"Valet Mode" Cool Feature for New MINI's
 

Has anyone else discovered Valet Start? (what i'm calling it, not correct name) Basically you are able to start you engine without having the key in the dash. (THIS IS NOT COMFORT ACCESS/START). MINI's not equipped with comfort access has this feature as well.) Basically one can turn off the engine, take the key out of the dash, place your foot back on the break and start the engine up again without the key being in the dash. Now you can start/stop the engine as many times as you want within a certain time frame between start up's and stops. HOWEVER, if you open the driver side door you cannot continue you can't restart your car once it has been turned off without putting the key back in the dash like normal.

I'm assuming the idea is, if you happen to want to utilize valet parking, you can stop the engine, take the key out and restart the engine, then open the door and allow the valet to park your car without keeping your key. Now the valet only has one shot to get the parking right, IF they turn the car off (or stall-out with a Manual) they can not restart the car because the door has been opened (when you stepped out of the car). Note that the passenger door can be opened during "valet start"/ "valet mode" and you still have the capability to stop and start the car. Only when the driver side door has been open and closed does the system allow that one start to happen. Pretty cool feature.

Go try this in your MINI.

PS. Not sure what model years this feature works for. 2012+ I'm assuming. If you have a earlier model with this feature, let me know!

How do they bring the car back if you have the key?

You hand them the key with your ticket, card, or whatever they give you to identify your particular vehicle. The idea is to have the option to keep your key on you at all times and not have to rely on someone else to keep up with your key, or (in the rare case) allow someone the opportunity to steal your key/car.

Ah, except every Valet I've ever dealt with takes the key.. :/

Wouldn't that just tick off the valet into thinking you don't trust them and then lead to them abusing your car?

I've never heard it called valet mode before. All second gen cars have the feature, Tristan has this, our MA pointed it out when we picked him up in 07. You can restart the car within 10 seconds of taking out the key, I didn't know about the opening the door part. I've never known of a use for this, and I'm not sure its really useful for valet mode.

Carjacking? (doubtful..)

...and how would they lock it once it was parked?

Mechanical Key? Risky...but so is the whole ordeal

My solution is I don't let anyone valet park my car.

HAHAHAH very nice

1. So, as I hand off my car to a valet, I need to tell him, "You will have only one chance to park the car right. BTW, I know you've never driven my manual shift car before, but you better not stall it."
2. As already mentioned, how is the valet going to fetch your car later?
3. Valets often have to move cars around, e.g. tandem parking.

I think not. I imagine that it's a quirky behavior that someone discovered and it wasn't actually by design. It certainly wasn't meant for valets.

Response to 1-it's ideal that a valet knows how to drive a stick. If you have to warn them about stalling, they shouldn't be driving your car.

Response to 2-you hand the valet your key back and they go get your car

Response to 3-valets may or may not have to move cars around but if that's the case would one rather their car just be parked once and not give the opportunity for one's car to be moved increasing the risk of damage being done?

It a cool feature because it gives one the option, it isn't a requirement. One can simply just give the valet their key.

I'd much rather someone stall it than over-rev it, which is what someone that is nervous about stalling may do, and that will eat up a few thousand miles off of the clutch.

This feature is intended for valet parking; however one can find flaws in every system, doesn't change the intent. I will be asking the posed questions to my seniority. I'd love to know their responses. Good questions.

I think the valet deserves to know that if they stall the car, they won't be able to start it again. Even owners can stall their own cars occasionally.

So why not just go ahead and give the valet the key in the first place? If the whole purpose is to avoid giving out the key, it defeats the purpose if you still have to give it out anyway.

The bottom line is whether it was designed as an feature for owners, or simply quirky undocumented behavior. I would argue the latter. It isn't described in the Owners Manual. How would you know that the feature is there, or exactly how it's supposed to behave? Can you go to a dealer and complain that it isn't working right?

And finally, do you feel confident using this "feature" with a valet?

NO ONE ever stalls a stick!


Then the stick police get ya!