Airport parking.....ever had any damage done??

[moog999]

Dropped my car off at Newcastle airport 3 weeks ago and had a lovely time in spain, ole!!

Got back yesterday morning, picked car up and then noticed on the motorway it now pulls ever so slightly to the left, thought it might just be a camber thing but I kept on noticing it so something has changed. I then couldn't help but notice that I was having to make constant minor corrections the whole way home (Newcastle to Leeds so about 100miles), the car must've looked like it was ever so slightly weaving down the road.

Got home, knackered, kids all sorted, fed and off to bed, isn't your own bed wonderful after a holiday. So, today I thought best way to confirm is get my wife to drive too the shops, she has zero appreciation for mechanical things and would drive her cars, un-serviced, until they broke down somewhere or blew up, even she noticed it.

Most telling is a kerb rash on the nearside front alloy that I could've sworn wasn't there before the holiday. I'm very, very sensitive to any changes in how my car behaves and this is a new thing. Now the car parking service was the concierge thing where you leave your car, they take it somewhere then have it waiting just outside the airport doors as you arrive, so they had to drive it at some point.

I have emailed off a complaint anyway and will see what comes back but has anyone else ever experienced similar?

 

[clk320x]

Did you write down the mileage when you handed it in?

I’ve heard all sorts of horror stories, from tyres being swapped, the cars being run for thousands of miles in weeks etc etc.... hence I only use official airport parking even though it is expensive.

 

[Sprint-Man]

It's not a definite but you could ask Airport Car parking if they have any CCTV footage available? Sorry to hear about this!

 

[flowrider]

Dropped my car off at Newcastle airport 3 weeks ago and had a lovely time in spain, ole!!

Got back yesterday morning, picked car up and then noticed on the motorway it now pulls ever so slightly to the left, thought it might just be a camber thing but I kept on noticing it so something has changed. I then couldn't help but notice that I was having to make constant minor corrections the whole way home (Newcastle to Leeds so about 100miles), the car must've looked like it was ever so slightly weaving down the road.

Got home, knackered, kids all sorted, fed and off to bed, isn't your own bed wonderful after a holiday. So, today I thought best way to confirm is get my wife to drive too the shops, she has zero appreciation for mechanical things and would drive her cars, un-serviced, until they broke down somewhere or blew up, even she noticed it.

Most telling is a kerb rash on the nearside front alloy that I could've sworn wasn't there before the holiday. I'm very, very sensitive to any changes in how my car behaves and this is a new thing. Now the car parking service was the concierge thing where you leave your car, they take it somewhere then have it waiting just outside the airport doors as you arrive, so they had to drive it at some point.

I have emailed off a complaint anyway and will see what comes back but has anyone else ever experienced similar?

Didn't you get the memo? Never, never, never use concierge parking at an airport.

 

[moog999]

Oh dear.

No, I didn't record the mileage! Shit.****.bastard!!!

 

[moog999]

I didn't get the memo either. Ballcocks!!

 

[zipdip]

Well I always use APH at Gatwick you drive to their site they tag your keys and then they park it on their own site,and when you come back it is ready for you to drive away,a top class outfit at other airports I use the airport car parks,frankly this meet and greet is just not worth the hassle,and all you get is being able to drive up hand the keys of your expensive car to a unknown person and hope it gets looked after,not for me thankyou.

 

[clk320x]

Oh dear.

No, I didn't record the mileage! Shit.****.bastard!!!

I reckon they hit a kerb hard and it knocked the tracking out... don’t be surprised if your car has racked up a few thousand miles too...shame you didn’t have a hidden dashcam or gps tracker

 

[ToeKnee]

Big fan of APH too, use then several times a year. Hope you get it sorted

 

[moog999]

Big fan of APH too, use then several times a year. Hope you get it sorted

Just to clarify, this was with APH.

 

[Amy]

Left my car at a B&B plus park once at LGW
Returned to find bonnet open
Battery had gone flat they said, when they moved it to get another car out
Half a mile down the road going home, I smelled diesel, opened bonnet, could see the primer bleed pipe onto fuel filter (Peugeot 406) was pulled off and evidence of diesel all round the area
Aircon wasnt working any more either
I didnt check milage
Im older and wiser. NO ONE gets my keys EVER anymore

Get a cab to the airport, its cheaper and easier

 

[ToeKnee]

Just to clarify, this was with APH.

Sorry, should have added only at their normal drop off car park, not meet and greet.

 

[PobodY]

Get a cab to the airport, its cheaper and easier

This is what I do. - In fairness; for one person it's more expensive, for two people it's about the same as paying for airport parking (and/or a train ticket), and if you've got three (or more) people it's definitely cheaper than a train.

 

[del320]

I use Newcastle regularly. Pre-book longstay, drive in, park and walk over to the main building.

Arrive back, walk to car, retrieve ticket then drive to barrier - and away.

Couldn't be easier.

 

[Darren1717]

I tend to use a taxi now, after hearing all shorts of stories with long stay car parks, especially those where you leave keys.

Better still, I get another family ember to drive us there and collect when I can!

 

[PobodY]

Better still, I get another family ember to drive us there and collect when I can!

I would do that, but they all live in Australia.

 

[E55BOF]

I've often used various Meet & Greet services at Gatwick, and never had a problem (except when the fuel pump died on the E55 while we were away, and that was hardly their fault).

 

[AMGeed]

I used an off site Parking company once, close to Luton Airport. Purple Parking was the name.
Returned from my trip to find the car nowhere near where I was told to park and mud splashed all down one side.
Shame I didn't note my mileage and I had my suspicions but no proof.

Never again. National coaches/train or airport car service for me.

 

[Darren1717]

I would do that, but they all live in Australia.

Yes... not a good call in that case

 

[wu56Shoozz]

And so I traveled to London during a heat wave back in 2015. I parked in an airport private parking (Long Stay type, where they look after your car and valet it before you come home) not so cheap but worth it or so I thought. So, there I am dropping it off at 3 am and heading for my flight, I'd be away a couple of days.. temps were around the 28 degree mark and falling back a little over the days I was away. I came back, checked back in and walked to my car..... except both wing mirrors were smashed and lying on the deck.. I was raging..not a note, nothing. I walked back into reception and asked to see the CCTV cameras for the days I was away.. nope! Nothing, not a mark, person or car was parked near me the whole time, not even when it was moved to be valeted.. it wasn't until I went to replace the mirrors at the dealers the the problem was resolved... seemingly during the heatwave the glue was failing on older cars and the mirrors were prone to falling off...and here was I ready to crucify whoever got in the way and made comments about the mirrors...never felt so sheepish in all my puff..