Do you carry the plastic valet/spare key in your wallet ? I leave mine at home and when I need to use valet parking (I would normally park the car myself in a safe spot) I just give the master key to the attendant and ask him to set the alarm after parking it. Whether he sets the alarm or not, I'm not sure all does that. I checked one time after the attendant parked my car, I walked over and saw the clown nose blinking. Not sure if all valet does it though.
do you carry your valet key ?
- Thread starter tyler
- Start date
Nope don't carry it. Don't have an alarm either, but even if I did, I wouldn't carry it. I mean, c'mon. If he has even the valet key, he could still drive off with your car. I'm more worried about the valet scratching my car. So far, the only valet that's driven my car is Lawry's Steakhouse and since the valets were parking Ferraris and other cars way more expensive then mine, I figured it was ok.
Oh, if you have an alarm and you lock it, doesn't that automatically arm the alarm? Or were you worried they just didn't lock your car? I don't think they're that lazy.
Oh, if you have an alarm and you lock it, doesn't that automatically arm the alarm? Or were you worried they just didn't lock your car? I don't think they're that lazy.
![[8]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_8ball.gif "Retarded [8]"){kind=icon}
For me, its more of a spare key in case I lock my keys in my trunk ![[?|]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_banghead.gif "Bang Head [?|]"){kind=icon}
... again ![[:(]](/images/smilies/frown.png "Frown [:(]")
With my 99 323, I got two regular keys, one valet key (it just didn't have the remote lock/unlock capability) and then a wallet key for in case I got locked out. Now, with my new 330, they've done away with the nice valet key and made the wallet key the valet as well. Before, I kept the wallet key in my wallet and kept the valet key in my glove compartment When I did use valet, that's what they got. However now, I've forgone the wallet key (never once used it anyway) and the valet/wallet key is now in my owner's manual inside the glove compartment.
So long story short - yes/no.![[;)]](/images/smilies/wink.png "Wink [;)]")
So long story short - yes/no.
I carried my spare plastic card key for a little bit, but then I stopped...it just added too much weight/thickness to my wallet and I NEVER lock the door with my keys in my car. As for valet, I have no hesitation giving them my car and the master key (the spare key doesn't turn the car on anyways...just unlocks the doors)....most restaurants with valet are used to parking cars way more expensive than mine.
But just for the sake of sharing experiences, one time we all went to this restaurant in my mom's S500. When we came to collect the car from the valet, I guess he was in a hurry or something (lots of people waiting outside, only one attendant), but in front of our eyes, he put the car in drive and just floored it and the tires squealed. When he pulled up, he was like, "Sorry, I'm just in a hurry."
But just for the sake of sharing experiences, one time we all went to this restaurant in my mom's S500. When we came to collect the car from the valet, I guess he was in a hurry or something (lots of people waiting outside, only one attendant), but in front of our eyes, he put the car in drive and just floored it and the tires squealed. When he pulled up, he was like, "Sorry, I'm just in a hurry."
BEEMIN said:
With my 99 323, I got two regular keys, one valet key (it just didn't have the remote lock/unlock capability) and then a wallet key for in case I got locked out. Now, with my new 330, they've done away with the nice valet key and made the wallet key the valet as well. Before, I kept the wallet key in my wallet and kept the valet key in my glove compartment When I did use valet, that's what they got. However now, I've forgone the wallet key (never once used it anyway) and the valet/wallet key is now in my owner's manual inside the glove compartment.
So long story short - yes/no.
So long story short - yes/no.
My old car '98 328 wouldnt let you lock the doors (key fob/BMW factory alarm) unless all of the doors were shut. There was absolutely no way to lock your keys in the car. Well with the new car, as long as the drivers door is shut (any other door or trunk can be open) you can lock the doors (no alarm - that may be the difference). I went out to my car in a parking lot to get something out of the trunk, only unlocked the trunk, put my keys down inside, pulled everything out of the trunk that i needed, and left the keys. To make a long story short, it is possible to lock your keys in your car/trunk and after so many years of driving a car that was idiot proof i wasn't careful- BE CAREFUL ![[:)]](/images/smilies/smile.png "Smile [:)]")
Also - nowadays no windows even need to be broken to obtain access to your car. I came out of the mall with my dad to his '02 330 cic and saw that his glove compartment was open inside but other than that saw no damage to the car. Thought maybe the lock broke and the door fell open, one of the weird mysteries of gravity. Wasn't until two days later he went to put his top up outside his car (key in keyhole), who ever broke into his car just popped the lock right out of the whole. No damage really, chipped a little piece of paint, nothing too serious. Had to order a new lock and key. Called mall security, town cops, and BMW, said this had been happening lately (summer of '02) and that they were looking for valet keys! Beemin: Don't keep your valet key in your glove compartment. Its not worth the chance of losing your car.
my $.02
Also - nowadays no windows even need to be broken to obtain access to your car. I came out of the mall with my dad to his '02 330 cic and saw that his glove compartment was open inside but other than that saw no damage to the car. Thought maybe the lock broke and the door fell open, one of the weird mysteries of gravity. Wasn't until two days later he went to put his top up outside his car (key in keyhole), who ever broke into his car just popped the lock right out of the whole. No damage really, chipped a little piece of paint, nothing too serious. Had to order a new lock and key. Called mall security, town cops, and BMW, said this had been happening lately (summer of '02) and that they were looking for valet keys! Beemin: Don't keep your valet key in your glove compartment. Its not worth the chance of losing your car.
my $.02
Houston is great place for valet parking, even some of the shopping malls have valet........but you pay them extra so that the car is parked right in front of them, I even leave the top down.......I use the valet key so the glove compartment is locked.........all in all it doesnt matter, I had one car stolen in New Orleans by the valet at one of the most expensive hotels there......if valet parking is available.....I'm there.........
e36 are probably truly idiot proof when locking the keys inside is the issue. I don't think there is a way to lock the keys inside, but once I thought I almost did. Put the keys in the trunk, replace the brake light bulb, started closing the trunk and only about a few inches away from the lock I realised the keys are inside. Got the keys out and it came to my mind that even if I did close the trunk it would still not be locked. Once I saw this guy who had his car keys on a chain that was attached to his pants, guess he locked his keys inside a lot of times. ![[:p]](/images/smilies/tongue.png "Stick Out Tongue [:p]")
J
I read about a Performance chip that had multiple modes - valet, track, economy, and so on... You could set your mode to 'valet' and the driver would be limited to 20 Mph or less. ![[thumb]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_thumb.gif "Thumbs Up [thumb]")
But as for the topic question, no, and I wouldn't recommend carrying it on your person. I keep my spares in my home - if I need them, my wife is only a cell-phone-call away.
But as for the topic question, no, and I wouldn't recommend carrying it on your person. I keep my spares in my home - if I need them, my wife is only a cell-phone-call away.My are we that paranoid.....Do you really think people are visiting bmwboard.com to look for ideas on how to steal BMWs?? Frankly, if they're going to go do that much research then I admire their initiative and applaud their determination. Come get my cars guys and make sure you fill out an application so I can hire you when you're done.
I have excellent insurance. My car being stolen is at the very bottom of the long list of things I have to worry about each day.
I have excellent insurance. My car being stolen is at the very bottom of the long list of things I have to worry about each day.
This is one thing I like about Mercedes vehicles....the Tele Aid feature. Let's say you are stupid one day and lock your keys in your car. You just call 1-800-TELE-AID and tell them your license plate and give them your password (you set that up when you get your car), and say you locked your keys in your car. Then, from there, they sound out a signal to your car that remotely unlocks your car doors from there...what a great feature !!