I just picked up my new car. It came with a bulky (fat plastic top) valet key. I understand the purpose of the key—the valet can drive your car, but can’t open the glove compartment or trunk with it. But it’s really too big to keep in a wallet, too bulky to keep on the key ring, and unsafe to keep in the glove box. Where should I keep this extra key so that it is available on those rare occasions when I might need to hand it off to a valet.
My dad always cared two sets of keys with him just incase he locked them in the car or lost a set. any time i go somewhere that is more then a hour drive i bring a spare key for the car just in case something happens. i don’t like those spare key magnetect boxes the are not the safest thhings keys are to dam expenive to replace if you lose one
Leave the key at home and park your own car?
Why do you consider it unsafe to leave in your glove box? Your locked car doors normally protect whatever is inside your car. And anyone who has approved access to the interior does not need the glove box valet key for further access.
Leave this key in your glove box at all times. Remove it only when you anticipate valet parking so you can hand it to the attendant.
Somewhere in your purse? Like inside a zipper pocket? That way if you lock your keys inside the car, you can unlock it with the valet key. This is not the case if it is in the glove box.
If it is not an electronic type key, you can likely break off the plastic part.
I always keep a car key in my wallet and a house key (well hidden) inside my car. That way I am never locked out. (knock on wood)
RemcoW has it. The least safe place to keep a spare key, any spare key, is in the car. mleich has a good idea about storing it somewhere outside the car. If you had a “truck”, you would be in “luck”. There are many more places to stash a key.
There are lots of places to hide a magnetic key box inside the trunk area. If someone has broken open your trunk and managed to find your secret key box stuck on the underside of the package tray or hidden behind a piece of carpet and stuck to the fender, more power to them…they deserve to drive it away!
In this day and age of key fobs, I just keep my spare key in the trunk. If I lose or lock my key in the car, I call OnStar and have them open the car or the trunk but its never happened. I’d just leave it in the glove box or the trunk if you want it locked up all the time.
You only need the key for a Valet and not keeping it in the car would make it possible that you would forget to take it along when you are going to need it.
I’d just keep it in the glove box and keep the glove box locked with your ignition/door key.
If you use the glove box everyday and locking and unlocking would be that much of a pain, Hide the key inside of something that nobody would want to steal, then put that in the glove box.
Just find a package that you want to toss. The box that your eye drop bottle came in, and empty bandaid box, tampex box!!! Did I really say that!!!
Then you can leave that in the unlocked glove box with no worries that a thief will search it for a hidden key.
Yosemite
Best idea - avoid valet parking. They really do drive them like they stole 'em.