I was really making an emphasis on Bal Harbour

but yeah, you're probs still right.

 

Bal Harbour isnt on the same planet..

 

As a valet for the past ~4 years, working at about 3 different places, I was really the only car guy present. Worked just fine for me, I got my pick of the better cars.

I always kept 911s up front, especially the TT's... Boxster / Cayenne not so much. The owners were (usually) so much cooler than the typical Benz E/S, Audi A6/A8, Rover, Escalade, etc. owners. Plus I have tons of respect for the Pcars. Also, the guys in the Lambos and Ferraris were always incredibly nice.

Although the few times I worked out in the suburbs, some 911 owners (especially the cabs, for some reason) thought they were god's gift to the world.

However, this was in Milwaukee, so, things are quite different than LA / BH. I've been reading some nasty experiences with you guys and Valets, and some misconceptions about the trade. Again, this is all in my experience in the places that I have worked.

 

^ The results of giving my old 911 to the valet at the Sofitel Hotel near Bev Hills:

 

^ sorry man. I workout at the sofitel as well, live a few blocks away. You should see how the valet either NOBU, BELMONT, and KOI drive some of those cars...i see these guys flying around corners pretty fast sometimes.

 

Idiots everywhere. Sorry to see that. I've heard a lot of valet horror stories, but I've never experienced anything of the sort. I always worked for the highest end restaurants in the area, and we didn't dick around. I would get so tired of people asking me if I could drive stick... it made me wonder what sort of valet experience they were accustomed to. What kind of place are you going to where the valet's can't drive stick?

As a car guy, I always treated these cars with the utmost respect, and was incredibly thankful for having the experience of being behind the wheel under it's own power. However, sometimes we would have customers that would encourage us to peel out or to "give it hell", which was quite fun. We had a pretty top notch crew and ran a tight ship.

It's probably because we were too damn busy all the time to have any time for that. That's what happens when you have ~5 guys doing a block's worth of restaurants and clubs.

 

^ It was many years ago and I made them pay dearly.

 

^I'm curious what your reaction/their response was. And, how did that even happen?!

 

I never got the real story. There were two versions. Neither was possible under the laws of physics. I was devastated, in shock, and simply drove the car home and took it into the shop the next morning. Then I proceeded to sue them, both for the damage and loss of use. Car was in the shop 71 days. I wound up settling with them for the cost of repairs plus $30K for my troubles.

 

You must have had a good lawyer.