Is there a "valet mode"?

[NewM3driver]

Took my car to the casino last weekend. Parked in the valet, gave the attendant 20 bucks when dropping off the car and asked him to please keep it out of the garage (alternatively they park the nice cars outside near the entry doors).


I came out to find my car in perfect condition parked right out front, but as I pulled away I]m almost positive there were 3 or 4 additional miles on the odometer even though it was parked 100 feet from where I left it. When the attendant gave me my keys he was very enthusiastic about the car and was asking all sorts of questions about the competition package.

The only reason the milage jumped out at me is because the car turned 2000 miles turning into the complex. Maybe its a mile from that turn to the valet park area, but my car odometer was at 2005 as I left.

So my question... Can the car be put into limp mode or is some other way be disabled for Valet situations? The attendants at this particular casino are older and seemingly professional... however I have pulled up to some restaurants to find a young kid parking cars. THAT really scares me.

[ktc]

Your BMW connected app on the phone has real-time car tracking. So if you watched after leaving the car you can see the exact location, etc.

Question is... what would you do about it?

[NewM3driver]

Originally Posted by ktc

Your BMW connected app on the phone has real-time car tracking. So if you watched after leaving the car you can see the exact location, etc.

Question is... what would you do about it?

Valet attendants are employed to PARK your car, not DRIVE it. If I knew for sure that the car went on a ride you could make a big stink with the establishment you were frequenting.

At the very least I will take an iPhone shot of the odometer before leaving the car.

[2kaccordocoupe]

A dash cam could also help your case or at the very least give you piece of mind.
Also some of the aftermarket tunes have a valet mode that can be user enabled. As for stock, no this is not a readily available option.

[BoxKing]

The problem began with you trusting others with things you hold near n' dear. If there is/was any question with regards to the proper handling of your car, then don't give it any chance, and just park your car like the other 99% of the world... ON YOUR OWN!

Don't let anyone you don't know driver your car - end of story.

[2kaccordocoupe]

Originally Posted by BoxKing

The problem began with you trusting others with things you hold near n' dear. If there is/was any question with regards to the proper handling of your car, then don't give it any chance, and just park your car like the other 99% of the world... ON YOUR OWN!

Don't let anyone you don't know driver your car - end of story.

This is true.

I can't speak for the OP however I know I don't "bubble" my car. At the end of the day to me it is just car and I will use valet services etc. When I go out, I'm catering to my needs and not the needs of the car.

Each time I valet do the following. Lock the glove box and disable trunk. Take a picture of the ODO and remove the blade key and keep it with me.

After I get the car back, I do a walk around. Check the app, check the ODO and if time check the dash cam footage.

[einscot]

Originally Posted by 2kaccordocoupe

This is true.

I can't speak for the OP however I know I don't "bubble" my car. At the end of the day to me it is just car and I will use valet services etc. When I go out, I'm catering to my needs and not the needs of the car.

Each time I valet do the following. Lock the glove box and disable trunk. Take a picture of the ODO and remove the blade key and keep it with me.

After I get the car back, I do a walk around. Check the app, check the ODO and if time check the dash cam footage.

for someone who doesn't "bubble" their car - that's a lot of precautionary valet stuff.

i think checking the app is probably the easiest thing to do, but even if you see them out driving down the road, what can you really do about it?

[2kaccordocoupe]

Originally Posted by einscot

for someone who doesn't "bubble" their car - that's a lot of precautionary valet stuff.

i think checking the app is probably the easiest thing to do, but even if you see them out driving down the road, what can you really do about it?

It takes less than 30 secs to do Let's not confuse "bubble" on the one extreme with not giving a crap at all on the other extreme. I'm in the middle where I enjoy the car and the car integrates into my lifestyle.

For me it is enough to go about my event and not worry about the car. Others maybe a ball of crazy.

[Habber]

Driving manual makes me worry even more especially when I see younger people working valet who probably don't have much if any experience driving MT. Bottom line, park it yourself and avoid frustration and potential insurance issues. We've all heard the valet stories at one point and I certainly don't want to be one of them.

[einscot]

Originally Posted by 2kaccordocoupe

It takes less than 30 secs to do Let's not confuse "bubble" on the one extreme with not giving a crap at all on the other extreme. I'm in the middle where I enjoy the car and the car integrates into my lifestyle.

