Airport Car Parks

[Balal]

Anyone saw the program "holidays undercover" on ITV today and their report about airport car parks? And how secure car parks at heathrow and gatwick airports had their cars parked miles away from airports and about this guy's suzuki jeep got totally destroyed when he came back after holidays?

I always leave my car at BCP secure car park at Edinburgh airport and I never had any complains. I do feel bit strange leaving my key with them but thats the only way they work.

Has anyone here had any good/bad experience with airport car parks ?

 

[Balal]

full story can be found on this website

http://www.packageholidayundercover.co.uk/5offiteairportcarparks.shtml

 

[Hanz]

I always get dropped off at the airport, but I would worry about my car in anyone elses hands!

 

[merc convert]

Help

Parking my car next month in Manchester Airparks. Does anyone know of a method to disable or prevent it from starting. C250TD I only want a temp solution to stop them going shoping ect.

 

[television]

At Stansted the pink Elephant sites your car is not touched and you do not leave your keys, for heathrow I would park at my brothers, we have Exeter down here only 17 miles away and any friend would take me. After seing that program I would feel ill if I had left an MB there.

malcolm

 

[mlc]

I feel obliged to first admit that MrsC works for the Manchester Airport company.

The report quoted is about off site parking. Offsite can be miles away and in a field, then you need to rely on a long distance transfer.

At Manchester the on site car parks are owned and operated by the airport. Whilst security can never be 100% I will happily leave any of our cars whilst we are on holiday.

We live 30 minutes from the airport, some of the offsite operators are further out than us, why would you use them?

Mark

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

If you park it within 50 miles of Manchester airport I'd take the wheels off and put it up on bricks yourself, save someone else the bother.... Ok cheap shot (joke by they way, for anyone with a sense of humour failiure) I'm flying up to Manchester myself on Monday but fortunately I'm being picked up.

Off to Orlando on Thursday (next week) to officially turn old - 40!!!! I've booked a taxi to the airport (Gatwick). It's £80 round trip which is a little less than airport parking but at least I can leave my car on my drive so it still has some paint left on it when I get back . You know how bad people are at parking in supermarkets, add the whole family and all their luggage to that scenario and the chances of getting your car back withought any dents or scratches are pretty remote.

 

[Blobcat]

Just be careful the taxi driver or his 'friends' don't come around and empty your house whilst your away.
BTW it's still hurricane season...

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

Just be careful the taxi driver or his 'friends' don't come around and empty your house whilst your away.
BTW it's still hurricane season...

thanks...I'll really enjoy myself now.......

I know the Taxi thing. We're using an airport car service advertised in our Parish magazine. It's run by an old couple who run one of those Merc vans with seats in. Even sent me a letter of confirmation, not what you usually get from a taxi service. We know several people that have used them so I'm as sure as I can be.

As for the hurricane's, erm, check out the weather for Orlando on the web. It's been raining for the last 3 weeks! oh well, at least I'm not at work.

 

[Doyle]

saw this program and the only advice i have for everone is:

leave car at home or wiith a relative or in a lockup and pay for a taxi then you know when you come home your car is definately safe.

Paul

 

[Blobcat]

I know the Taxi thing. We're using an airport car service advertised in our Parish magazine. It's run by an old couple who run one of those Merc vans with seats in.

I've heard these can be really unreliable :twisted:, do they have an alternate vehicle

As for the hurricane's, erm, check out the weather for Orlando on the web. It's been raining for the last 3 weeks! oh well, at least I'm not at work.

Had the dubious pleasure of 5 days in a Mexican civil evacuation shelter last October whilst the worlds strongest Hurricane sat on top of us. Not an experience I would wish on anyone.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

I've heard these can be really unreliable :twisted:, do they have an alternate vehicle

well, they could always use my car but it's a Merc too so it may not make it off the drive.

Had the dubious pleasure of 5 days in a Mexican civil evacuation shelter last October whilst the worlds strongest Hurricane sat on top of us. Not an experience I would wish on anyone.

was that in the brochure?

 

[Blobcat]

was that in the brochure?

Unsurprisingly no, Thomson failed to mention that particular aspect. It turned into a 4 centre holiday - 2 days in the Hotel, 1 night in a shelter until the roof ripped off then 4 nights in a 18'x14' school classroom with 20 other evacuees an 11 hr drive through water 1.3 mtrs deep then 3 hrs in the Dominican Republic. Not bad for £3,300

 

[Chazchuzzlewitt]

last time I left my car at Heathrow I left it in the Sheraton hotel car park for 2 weeks- stayed one night at the hotel as I had an early flight to the states which came with 2 weeks parking. It was cheaper than airport parking, plus I didn't have to give them my keys.

Still didn't like leaving my car for 2 weeks though.

 

[jberks]

Just be careful the taxi driver or his 'friends' don't come around and empty your house whilst your away.
BTW it's still hurricane season...

