Airport valet parking - would you?

[Mercy1]

I am sick of airport car park transfers in the freezing cold and am attracted by a Meet-and-Greet valet parking offer (you drive to the terminal, they park up your car in a compound). Sounds convenient, but it does involve entrusting your precious Merc keys with these guys for three weeks. Dare I? Would you?

 

[bobby]

I am sick of airport car park transfers in the freezing cold and am attracted by a Meet-and-Greet valet parking offer (you drive to the terminal, they park up your car in a compound). Sounds convenient, but it does involve entrusting your precious Merc keys with these guys for three weeks. Dare I? Would you?

I wouldn't do it personally - I would spend all the time away worrying that they'd be doing a "Ferris Bueller"

I used to worry enough when leaving the car in airport carparks - can you imagine my horror when I heard about that fire at the Gatwick or Stansted carparks?!

 

[Maff]

I use them all the time at Heathrow with the C63, and no problems so far.

They have also bought my car from Terminal 1 to Terminal 5 at no extra cost when I have changed flights on occasion.

Yes there is the worry factor that the car may get damaged, but looking at the line of cars waiting to be collected (Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin DBS etc etc) they seem to know what they are doing, and if they made a habit of damaging cars then I would imagine that that person wouldn't be employed there for very long, and the increased insurance premiums they would have to pay would drive them out of business.

 

[Burger]

Use it all the time. Wouldn't park at an airport any other way to be honest. Never had a car damaged and it's always been there on my return. I always use Meteor, used to be CPS at Heathrow.

 

[timskemp]

Use them myself when I can too (basically if I can reclaim the costs so I'd say yes. I hand over a filthy old E class though - but there's plenty more desirable toys for them if they wanted to go on a trackday. Take a phone photo of the odometer before and after if you wish.

 

[kwakdonut]

Would it be easier and cheaper for you to get a cab to take you there and back? Am sure the costs would be similar and you could leave the MB at home, all snuggled in the garage/on the drive etc?

 

[Mercy1]

thanks all for quick advice, particularly Dave as Meteor are the people who have a special offer on right now that makes it as cheap as parking up myself...

 

[christopherwk]

(you drive to the terminal, they park up your car in a compound).

looking at the line of cars waiting to be collected (Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin DBS etc etc)

I think they may use the upper levels of the terminals short stay car park to keep your car. I usually park at the same spot in each of the terminals whenever I visit (almost daily), and often see the same, nice cars parked there for days on end.

So you may think your car is parked safe in a (locked) compound away from the public, unless the owners of the cars I see are willing to spend £48 a day to park in the short stay car park while they're away.

 

[A-AvantGarde]

So you may think your car is parked safe in a (locked) compound away from the public, unless the owners of the cars I see are willing to spend £48 a day to park in the short stay car park while they're away.

My brother has done that before when he's been extremely later for a flight, not a nice bill to come back too!

Having said that he now always uses the meet and great service too and he doesn't worry about it. He's also extremely protective about his car.

 

[Stratman]

I worked on a few series of Watchdog, and one of the items was about Valet Parking. They put hidden trackers in a few cars and used various 'bottom of the range' firms. Some were just parked in the same off airport car parks you might use yourself. Fair enough, but others were left by the roadside in industrial estates and residential areas being moved around as they saw fit, one was even used as a minicab!

I must stress the firms used were deliberately chosen as having had complaints made about them and were from the cheaper end of the market. "Reputable company does what it says" doesn't make good television.

I suppose you get what you pay for, or rather you don't get what you don't pay for.

 

[Charles Morgan]

When I only flew on business by exception I used them a lot, never had any concerns or problems. When I was commuting from Heathrow virtually every day and was jetlagged out of my skull, I used a nice executive car service and was just as happy as I never had to drive while zonked. Coming from central London the costs were roughly similar, so having a nice comfortable Merc and chauffeur won every time.

