Road Trips - Hotel Parking lots. Do you feel your car is safe?

[Tnfastbk]

Have the big road trip next weekend to bring the car home. Tennessee to Arizona. I'm going to try to make OKC night 1 and Albuquerque night 2. 

I typically say in nicer hotels. Hyatt Place, Farifield by Mariott, etc. Not the Motel 6 or Super 8. But I do worry about waking up one morning and the car not being there. 

How comfortable are you guys on road trips with leaving the car in a hotel parking lot overnight? Do you disable the car in any way? Back it in, instead of pulling it in so it's not as easy to scoop? 

I was thinking about staying at some of the brands flagship properties that have Valet, assuming that might be a bit more secure. But then I'm at risk of the valet joyriding it. 

Thoughts?

Here's basically the bottom line. If someone really wants your car they are going to get it. Unless you stay in the car 24/7. I travel a lot with my car in state and out of state to various shows. Granted my car is a driver car and not a show car but its still mine. We stay at mostly Hampton, Hilton, or comfort suites. Rarely is my car in or on a trailer(maybe once a year). I try to use common since where I park. Knock on wood I have never had an issue yet.

 

[turtle5353]

Well, there is always the risk of waking up the next morning and finding you car gone.  Sorry to say. 

One thing to consider, is contacting your insurance company before your trip to find out "what if" happens.  How good is your coverage?  Have you had a professional appraisal to confirm what your car is actually worth?  Does your insurance company accept this value?  Will you get stated value, some book value or what ever?  Is your coverage enough to replace your car? 

Never had any of my vehicles stolen, but I did have my every day car totalled years ago.  That was an experience, their book value and mine were miles apart.  Also found out that I could not sue my insurance company as there is a clause built in were I must accept an arbitators findings period.

I agree.  I stay at various shows throughout the year and take my car on overnight road trips.  Luckily I have never had any problems. If someone wants it bad enough they will get it. I figure let them have it.... I got good insurance LOL.  Its insured for more than I got into the car and I could easily build another with the money from insurance. Dont get me wrong, I really like my car and don't want it to come up missing, but I could build a pretty nice ride for the $40k+ its insured for. 

 

[Ginger_73 convertible]

I bought my 73 vert in Phoenix, 2 overnights back home to Houston. I called the hotels before booking and told them I was driving a classic car and needed safe parking. Like you, I stayed in nice hotels and each one was very happy to accommodate me. Each of them reserved a parking space for me (put reserve orange cones on it) in a good safe place and one hotel even said their security team was aware and would check on it.

 

[Boss1Ray]

https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-vehicle-tracking-device

And while a tracking device is nice, the car can still be tampered with or vandalized if left out in the open.

Some hotels have inside service area parking available.  I would definitely ask.

Ray

 

[mpbsr]

Hey, I really enjoy road trips.

But I would check out the cost to have it shipped and not worry about the drive, staying overnight a few times and worrying the "what if".

 

[Spike Morelli]

I haven't had any problems with people messing with my car at Motels, although I do worry about it. What's worse is, that when I travel to boat events and boat drag races, I have a candy painted and chromed out blown Hemi , or twin injected Chevys sticking way up out of the boat attached to the car. All I can do is to ask the Motel for a preferred parking area that is always in sight, sometimes right outside my room. The car and boat BOTH get covered. Why advertise? Knock on wood....no one has bothered my stuff. You can try locking your hood and installing an ignition by-pass switch as well, so it can't be hot-wired or started. Wheel and tire wise, I guess no one wants my 14' stock steel wheels and beauty rings....and that's OK by me!



Second photo shows three drag hydros covered behind tow cars in Motel 6 parking lot.

 

[tony-muscle]

Thats cool looking man. Congrats! What are the times with the boat? Do you have videos?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Well, for my two nights on this road trip I was glad to find two great Airbnb properties that offer secured garages. I'm certainly pleased with that outcome. My next move was KOA campgrounds where I could pitch a tent right next to the car, or even sleep in it if I wanted to. Fold down the back seats, put the feet in the trunk and my head behind the seats. LOL. I'm sure someone has done it.

