I wouldn't worry much at a restaurant where the engine will not have a chance to get cold, in case the valet moves the car a short distance. I have never heard of problems restarting a fully warmed up car. My problem is at hotels where it is parked over night. The valet may need to move it to get other cars out. I am the one who made a sign especially for that purpose. I used it at a Marriott in Nashville and will have the same issue next month in Tampa at a hotel that does not offer self parking.

 

At this time, I don't even want my wife to drive my 8. A valet parking lot is way out of the question.

 

^^lol

 

I mentioned this on another thread -- we're waiting for my friend's brand new BMW 525i wagon at the LAX Renaissance and it's not coming around. Finally it shows up. My friend is then talking to the valet, laughing and joking. I asked what he said. She said he had apologized, "Sorry, I never tried to drive a stick before." No smell of burning rubber and no scratched paint; my friend was much cooler than I would have been.

 

Dropped off at a valet once in Boca Raton. The head guy comes running over and says hed like to park it right up front for me. I said thanks and when we came out it was nestled between a Ferrari and a Porshe. I must say Ive never been more proud. Especially since mine is 1/3 of the price! They handed me the keys and I pulled off. It was like valeting twice...first and last. How could I ever top that service let alone no flooding issues.

 

Speaking as a female (even before I was an RX-8 owner), I'd say you need to find girls to date that would agree to, if not suggest, that a walk or a change of plans was in order in that situation.

 

I say try not to valet it. I valet my car twice. Twice too many times. I kinda didn't hav ea choice because of where we were in Miami (south beach) but everytime I got it back it was hot and I smelled clutch. They rag on em, once you walk away. Just park far and walk or pay extra to park your up front. Not worth the damage they can do to your car in a few minutes.

 

If you want a painful story of what valets do, ask 93rdcurrent about what happened to his MR2, and I will say, due to his story, I will never trust a valet... too many scary stories out there, stay far away from them, they are satans children.... that or Bush's children... either way, close enough

 

I worried about letting a valet drive my car, door dings, and the "will they treat my car well" syndrome over 2 decades ago... just like the postings I'm reading here. When one of my dates claimed that I cared about my car more than I did her, and though I quickly denied it... self reflection later found me realizing she was right.

Fast forward to today... I wouldn't even give it a thought. You think the RX-8 is special? Hah! The valet is driving cars 3 times the price many times over during any one night. The only thing special about the RX-8 for them is that, hey, they might get their parents to buy them one. You think the RX-8 is easy to stall? Hah again! It's one of the easiest to drive. Try driving a Ferrari, or much worse, a lamborgini.

A few months after buying the RX-8, I told my wife about the flooding issue. Her response, which I don't think is unreasonable, was "How could they sell the car with that kind of problem? I thought you were smart enough to do your homework before you bought the thing". Though it's easy to get defensive of the car... the words ring true. The wife, or the valet are not the idiots. We are, for buying the thing. At least, this one reason alone, is enough for my wife not to want to drive it. In my book, that's a good thing.

 

I wish valet parking would go the way of elevator operators or mensroom attendants.

I do my best to avoid them. If it becomes unavoidable with the RX-8 the best bet is to give a decent tip up-front to put it somewhwere where it won't be moved. Explain a rotary tends to stall if moved cold, and promise an equal tip at the end as long as she starts up.

 

simply because the rx8 ranges from bout 24-36k in price does not mean that the valet attendants do want to drive the **** out of it. think about it. do want to drive 250k bently to it's limits? i'll give you this comparison wrx sti, evo, wrx, 350z, s2000, and lets see a celica gts. how about that? your telling me those car don't hav erev apeal. that what we mean.

 

guess the thread died.

 

As long as you were driving the car for more than a few minutes before handing it off to the valet, I wouldn't worry. If the engine is hot, this won't be a problem.

 

I have to agree here. This car is actually atainable - so they can get a test drive in if they want! Plus their personal risk seems much lower by hot-******* with an 8 instead of a Lam or Ferrari. Just because the 8 is priced for the masses doesn't make me think they wouldn't rag it out!

 

agreed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!