Dark Blue Mark

I am in the dilemma of having to go to Gatwick at the end of the month and need to park the beast somewhere. I've just come back from hols and a mate drove to quite a good one however... they go and park the car for you and keep the keys.

Now im a bit paraniod about this sort of thing, and even if I wrote down the miles, I still don't like the idea. I might get a taxi

Anyone have any experiences?

MB

RON

you pay the fuel mate, and I'll drive your car up there and back!!!!!!

Marky-San

I used to leave my Lotus Carlton in airport car parks - exactly liek the ones you said. I just wrote the mileage and kept it. Car never did more than a tenths of a miles shifting it.

These places arent like 'Ferris Buellers Day Off'.

I'd say do it.

BuRR

I just did it @ Liverpool.

There were some exotic motors in there mate, just don't park anywhere near the high car park lamps. The birds use them as vantage-point-toilets. I saw a BMW absolutely COVERED in bird$h1t.

DanTheMan

I use BCP at Gatwick, they park the car for you and are quite cheap. Had no problems the last 3 years.....just do it man, I'm sure they park posher cars than rusty old scoobs.
Dan

5903

I used BCP at Gatwick last week.

Having a brand new STI7, I had the same concerns as you.

Glad to report, no dents and no problems.

....and what a sight it was to see when the bus pulled up seven days later.

As the above says, there were some very very nice cars in the car park !

Nils

korky

I park at a nothern airport regularly - no problems so far!

Korky

Dark Blue Mark

Thanks all,

I will try BCP.

Ron, bugger off! I have a dawes now so bye bye warranty! Pop round as you have to have one.

MB

scoob_babe

left the scoob at Gatwick for 2 weeks. Wrote down mileage anyway but the only distance covered was it being moved for parking, approx .1 mile each way!
Have left it at Heathrow (keys left) and Luton (keys kept with me) and never had a problem.

caz1562

I don't trust them so I'm hiring a car to attend Manchester airport.

Mo

I wouldn't trust 'em in Manchester either

Seriously though I've used one of the big off airport parking firms at Gatwick eight times now with no problems whatsoever.

HKSubaru

i'd offer to drive you up too mark. keep it safe with me!

Josh L

I've been using Purple Parking at Heathrow for years, and they've never put a mark on my '98 or P1. There's nothing quite like having your car waiting for you when you get back.

I don't know about Gatwick, but at Heathrow, their compound is still within the airport boundaries, so the car has only ever done a few miles, and all within a 30 limit.

Just make sure they check the car over with you before they drive off.

Josh

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Parked mine at the BCP in Gatwick. Returned after 2 weeks to find my car with the bonnet up.

"Sorry sir we had to jump start it"
"What !?"
"The alarm went off and ran the battery flat, we didn't know which car it was"
"Er, maybe the one with the ******* lights flashing and sirens going off ?!" [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

X SOOOBY

i have never had a problem with airport parking

but just a note where would you leave the car while you are away surely it is going to be just as unsafe there especially if people know you are away

Makalu

I trust the car parks... its the other people you find in them that cause the trouble!

Mak.

Ken E

I put my car in one of these places at Manchester. Returned 2 weeks later and although I never clocked the mileage I got the feeling it had been taken for a ride while I was away. Too many things had been moved, left switched on etc. for them to have just moved it round the corner. Haven't done it since.

I have parked in the normal airport car park there a number of times. Last time I returned to find the front bumper was smashed in. Some git had done the damage and drove away. Will get a taxi next time.

Baby Blue

Used Courtlands just outside Gatwick - no complaints & recommended by a fellow ScoobyNetter friend. Got the phone No. handy if you want it.

BB

StevieB

Left the girlfriends old motor at one of the carparks close to Gatwick behind a service station last year. They drive you to the terminal in your car and park it afterwards - collect you in a minibus. The cars were packed in seriously tight. I have not got a clue how they could have opened the doors on most of them.

When we returned late in the evening our car was out of the compound (on the garage forecourt) unlocked with the key in the ignition! ....Glad the scoob stayed @ home

TurboKitty

I can hardly stand to leave my car on a supermarket carpark for half an hour. No way would I leave it on an airport carpark for days or weeks!

ChristianR

iTrader: (1)

i would never do it - just get a taxi/friend/releative/tube/train or whatever to get to the airport!

ImprezaWRX

"TRUST NO ONE"

Yours
Mulder And Scully

darkblueturbo

i've done it and not had a problem. I parked it myself though, can't STAND anyone sitting in my drivers seat. MY SEAT!

The obligatory horror story: a friend of my Dad's left his Bemer there for a few weeks and had a different (much higher mileage) engine when he came back.

Scooby Dooby Blue

Most places will take a picture of all sides of your car at some point as a disclaimer should you try to raise a "that dent wasn't there when i left it" claim.
Ask them to do that with you present when you drop off the car so you have proof of how you left it and while they have the digi-cam out, get them to take a snap of your dash with the mileage on it.

I returned, to Glasgow, from Florida to find a gubbed alloy, torn sidewall and seriously upset tracking.
The owner tried to tell me it was like that when delivered (undriveable) and that he had photos to prove it.
After quite a scene, he eventually parted with a cheque for £500 but only after I told him I had dated pictures showing no damage to the car the day I left.

evo stu

i live just up the road from manchester airport and the area of wythenshawe that the airport is based and all the long stay car parks, i wouldnt leave a dinky car there,theres a lot of druggies and unemployed round that area so you have been warned.
p.s sorry if any of you are from wythenshawe but even they will admit its a crap hole

[Edited by evo stu - 9/18/2002 6:03:13 PM]

Mr evolution

I know that 5-6 years ago lots of cars used to vanish from the Luton airport long stay car park.

Dark Blue Mark

Ok,

Until page 2 I was going to do it! Glad there are some others who are as paranoid is me.. Thing is, it stands out quite a bit and tends to draw attention (Prodrive gear on it) so im sure the odd returning traveller would think nothing of giving it a boot The amount of times ive come back to a car park and there are young people stood around it, worries me

On the other hand its just a car, right?

Glad I don't have a 22B yet!

MB

ADP

Im going boarding in jan, last year we used gatwick parking. Honestly I could barely get out my car, I just prayed the 2 cars either side of me were gonna be in the same place when I got back.

Best bet, take digi picks of your neighbouring cars then if you get back and find dents you can track em down!

edited to say I was talking about dents!

[Edited by ADP - 9/18/2002 10:16:31 PM]