 

[mika]

Simon M has just used meet and greet ...i think he survived

 

[JOB-BLACK-RAT]

I know a man who used to work for one of these firms. It was a race every time from the carpark drop off to the storage and back. No excess miles, but miles in excess.

 

[Mercy1]

Thanks Black Rat, that makes me feel a whole lot better!! lol. After considering all comments, I have decided to go for it with Meteor which looks reputable (who knows??)
I intend to ask the pick up driver to sign a mileage verification and car condition note, and I will leave the fuel tank nearly empty. Token efforts I know, but I will also threaten the driver with the wrath of MOH if they so much as put a smudge on my brand new Merc! That ought to really scare 'em.
Taxi not really an option, £200 plus, and it's too far to Gatwick to expect a lift. Meteor's special offer means it is only costing me £20 more for the meet and greet than for long term parking.
Has anyone ever considered a recipricol airport transfer facility among Forum members??

 

[Pringles]

I would not personally use this service for my Mercedes. I have never left the car in a airport or cruise terminal car park as I would worry about bird dropping damage!
Company car is a different matter as I have never had any attachment to any of them and I just regard them as tin boxes to be used and abused and cleaned with a broom.

 

[comports]

I used the meet and greet service a lot when I was travelling with work over the last 5 years or so. Never had a single issue and always prompt.

You do pay a bit more but well worth it imho. Turn up to departure gate and give them the keys. Call when you land and they meet you at arrivals.

Always used BCP meet n greet or BA.

 

[Burger]

Thanks Black Rat, that makes me feel a whole lot better!! lol. After considering all comments, I have decided to go for it with Meteor which looks reputable (who knows??)
I intend to ask the pick up driver to sign a mileage verification and car condition note, and I will leave the fuel tank nearly empty. Token efforts I know, but I will also threaten the driver with the wrath of MOH if they so much as put a smudge on my brand new Merc! That ought to really scare 'em.
Taxi not really an option, £200 plus, and it's too far to Gatwick to expect a lift. Meteor's special offer means it is only costing me £20 more for the meet and greet than for long term parking.
Has anyone ever considered a recipricol airport transfer facility among Forum members??

They will do an inspection of the car when you arrive, note any defects and make a note of the mileage which you then sign to agree with it. On collection, they'll do the same again.

Like I said, I've used Meteor for years and they've never damaged a car of mine or added any undue mileage. They're a reputable company.

The only problem I've heard of first hand with them was about 6 years ago when they were CPS (Chauffeured Parking Services) and they lost the keys to a colleagues 911. It didn't help his plane was late and it was midnight but even then, the manager got out of bed and traveled to the airport to sort it out. They then gave my colleague his parking for free.

You'll be absolutely fine with them and if something does go wrong I firmly believe they'll sort it out professionally.

Regards,

 

[Pappilo]

Never again!

I tried the meet and greet service once at Heathrow and they retuned my car with a cleverly concealed broken wiper. Only found out 2 days later because it rained. I must admit I used the cheapest company I found on the net and that may have had a part to play in the level of service I received. Like they say, you get what you pay for.

However I have no problems parking at the big BCP one at Gatwick. Done it on a few occassions and my car has been fine when I collected. I will not do this with my Merc though. At least not now, Maybe when it is a few years older.

 

[AMGeed]

Always used a home pick up in an airport car service myself.

From Hampshire to Gatwick return shouldn't cost more than £80. Door to door and no hassle or worrying about my own car.

I'd rather leave the Merc at home if possible although used "Airport Parking" at Luton once and everything was fine.

 

[Bobbyrab]

Be careful

I had my car brought to the terminal to meet me on a return flight to Stanstead. The car arrived with a strong smell of overheated brakes, I asked what the smell was and had he been driving with the handbrake on, which he assured me he hadn't. I realise now it would be almost impossible to drive with the handbrake on and not notice the dashboard warning, I reckon the car was just hammered on the drive to the airport. Never again.