Have done a little more than sleep back there, lol.

 

[Bru]

Hey, I really enjoy road trips.

But I would check out the cost to have it shipped and not worry about the drive, staying overnight a few times and worrying the "what if".

 No dis-respect mpbsr, but why have one of the best looking mustangs ever made and not drive it?    

Unless someone has a concourse show car or a museum piece me thinks it should be driven.    ::thumb::

Each to his own,

Bru

 

[7173Vert]

Hey, I really enjoy road trips.

But I would check out the cost to have it shipped and not worry about the drive, staying overnight a few times and worrying the "what if".

 No dis-respect mpbsr, but why have one of the best looking mustangs ever made and not drive it?    

Unless someone has a concourse show car or a museum piece me thinks it should be driven.    ::thumb::

Each to his own,

Bru

Exactly, too each their own. Why even bring this up?  :chin:

 

[droptop73]

I've done 2 long hauls and many overnight trips. Park in a well lit area is the best bet. If someone wants to steal it they're gonna hook it and drag it. Disabling the ignition or disconnecting the battery isn't gonna stop them. A GPS tracker or a "burner phone" with GPS is a way to maybe find it afterward. Best bet... have your insurance paid up. Personally I wouldn't worry about it too much. As the early Mustang guys tell us "nobody wants those big ol pigs anyway" LOL!!

 

[Bru]

Hey, I really enjoy road trips.

But I would check out the cost to have it shipped and not worry about the drive, staying overnight a few times and worrying the "what if".

 No dis-respect mpbsr, but why have one of the best looking mustangs ever made and not drive it?    

Unless someone has a concourse show car or a museum piece me thinks it should be driven.    ::thumb::

Each to his own,

Bru

Exactly, too each their own. Why even bring this up?  :chin:

Just putting out a different opinion, I thought that was permitted.

Don't worry, it won't happen again.

 

[73pony]

 No dis-respect mpbsr, but why have one of the best looking mustangs ever made and not drive it?    

Unless someone has a concourse show car or a museum piece me thinks it should be driven.    ::thumb::

Each to his own,

Bru

Exactly, too each their own. Why even bring this up?  :chin:

Just putting out a different opinion, I thought that was permitted.

Don't worry, it won't happen again.

+1

 

[Mister 4x4]

Well, there is always the risk of waking up the next morning and finding you car gone.  Sorry to say. 

One thing to consider, is contacting your insurance company before your trip to find out "what if" happens.  How good is your coverage?  Have you had a professional appraisal to confirm what your car is actually worth?  Does your insurance company accept this value?  Will you get stated value, some book value or what ever?  Is your coverage enough to replace your car? 

Never had any of my vehicles stolen, but I did have my every day car totalled years ago.  That was an experience, their book value and mine were miles apart.  Also found out that I could not sue my insurance company as there is a clause built in were I must accept an arbitators findings period.

I agree.  I stay at various shows throughout the year and take my car on overnight road trips.  Luckily I have never had any problems. If someone wants it bad enough they will get it. I figure let them have it.... I got good insurance LOL.  Its insured for more than I got into the car and I could easily build another with the money from insurance. Dont get me wrong, I really like my car and don't want it to come up missing, but I could build a pretty nice ride for the $40k+ its insured for. 

I'm starting to think along those lines.  Absolutely do your best to minimize opportunities for thefts to occur and hope for the best, but at some point you gotta realize there's only so much that can be done and filing an insurance claim is the only option left.  I know on the surface, I would lose money on the deal if mine were to be stolen [without recovery], but insurance would allow me to easily rebuild it (providing I start with a much better specimen than I originally did, of course).

Lots of good advice floating around in this thread.  ::thumb::

 

[Spike Morelli]

Thats cool looking man. Congrats! What are the times with the boat? Do you have videos?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Yes, I have video, but they're from back in '65-'67, when the flatbottom set 5 world records. Speed was 131.24 in quarter, on injected methanol/nitro.  The Hydro turned 128/130 back then on gas/supercharged in the quarter. What the Mach 1 can do in the quarter mile, on unleaded, is anyone's guess!