OT: let's nip this valet stuff in the bud
 

this is not directed at anyne in particular. just comes up often.

1) of course you take a risk, as you do when you park it yourself, maybe more so with a valet. but you takes riskes every time you drive a car in close traffic next to a-holes. you have no control over that riced civic next to you. you have far more influence over a valet.

2) reality is in some cities you have NO choice. valet is a way of life.

3) valets park MUCH finer cars than any (okay, most) of our cars.

4) almost all valets i've interacted with are very cool about cars like audi's - they don't think you're a dick, unlike if you pull up and stall your ferrrari. or tell him to park your M5 where it can be seen.

bottom line: if <i>you</i> don't wanna valet, fine. but don't freak out that other people have no choice or no problem with it.

i'm more worried about valeting my 750i.
 

we've already had one incident where they couldn't figure out how to move the car..."um, sir, I'm very sorry to bother you, but..."

Between the parking brake (a button on the dash), the weird key, and the even weirder gearshift, no one's going to steal that car unless they've already driven one.

that made me chuckle. that's one of the nice things about the RS4. you just get in and drive!...
 

...for the most part.

do what you want with your car..
 

the reason some of us prefer not to trust the valet and yet still drive our cars on the street is an issue of control and privacy. sure, i could get nicked by another car with a careless driver.

but i'm not going to use that reality to justify further endangering my investment by letting someone else park my car.

my original post was slightly tongue in cheak obviously i don't think anyone is insane, i was just making the point that i wouldn't take a brand new RS4 and let anyone park it.

i suppose after 15k miles i might feel differently, but if you saw how perfectly my car is kept, (11k miles, only one rock chip on the S4) then you'd see why i avoid valets like the plague.

This is akin to calling a software bug a feature. I love it.

Except for what?
 

Since I'm waiting for mine I am wondering..

What parts are not just "get in and drive" ?

as i said, not directed at anyone. just a common car forum topic...
 

...my cars are almost flawless. i take care of them, but they are cars to be driven. and driving involves risk.

i believe in carma. if you go out of your way to avoid damage, damage finds you eventually. i don't believe in incurring undue risk, but i won't buy a car i'm unwilling to daily drive. and to me, daily drive involves that level of risk.

mostly agree
 

i find that if i try to avoid potholes, they find me quicker. i do find though that parking at the other end of a parking lot has worked out well so far.

and i'm willing to admit that the valet issue is somewhat psychological. i just like knowing that nobody has driven my car but me. nobody has messed with my interior.

coming from an S4 with alcantara, let me tell you i am even more concerned. some valet with god knows what on his pants or hands can easily screw up a nice silver alcantara seat.

i just don't even want to have to worry so i avoid it.

plus, where i live, there are not that many garages or a need for them, and to be honest.

u still gotta 'accept' the navi warning, little stuff like that. otherwise, it is pretty simple....
 

...u really could get in and drive without any nonsense.

^^^^ AGREE^^^^^^^^^ Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to get off the imaginary high horse.