Edmunds.com Provides Valet Parking Tips in Time for New Year’s Eve

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Have you ever wondered what happens to your car when you leave it at valet parking? Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, exposes the truth about what goes on at a typical valet station in its article Confessions of a Parking Valet: True Tales of Mishaps and Mischief.

This tell-all interview is filled with surprising stories from a real-life parking valet who offers candid advice to drivers.

“Seeing things from the perspective of the parking valet gives consumers useful insight on how to handle future situations and protect their vehicles,” said Edmunds.com Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed. “For example, readers will learn that evening shifts are the toughest and usually provide the worst tips, so it might be beneficial to tip a little extra during that time frame to ensure your car gets treated well.”

Highlights from the advice of the anonymous valet also include:

• If you tip a little when you drop off your car, the valet will most likely treat the car better and bring it back promptly in the hope that a second – and more generous – tip awaits them.
• If you notice any damage to your car or think that anything is missing, talk to the valet manager and request a copy of the incident report and the contact information of their insurance company. Any “release of liability” language on your valet ticket may not hold up in court.
• In situations where the valet will be parking your car on the street, be aware that if he parks it illegally or doesn’t feed the meter, you will be left with the ticket.
• Remember to explain a car's quirks such as complex security systems, start buttons, remote “smart key” features or aftermarket modifications like gullwing doors.
• If you're rude, demeaning or demanding, or you’ve stiffed him on tips in the past, your valet probably won't show annoyance but still may take revenge. They may take a long time to bring your car up, change settings on seats, mirrors, radio and climate control, lower tire pressure or even intentionally ding the door or scrape the paint in a place where it's not easily noticed.

“By and large, the golden rule seems to apply,” said Reed. “Treat the valet as you wish your car to be treated.”

For more valet stories and advice, read article Confessions of a Parking Valet: True Tales of Mishaps and Mischief athttp://www.edmunds.com/driving-tips/confessions-of-a-parking-valet.html.

About Edmunds.com, Inc.(http://www.edmunds.com/help/about/index.html)

Edmunds.com Inc. publishes Web sites that empower, engage and educate automotive consumers, enthusiasts and insiders. Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, launched in 1995 as the first automotive information Web site. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.edmunds.com, makes car pricing and other research tools available for car shoppers at dealerships and otherwise on the go. InsideLine.com is the most-read automotive enthusiast Web site. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.insideline.com, features the wireless Web's highest quality car photos and videos. AutoObserver.com provides insightful automotive industry commentary and analysis. Edmunds.com Inc. is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains a satellite office in suburban Detroit. Follow Edmunds.com on Twitter@edmunds and fan Edmunds.com on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/edmunds.

Jeannine Fallon/Pamela MorrisCorporate Communications
Edmunds.com
Media Hotline: 310-309-4900
pr@edmunds.com

Source: Edmunds.com