Leaving car with valet

[S3XY]

It also helps that you are in an area of CA where there's already a good amount of Model 3s driving around. I doubt there are more than 300 Model 3s in the NYC tri-state area at this moment, so many valets have probably never seen one around here.

Plus all the Model S and X's that drive similarly. I'm pretty sure there are exactly zero Model 3's in Buffalo at the moment (at least until mine is delivered in a few weeks) and S and X's are pretty rare. So it will definitely be a concern around here.

 

[seabie]

I’m taking my family on a road trip to NYC tomorrow for the kids spring break. Haven’t heard the phone trick that is a good one. But honestly my plan was to let the hotel valet park it :/

 

[R-123]

Ever had to deal with a valet damaging your car?

No. And I'd avoid valet parking for those exact reason. Just trying to make a point that M3 is like any other car to drive and operate on basic level.

 

[smak]

One of the only places I Valet now is a shopping center that won't let their Valets drive Teslas

I asked, because I saw like 6 Tesla's in a row, right up front. Insurance issue.

So first time I'm there with my Model 3, it'll be sweet. Maybe I won't even have to pay.

 

[scrapps]

Avoid valet parking at airport long stay parking garages at all costs. I left my WRX at one (who shall remain nameless for legal reasons) and whilst we were away someone took my car for 100+ mile joyride around the NYC area. They had been through the trunk and the glove box too. Luckily I'd taken photos of the mileage when we dropped the car off, as they didn't believe us when we told them first of all.

 

[Cheburashka]

I think it depends where you go. The valet at my work has to park Teslas all the time, but this is in Pablo Alto.

 

[StraightDave]

Some kid is not going to take a joy ride in an economy electric car with no interior features. You have nothing to worry about dropping off your electric Mazda 3.

 

[seabie]

My 3 is now in day 3 of a valet garage in NYC. I thought about using the phone trick on the drive in but after the stress of getting through the crazy traffic to the hotel I was ready to get out.

We are at a nice place but not top shelf ($400+ a night). I get out and ask the valet 'have you ever driven one of these before?' and he gestured and said 'oh yes many times sir we get a lot of Tesla customers'. I pull out the key card to hand him and his face changed immediately would have been a good picture Had to give him the run down of how to use the card.

Creeped on the car via the app as soon as I got into the room 10 minutes later. They already had it in a garage by then but the door was opening and closing; my guess is they couldn't figure out how to use the card again to lock the doors. I locked it from the app while this was going on and flashed the lights. Watched it for a few more minutes and nothing changed (they must have been out of the car when I locked it). The car hasn't moved since (screen capped the mileage on the app) but I did notice this morning it was unlocked again. Used the app again to lock the car. For now I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt that another employee is a fan, saw the key card, and went to check it out.

The main thing no one remembers is that walk away lock is off and it just isn't intuitive for people to use the key card again to in the same manner to lock the car.

 

[Unbeliever]

Yeah, I'm also a proponent of "no valet", and for the most part I am able to avoid them, but occasionally, I am forced to for some reason or another.

So I got a bi-fold card holder something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002LC5ZS2/

And wrote up a quick set of instructions for the clueless. A PDF is attached, but here's a screengrab:

The lock/unlock arrow points to the TM3 keycard with its instruction diagram. The PDF will print it in credit card size. Cut it down and laminate it and put it in the card holder above.

It's not professionally designed, but it gets the basic info across. The keyring lets them hang it in their key cabinet.

--Carlos V.