lunch was in a hotel. The vallet service is not owned by the hotel, but is used as a contractor, anyways I wasn't given the normal ticket stubb when I got there - I usually don't All the vallet said was that he would keep it out in front because he didn't "want anything happening to these type of cars."- the dude fooled me.

I'll let you guys know how it goes and if anyone has a happy ending to a story similar to mine please share. I can't wait to talk with the valet company's claim department.

Outland

You let the Valet drive your car? SOunds like you asked for trouble.

Tishers

I would be surprised if there was any sort of real corporation behind most valet companies. They just seem like four guys who got together to make a few bucks.

Outland

There was some imbecil on here a few years back talking out of his *** about how he and his other loser buddies would beat the **** out of cars they parked.

BIGjohnny

yea, valet parking always scares me. sorry you had to experience that. although Mercedes dealership had scrap my wheels twice before. a file was filled out and they immediately fixed the problem within a week.

CitronC230K_03

and we're supposed to trust these people with our cars.

mleskovar

You have an insurance claim for anything above your deductible and a battle to get the deductible (or total cost if it's below the deductible) from the valet company....but the right to ask them for it and receive it. They are paid to park your car and they take certain responsibility. You are responsible to have insurance for damages. It just takes persistence with the valet company, small claims court maybe, but you'll win. It comes down to who wears out who first or the court. My son once worked as a valet and came home with a story about how one of the valets rolled a van on it's side in the parking structure. Four valets pushed it back up and hoped the owner wouldn't notice because it fell on the passenger side! He did.

Zillarpillow23

There's a company down here called quickpark and they have accounts all over town. Restaurants, malls and executive buildings. They are a pretty big corporation and they do take most responsibility because of their corporate structure but most of them are four dudes who incorporate themselves and go and park cars for a living. No business ethics or employer responsibility. Just people making cash off of you (legally) who set their own prices on the weekends and especially on holidays.

white_w203

i dont think they would do anything. even if you file a claim it would probably take months for it to get resolved. also, it depends on a company ranging from a parking garage to a high end restaurant and etc.

alpinweiss

Thank you for the reminder why we should all park our own cars. I realize this isn't always possible, but valet services are best left to people driving Lincoln Town Cars and Cadillac Sedan de Villes.

Assuming you get nothing from the valet company (likely), file a claim with your insurance company. It should be comprehensive insurance, since you were not driving, but that may vary in your state. The insurance company has lawyers that will pursue the claim for you, and pressure the businesses to pay up. You cannot really hire a lawyer for the price of a couple wheels. You may also want to get the alignment checked, depending on how hard they bumped the curb.

Thank you for writing about your misfortune, so others can learn.

Buellwinkle

I refuse to allow any valet to touch any of my cars. I usually play the handicap trump card saying my car is specially equipped for my handicap (BS) and that they may damage the special controls if they are mishandled. That usually allows me to park the car myself. If they are insistant, I ask for the manager and want to get clarification on how handicap people are treated at this restaurant and if I should get a lawyer to help me with the Americans with Disabilities lawsuit or maybe just stage a protest with a couple of people in wheelchairs, the press loves that. That one hasn't failed me yet, even at the ritziest restaurants.

In general though, I avoid restaurants with valets, it's just sometimes you are invited or it's for work and have to go.

ctC230K

why bother even stopping for the valet if you don't want your car parked by a complete stranger? when they walk up to your window just continue driving into the parking lot and smile and wave. your car will be parked before they can stop you.

see240wag

Having defended valet services in workers' compensation claims I can tell you that the job attracts two kinds of individuals: young people, high school and college aged, who tend to be better parkers, and old loser jerks with no skills and a spotty, questionable work history. This one douchebag whose case I defended actually came in originally and begged for the job.

Whether you get your car mashed up by a parker is a roll of the dice; why roll the dice on something like that.

C240-Merc

Alright, I finally heard back from Towne Park, the valet company, after I sent an email and voice mail to the CEO and several other VPs in the company. They want me to get an estimate on the damage that the valet driver caused-no problem. Does anyone know of a place here in Houston that repairs damaged rims? Or do you think it is possible for me to take photos of the damaged rims and send them to a company that specializes in repairing damaged rims. I am trying to avoid shipping the wheels.

HoustonC230

Just searching the web, came across this from some NSX website... No idea how old this is, or how good the shop is. You might want to try just calling discount tire / NTB and ask them if they have any recommended places.

"I popped a pot hole at about 35 and bent the inside and outside lip of the left front rim. It is a 16" Hart type C three piece wheel. A new rim is $ 385 plus tax, etc. I had it repaired at "Downtown Wheel and Alignment" for $ 88.50. They did an excellent job, with ZERO vibration. They are located in Houston, Texas at 1621 McGowen. Highly recommended"

C240-Merc

HoustonC230, thanks for the response. I will give them a call.

whipart

My car is always getting damaged by people putting nicks and side swiping my car in the parking lot.

C240-Merc

UPDATE: This past weekend I received an estimate from the shop that sold me the wheels. The estimate was for $125 to repair each wheel. I just got off the phone with the valet's claim department and they will be sending me a check for $250 to fix both wheels. All seems well.

rrpnow

nice... congratz on the win!

Sauceboy01

Goodluck actually receiving that check...

I doubt that you will!!

Congrats regardless!

230Kompressor

valet is a *****! have another person drive your car when he's been driving cars for 7 hours already, probably tired of it. just park the car yourself!

desertvibes

I agree that normally I don't trust valet to park my car, but last week I attended a promotion at a local casino and there wasn't a parking site within a 10 mile radius, so I pulled up to the hotel entrance valet parking. When I was ready to leave the valet brought my car and I drove off because it was so crazy with so many people that the valet manager was waving people off. approximately 20 minutes later I noticed some red paint on my bumper so I called the casino, after waiting for approximately 30 minutes, the staff person said that "it is so crazy today and I can't get a supervisor, so I will take your name and number." After waiting for 30+ minutes for the call, I decided to drive back to the casino. The valet supervisor had security come out, take pictures of the damage and file a claim. At a later visit I spoke with one of the valet guys, he acknowledged that "that was the craziest day I have ever experienced, we normally park about 200 cars but that day we had about 400+ cars and there were only 4 valet workers, so we had maintenance and security parking cars, but tickets were messed up and we were putting cars on the overflow lot (which has no cameras). Their insurance company called and asked me to provide an estimate, which I got from my mercedes dealer adjuster, $1000+ and they would examine their survellience tapes and conduct an investigation, after that they would get back to me or send me a denial letter in the mail. I expect them to deny the damage, so I am already prepared to have my insurance company repair the damage, since my deductible is only $250. I will never give my keys over to a valet again, if I can't park anywhere, I will just "roll-out" (-: