I'm lucky to have a bunch a shops local here in the SF Bay Area that work on Evos all the time. For them an evo isn't something that they are itching to drive because they already own them and are modified. Shops like Speed Element, Vishnu, Works, Full Function, and GST Motorsports. They are enthusiast like myself so they take care of my car. It is also a good idea to have a beater or another car to take everywhere for stuff. I only take my evo out to places where I am either going to be near the car or will not be gone for more than 30 mins.

 

if something like that were to happen to me, i wish the valet took my car out for a spin, popped the i/c piping off. and when they tell me about the car stuttering, i'll act clueless and sue their asses.

maybe i shoudl loosen my uicp every time i get it valet

 

i thought about getting the ecuflash and getting a valet mode. i need to get my rear spoiler re-clear coated but i'm waiting till i get the valet flash first. i''m too paranoid with these joy rides. only 3 people has ever driven my car and that includes me. i won't even let my wife drive it. i have buddies that used to work as a valet parker and they told me of joy riding and things like that. one of my buddy had to get a paint job done awhile back. the car had about half a tank of gas left and when he finally got the car back, there were less than a 1/4 tank and he now needs a new clutch.

 

I never let any grease monkeys drive my car. I know one time I was at a NTB getting something done on my wifes car. Anyways the computer comes up from the one time I had my allignment checked at a NTB and they see the evo. The kid behind the counter was excited and was like is this on the evo I have been wanted to see how fast one of those is. Then he proceded to tell me about some other built car that came in last week and that had to "highway" test.
So with that being said here is what I do if I have to take my car in for something I can't do myself. I instruct them no one is to drive it and the car never leaves my site. So far I haven't had any problems.

 

The rule of thumb...DO NOT trust people who valet park or test drive....why??....good chance they chose this miserable job JUST to drive other peoples' cars.

I knew some kid , not a friend, who worked at a club valet parking. He used to brag about driving fast cars everyday like he owns them. He does push them around too when no one is watching..... what can I say...... Loosers

 

that's why I don't drive my car when I know i have to take valet parking. I use my wife's CRV.

 

No1 drives my car, unless its a friend/brother with a quick/fast car. Sometimes i let my bro to borrow the car to the store. Since he owned an evo before. I used to drive his E46 M3, now i borrow his 04 E55 amg benz. vice versa.

But as far shops? well I never go to the shop/valley.

 

if i take it to a shop where they work on cars like mine daily i dont care, but if its a sears or sumthin like that for an allignment i sit there and wait. i even watch them pull it in and out

 

i don't trust most shops when they have my car and i'n not there

 

i took my car to a local shop around here to get everything checked out before i bought it(used), and this guy gets in my car hits boost 1-2 im like uhh.....i walked around to the back and he saw me standing there he was shocked to see me standing there watching him drive my car like that..its just not right to beat on some one else car...i usually always stand there and watch what there doing or drive it myself into a shop

 

The only time I really left my car for a period of time was for my alarm install. I just moved the rev limiter to 3000 rpms . For an alinment I stay with my car and if needs to be driven thats why I there.

 

Oh yea, these cars that you had sound sooooo crazy

 

Well, everytime you had to take it somewhere. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I only go to a shop for an alignment, tires, tuning and clutch install. If you do that EVERYDAY then I would suggest carrying a laptop with you ALL THE TIME. So far I don't know anyone who does this everyday.

As far as the wing goes, I took mine off and told my dealer that I would trade with them, but they weren't allowed to put it on. At first he didn't like the idea and told me "my warranty would be void" if I didn't let them put it on. He told me it was the warranty for the wing, since it was a IX replacement I didn't care because they weren't supposed to peel anyway. Just thought I would share that with you.

 

I dont like leaving the car by itself. Im the only one that drives it or sometimes my dad. But sometimes theres nothing you can do to avoid leaving it at a shop for a long period of time. My car has been at the body shop since March 14th and the guy at the shop told me it should be ready by April 13th. About a month without my evo. Im stuck driving the rental(no kind of fun, boring drive to work, life is boring now. Cant wait to get the evo back, i wonder what my car goes through everyday its at the shop?

 

hehe mine had 13 miles, ~5 of which were the salesmen taking it to fill it up before I took the keys (I wanted to go with him just to make sure he didn't beat on it but he left before I knew it while I was in the financing dept) It was nice though b/c the one I test drove was on the lot and had ~100 miles on it, whereas the one I bought was stuck in their Evo showroom and stuck in the back so I knew it hadn't gone anywhere in a while. Plus the dealership works with a ton of Evos so I don't really mind leaving it there, it's nothing special to them.