Airport valet parking - would you?

[moff]

I've used valet parking lots with no issues, life's too short to worry about the what if's and insurance is there too if you use a reputable firm.

I've often used parking at hotels near a major airport and in most cases they move your car to a secure off site location. I've never had an issue.

Occasionally if the trip is shorter I will pay premium to park right next to the terminal but that's for convenience more than anything.

 

[219]

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?

This is just why , besides having my 'nice' cars , I have always had a 'banger' that I don't care about and can park up without worrying if it is going to get dented .

For a while we had an old Clio , then a Mk II Polo , now the Mk IV Golf .

An added bonus is that these sorts of cars are unlikely to be stolen .

 

[Scott_F]

This is just why , besides having my 'nice' cars , I have always had a 'banger' that I don't care about and can park up without worrying if it is going to get dented .

For a while we had an old Clio , then a Mk II Polo , now the Mk IV Golf .

An added bonus is that these sorts of cars are unlikely to be stolen .

I'm not sure about that. I've heard that your average teenage joyrider, unable to defeat the security systems of modern cars, will frequently target old 1980's / 1990's cars as they are relatively easy to get into and start.

I had a MkII Polo and it was a terrific little car. Yet despite being 17 years old and having a mighty 1043cc engine someone smashed the quarter light in a bungled attempt to steal it. They needn't have bothered since wiggling just about anything in the worn driver's door lock was sufficient to open it !

 

[sweetmeister]

Used the service many times at manchester airport.

I work at Manchester Airport,and there is no way on this planet I would use their valet parking or meet and greet!!
They use kids to move vehicles who race them against each other,believe me I've seen it.

 

[Aerialmark]

I work at Manchester Airport,and there is no way on this planet I would use their valet parking or meet and greet!!
They use kids to move vehicles who race them against each other,believe me I've seen it.

So you see you would be better using Me pendletransfers.com I will give a discount to all MB club members :bannana:

 

[Tan]

Can anyone recommend a meet and greet parking company for Gatwick Airport?

Thanks

Tan

 

[edstrom76]

Can anyone recommend a meet and greet parking company for Gatwick Airport?

Thanks

Tan

Last month going out to Sweden we used www.gatwickparking.com - not strictly speaking valet parking but there's little point really, as the official car park is only a "catwalk" away from Departures. It's literally a two-minute walk, if that. Very professional service and they do all the pre-checks using a mix of pictures and video. Make sure you check it over on return though!

 

[comports]

I've used BCP for about the last 12 years.

Never had a single issue with them.

I've also heard BA offer a good service.

 

[moonloops]

Can anyone recommend a meet and greet parking company for Gatwick Airport?

Thanks

Tan

Meteor parking cover Gatwick, I used them last month - no issues and a pleasant enough company to deal with.

 

[malluboy77]

Used Meteor many times at Gatwick. Would use again. You might find discount codes if you google.

 

[craig1912]

used these before
Meet & Greet Valet Parking from Stress Free Airport Parking

use discount code SNORKLE12

 

[Godfrey]

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.

I once left keys with a supposedly reputable firm and returned to find my car with an extra 800 odd miles and collapsed rear suspension. Now I always park it myself in the furthest unwanted corner (to discourage parking beside me) and take the keys away with me.

 

[E55BOF]

Can anyone recommend a meet and greet parking company for Gatwick Airport?

Thanks

Tan

I've used APH (last year) and Surepark (returned two weeks ago). No issues with either. The driver from Surepark took photos of the car all round and filled in the mileage reading on the paperwork before leaving.

It's an old E55 estate, but it doesn't say so on the boot, and old E-class estates have no performance image anyway . Try Googling the names of any companies with 'review' added; if they're duffers, you'll find out.

 

[Mike C63]

I have used APH, Hams Hall several times when flying from Birmingham, never had an issue with them and they keep them on site. I used Purple Parking about 4 years ago at Bath Road right next door to Premier Inn for a flight from Heathrow. I chose the venue as it was so close to the hotel. I wish I hadn't. On return I saw the wheels on my Jeep SRT8 looked damaged as the bus pulled into the pick up area.
I was incensed to say the least, three alloys were badly kerbed, not ideal when you've just returned from holiday. After several months of phone calls I managed to be compensated for one new wheel and two refurbished wheels! I only managed to get a new wheel because the Manager of the repairer company I went to insisted it was beyond repair!
Far from leaving the vehicle on site some idiot must have abused it, probably racing someone to some offsite park. Never would I use them again!

 

[StevenN]

I've used Purple Meet & greet & Long Stay a few times no issues.
In fact I have a trip next month where I'm using Purple where I drop the car at the airport then on return get their minibus to collect the car.
Not done this one before but as the wife is paying I suppose I can't complain.

 

[5wann5ter]

I have travelled away this year so far to Russia (2 weeks and 1 week), Australia (10 weeks), Paris (3 days, 1 week, 4 days) from Heathrow and Gatwick, and used Purple without any issue, but then I only drive a 2012 C200 diesel..........

 

[itaintemeyouno]

We use the Airport Valet parking at Heathrow T3 and T5. My wife's X5 got pranged by the driver on the pillar, which was initially denied until I took pictures of the damage with a DSLR and a macro lens. The guy in the office reckoned that it was old damage, yet I saw a corresponding scratch on the pillar next to the car and the scratch on the bumper had fresh beads of concrete on it, which I showed to the Valet Parking manager when he arrived.

When the manager arrived, on seeing the photos, he accepted liability immediately and offered two choices - to get it fixed next time we valet parked it or to get it done through a body shop convenient to us.

Local BMW dealer couldn't offer a similar car as a courtesy car (could only offer a 1 series saloon, and since we have a large white german shepherd that wasn't convenient), so the parking people's claims handlers arranged for the hire of a XC90.

The offside front alloy was also damaged, which initially they said should be repaired, but the relented and replaced it, which was pretty good as they are BMW's top of the range 20 inch alloys.

We still use the Valet parking, as have used them on numerous occasions and this has been the only incident.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I used Maple Manor Meet and Greet at Gatwick South earlier this month when away for 12 days. They were great - putting less than 10 miles on the clock and not a mark on the car. The same guy who collected the car delivered it back on our return and had even put a paper mat down to protect the carpet. I'd use them again. (Booked through Holiday Extras).

This was my second time of using Meet & Greet service, the first being at Heathrow last year. A big worry on a car that cost me over £40k but I figured it was less likely to be damaged than being left in a car park where countless others and their families could be parking next to it.

 

[camerafodder]

I must admit that I just leave the car at home and use an airport taxi service

 

[Mike C63]

I must admit that I just leave the car at home and use an airport taxi service

That is probably the best decision!