New car question

3757 Views 8 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Eyedoc, Aug 20, 2004

Beemerboy

Discussion Starter · Aug 19, 2004

Just picked up my 2005 Steel Blue XLR yesterday. The car is beautiful and rides great. I asked a question to the delivery technician and did not get a very good answer nor could I find it in the manual.

If you go somewhere with valet parking or to a car wash where they send it through and another person pulls it out what do you do with the FOB? Do you just leave it in the car? What if the valet leaves it in the car, can the car easily be stolen?

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Quixotic

· #2 · Aug 19, 2004

My one and only experience with a car wash was a nightmare. They don;t know how to start the car, but worse, they don;t know how to close the trunk, so they pulled on it which sent me screaming toward the car! My suggestion is to stay away from a car wash.

My problem with a valet is that the guy who takes the car from you (who you nicely explained how to open the door and start the car to) is not necessarily the one who brings the car back to you. My sugestion is to ask that the car be parked by the valet station. They like to do that with nice cars anyway.

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aviator

· #3 · Aug 19, 2004 (Edited)

I agree with Quixotic

Stay away from car washes. One and only experience was also bad. The intersection where the top folds meeting the window is not designed for high pressure spray directed perpendicular to it. It will leak and get you and/or your interior wet. No Bueno!

No problem with leaking due to rain. Just a high pressure jet 6 inches away directed at the joint.

Also, car washes are famous for causing those tiny micro scratches which dull the finish.

One final thing: It is possible to inadvertently trap an unwitting valet in your XLR.

:cool

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Dadonator

· #4 · Aug 19, 2004

"Security"

Check out the owner's manual--there's a switch in the 04's inside the left top corner of the opened passenger glove box, which shuts down the trunk and opening-top features. You probably don't even have to lock the glove box, since non-owners don't know this feature. At least your personal stuff is "secure".

As far as parking is concerned, ANY car is easily stolen at valet parking places--at a wedding, my gut was nervous about the valet parking, so I walked up to my XLR, got in, took the fob, and went back to the wedding--no one even noticed--I might just as easily have driven off in anyone else's car!

The biggest problem in NY, NY, has been that the garages don't know how to turn the XLR OFF. I now tell them how!

:flag

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clee85

· #5 · Aug 19, 2004

Car Wash

At my local car wash they do not run my XLR thru the wash rack but hand wash it. One of the employees keeps the fob in his pocked from start to finish. The first time I "trained" him as to how to open, start, shut off, open and close the trunk, etc. Has worked well so far -- if it is not the same washer I re-train the new one.
As for valet parking -- I haven't trusted anyone yet.
Bill in FL (NM # 9)

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1_XLR

· #6 · Aug 19, 2004

Dadonator said:
The biggest problem in NY, NY, has been that the garages don't know how to turn the XLR OFF. I now tell them how!

:flag

I love to use the valet and I always ask or explain how it works.
Ya, Ya, Ya, one told me at a shopping mall and then I always watch to be sure....
I saw they were having trouble after they parked it up front....motor still running
and as I approached I listened as they had resorted to voice commands
"engine turn off"...."turn Off now".... "shut off motor" :glol

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1_XLR

· #7 · Aug 19, 2004

clee85 said:
At my local car wash they do not run my XLR thru the wash rack but hand wash it. One of the employees keeps the fob in his pocked from start to finish. The first time I "trained" him as to how to open, start, shut off, open and close the trunk, etc. Has worked well so far -- if it is not the same washer I re-train the new one.

Bill in FL (NM # 9)

Funny this came up, just happened this week....
Same thing, local car wash, hand wash, "trained" one kid to do the car. Same one has been washing my car same time of day, every tuesday for 8 months without fail. He knows the details of the car and I don't have to worry about a new guy every week. Pull up and hand him the FOB. :seeya
This week I get there and he's gone early to lunch....hummmm....he knew I was coming ...but no big deal....show the FNG the routine and sit and watch over him as the trunk raises, etc., etc.. :skep

Well, half way through the wash, my regular guy gets back to work, puts on his uniform and stands around and BSs with 3-4 other guys, :grouphug It's slow and they've nothing to do. Now I have been tipping this kid $10.00 a week for 8 months and seeing that he gets the job....and I know $40.00 a month for a minimum wage employee is well worthwhile. Not to mention the "clout " it gives him at the car wash since he gets the hottest car that comes in there! :thumbs ( you gotta understand the inner circle) He should have been over there AT LEAST to check on HIS customer if not to help out or take over.... but nothing!.... since he figured he wasn't going to get his 10 spot this day, he blew it off entirely.....I'm still pissed! :cuss

Anyway, not really about the XLR....I just needed to vent!!! :nopity
We'll be having a little customer service talk next week :yesnod

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mswaim

· #8 · Aug 20, 2004

I wash mine myself, it's just not worth it. I don't intend to keep the car more than a year or two so any surface damage caused by repeated car washes will hurt my ability to sell it down the road. Besides, it's garaged most of time so during this time of year a simple dusting and a little Coat's Miracle Mist works wonders.

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Eyedoc

· #9 · Aug 20, 2004

Valet

Agree with the car wash stories, I wash mine myself. Its a small car and like my former Vette, you can wash it very fast. Waxing is another story but you don't need that everytime.

At a hotel recently for a meeting, the parking was "Valet Only".

I asked them if I could park it myself and they said no. So, I starting explaining to the valet about how to start, stop the car and what to do with the FOB. His eyes glazed over and he handed the FOB back to me and directed me where to park it (right up front).

I gave him a $5.

Next day (same meeting), the same guy was there in the morning. This time, he was willing to take the car and did a great job (again parked 20 feet away, within sight).

He had a big smile on his face and actually showed another driver how the car works - some are fast learners.

On the other hand, I usually try to park it myself when at a valet.

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