Now now - I used to be a cabbie - we're not all that bad.
I normally use a place called Males at Manchester. The beauty of them is that you pull up, they jump in your car and take you to the departure drop off point, help you out with your case and then disappear with your car. Call them when you arrive and your car re-appears outside arrivals, all warmed up and ready to go. Just drop off the driver (site is on the airport complex so not too far) and you're on your way.
Ok you have to trust them, but I've never had a problem, they're insured and lets be honest, all and sundry drive your car when it's in the garage anyway. I assume they have an off site storage unit somewhere.

I tried an airport hotel this time. The cost is the same as Males but you get a room for the night, leave your car in the carpark and get a minibus to the airport. It was fine, but we still had to wait for 25 mins for the minibus on the return journey.

I used a taxi twice. Don't know why (as I was always there waiting when I did it) but on both occasions, I've had over an hours wait for the bugger, so never again!

To be fair, your car isn't totally safe wherever you leave it and whilst you could lock it in your garage at home for the duration, you get home only to have it pranged in the supermarket car park as you dive out to get some milk.
The article says that cars can be moved. Well, if I've left the keys I'd expect that. As far as packing them in like sardines is concerned, so what? So long as they're not touching and only their staff have access (and are careful) it doesn't really matter surely. Yes damage happens but they are probably listing 5 out of 5,000 cars, so 4995 undamaged ones. I suspect the count of damage is far higher in the public long stay. As far as general security goes, aside from the disreputable firms, the only critisim was a break in whilst their fence was being repaired - though why they left the keys in is another matter!

 

[psmart]

If you park it within 50 miles of Manchester airport I'd take the wheels off and put it up on bricks yourself, save someone else the bother.... Ok cheap shot (joke by they way, for anyone with a sense of humour failiure) I'm flying up to Manchester myself on Monday but fortunately I'm being picked up.

Not such a cheap shot! I used to fly weekly out of Manchester, Monday morning, back Friday night and always parked my car in the long term carpark, where Terminal 3 is now. I had a Sierra Cosworth at the time, it had all the gadgets, wheel locks, gear locks etc. Came back to it one Friday night, remote wouldnt work, something looked suspiciously wrong, doors were open, steering wheel had been removed including crow bar lock and thrown on back seat, engine had a new re-wiring job, battery was flat, the latest Kenwood auto-hide stereo had gone etc etc.

Turns out that my car was an 'ordered car' and the car thieves had tried to steal/hot wire it, but were foiled by my immobiliser systems. If I hadnt arrived back that night, it would have been on the back of a low loader! Police were helpful though, in that little box of a police station just in front of the car park!

I wouldnt trust a Merc at Manchester, tend to fly in and either get picked up, or hire the cheapest car, as it tends to work out cheaper than the car park charges now!

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

I did the same for about a year but the other way around, Gatwick to Manchester, up Monday back Friday. Used to use the mid term carpark at Gatwick and ALWAYS had to wait ages for the bus and ALWAYS had new knocks on the side of the car.

I get "picked up" in Manchester too, or get a cab. Mind you, one of the guys I was working with bought a Rover 620 on eBay and hated so much he only ever drove it once. Left it in a car park in Salford for 6 months completely unlocked and to the best of my knowledge it's still there!

 

[psmart]

I did the same for about a year but the other way around, Gatwick to Manchester, up Monday back Friday. Used to use the mid term carpark at Gatwick and ALWAYS had to wait ages for the bus and ALWAYS had new knocks on the side of the car.

I get "picked up" in Manchester too, or get a cab. Mind you, one of the guys I was working with bought a Rover 620 on eBay and hated so much he only ever drove it once. Left it in a car park in Salford for 6 months completely unlocked and to the best of my knowledge it's still there!

Some friends from South Africa who came over for an extended holiday.... 3 years... ended up leaving the wreck of a car (cant remember what it was now) in Edingburgh Airport. There must be a lot of people who do it.

 

[Balal]

Eh! I know we sorta discussed parking at airport before...HOWEVER, I was wondering!! If you have to leave car at airport (Glasgow Airport) for 10 days .... which airport carpark will you use/recommend ?? These two seem good. anybody ever used them ?

Q-Park Flyaway £37.25(for 10 days)
Car Park Details
Q-Park Flyaway is a well established off-airport car park. The car park is open 24 hours a day, and operate regular transfers to the airport.

Reason to use this car park
Customer Favourite - A secure car park with a high level of customer service and efficient transfers to the airport.

Security
The car park has barrier control, CCTV and holds the Safer Parking Park Mark accreditation for security.

Parksafe Glasgow £26.95(for 10 days) not bad
Car Park Details
Parksafe is conveniently located one mile from Glasgow Airport. The car park and transfer service operates 24 hours a day. Transfers to the airport take 5 minutes.

Reason to use this car park
This car park offers secure holiday parking close to Glasgow Airport.

Security
Security guards and CCTV cameras. Parksafe holds the Safer Parking Park Mark accreditation for security.



I normally use EDinburgh airport BCP Parking, and last time I was away for a week, my car had trouble starting when I got back ? Is there any precautions that should be taken so that car starts first time after 10 days of winter ??

As Always! thanks in advance for your inputs guys.

 

[Hibbo]

Q-Park Flyaway £37.25(for 10 days)

Parksafe Glasgow £26.95(for 10 days)

Decision made! No?