For me it is enough to go about my event and not worry about the car. Others maybe a ball of crazy.

i know - i was busting your chops a bit. since i drive manuals exclusively (wife has the x5 and i hardly ever drive it. usually if we're in it, it's because i have the night "off" and can drink, so she gets to drive me back), i am extremely paranoid about valets.

then again - when i went to a dealer the other day (not bmw), they had to call a different service tech over because the one there didn't know how to drive a manual to take it into the actual shop bay.

[frankiebones]

I have never and will never valet my 6MT F80.

Some high end restaurants don't let me park my own car so we take my wife's car. Others respect my intensity and passion and take the $20 i offer to self park.

[Mantvis]

Originally Posted by ktc

Your BMW connected app on the phone has real-time car tracking. So if you watched after leaving the car you can see the exact location, etc.

Question is... what would you do about it?

The car has to be with in 1.3 miles of you. If it goes out of that range, it is no longer tractable

[Ghetto2315]

My brother valet'd his brand new X5 and they did $3,100 worth of damage to the passenger side and it was my sister-in-law who noticed it as they were getting in. Not a peep from the valet team. THIS is why I don't valet ANY of my cars...

[SD ///M4]

I spent the weekend in LA this past weekend and the hotel I stayed at in Beverly Hills on Saturday night had only had valet parking. No other parking available besides parking at a meter on the street. Not much choice.

On Sunday I attended an event at The Magic Castle, a private club in Hollywood, valet parking only. I suppose I could have done street parking and had a steep, uphill walk, but the street parking in that area was awful, very popular tourist area, with cars crammed into every available spot on very tight side streets. Again, not much choice.

The car is fine.

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

I spent the weekend in LA this past weekend and the hotel I stayed at in Beverly Hills on Saturday night had only had valet parking. No other parking available besides parking at a meter on the street. Not much choice.

On Sunday I attended an event at The Magic Castle, a private club in Hollywood, valet parking only. I suppose I could have done street parking and had a steep, uphill walk, but the street parking in that area was awful, very popular tourist area, with cars crammed into every available spot on very tight side streets. Again, not much choice.

The car is fine.

Were I in your shoes I would have done the same thing...I just would have taken my wife's benz and left the F80 at home.

I live in long island about 30 minutes from Manhattan and I refuse to take my car to the city because self parking is just not an option.

[///M4ster Yoda]

I have an aversion to valet parking for many reasons. 1st and foremost I don't like "bumper" cars being played with my BMWs. If my cars are gonna get smashed/banged up I'm gonna be the one to do it. I avoid valet parking at all costs and park myself. There is always a way around it.

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

Were I in your shoes I would have done the same thing...I just would have taken my wife's benz and left the F80 at home.

I live in long island about 30 minutes from Manhattan and I refuse to take my car to the city because self parking is just not an option.

I hear you man. We live on the island also and I never take our "nice" cars into the shitty. LIRR all the way.

[mstevens]

Originally Posted by 2kaccordocoupe

TI know I don't "bubble" my car. At the end of the day to me it is just car and I will use valet services etc. When I go out, I'm catering to my needs and not the needs of the car.

This. If I can't afford to use it as a car as opposed to a bit of extremely fragile statuary, I can't afford it at all. It's not as if I'm handing over my child or a bag of diamonds.

Originally Posted by 2kaccordocoupe

Each time I valet do the following. Lock the glove box and disable trunk. Take a picture of the ODO and remove the blade key and keep it with me.

It's not possible to disable the trunk on a convertible (or an SAV), as it happens. I leave my bags of diamonds at home while I'm out where I might have to use valet parking.

Originally Posted by frankiebones

Some high end restaurants don't let me park my own car

Eh. True high-end establishments let me do what I want instead of making me do what they want.

Originally Posted by Mantvis

The car has to be with in 1.3 miles of you. If it goes out of that range, it is no longer tractable

That's not true at all. I can track our cars on the app when I'm in a different country from where they are.

If you're really that anxious about having a varlet park your car and for whatever reason feel compelled to give your custom to an establishment that won't let you park yourself, just get in the passenger seat and let the varlet park. I'm still going to go with the "life's too short to agonize this much over a car" argument.

[Mantvis]

Originally Posted by mstevens

That's not true at all. I can track our cars on the app when I'm in a different country from where they are.

Do more research sir before saying someone is wrong

1.5 km distance
http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/t...emote_services

1km distance for cars built before 7/2014

[jettie1767]

No valet for me unless I really don't have a choice which is very rare.

[WoodKnuckle]

NUFF SAID! NO Valet

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by WoodKnuckle

NUFF SAID! NO Valet

Classic!