Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged

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Tue 8 Oct 2013 16:52
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - Gold1

Hi All

I parked my pride and joy in the covered section of the short term car park at Southampton Airport.

On my return to my horror someone had driven into the drivers side damaging both rear and drivers door down to bare metal. The height indicated a 4 x 4 and the colour was white!

I pleaded with the airport car park company APCOA to look through the CCTV and find the culprit. Given that I was away for one week and new exactly where I was parked this should be straightforward.

No they refused to even attempt to look at the CCTV footage and would only spout vehicles are left at the owners risk.

I bet if someone drove through the barrier they would soon identifiy the culprit.

They did however inform me I could claim on my own insurance...geez thanks (NOT)!

I did the normal email trail and ended up with an APCOA contract manager who again was not at all interested only in spouting company policy and vehicles left at owners risk.

They even came up with our cameras were not working on these dates after I said I would come down and look at the CCTV footage.

So fellow motorists beware your car is not as safe as you think when using these car parks and all they want is your money.

To the idiot who damaged my car 'may the fleas of a thousand camels infest your rear'!

Has anyone else had issues with cars being damaged at APCOA sites?

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Tue 8 Oct 2013 19:27
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - daveyjp
I wonder if Apcoa use white pick ups to patrol? You can of course still call the police and report a drive away accident, if they can be bothered they can assist you in investigating the issue.

You have found out that all private parking companies are basically sharks, what else were the clampers expected to do when their game was ended?

Edited by daveyjp on 08/10/2013 at 19:29

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Tue 8 Oct 2013 22:42
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - Happy Blue!

I prefer valet parking at airports. They drive your car away; they are responsible whilst it is in their care.

Frequently it is no more expensive that on site parking at airports and you don't fret about getting to the airport in time and finding space. I just book it, drive to the airport, ring them ten minutes before I arrive and then meet them at departures; take my luggage and wave goodbye to the, whilst it drives off and I walk into the terminal. So much easier. When i return home, the car is waiting for me, engine running. No delays at the end of a long journey.

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Tue 8 Oct 2013 23:10
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - gordonbennet

They missed the real showstopper out, the magical ''data protection'' excuse for any and all eventualities, need retraining at the lobotomy clinic.

All you can do is vote with your feet, and hope they have serious tyre damage on a freezing sunday night that can't be fixed by the goo stuff and costs them a weeks minimum wage when they in turn get shafted by the breakdown sharks.

Don't you just detest people like these.

HB's system sounds far better, he's not short of a bob or two mind, valets indeed..:-))

Edited by gordonbennet on 08/10/2013 at 23:15

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Tue 8 Oct 2013 23:34
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - Bromptonaut

Who owns/operates SOU these days?

Might be worh a letter to them about their incompetent parking provider? What' s the point in having a 'CCTV secured' car park if they won't deal with stuff like this.

Other niggling issue is 'subject access request' under Data Protection but perhaps that's only relevant if your noggin is visible.

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Wed 9 Oct 2013 00:44
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - brum

As criminal damage has been done it ought to be a case for the police. Not least to establish it was not the owners fault (for insurance purposes)

Looks like the time is rapidly approaching for me to invest in in-car video cams recording on permanent basis....

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Wed 9 Oct 2013 11:17
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - Happy Blue!

"HB's system sounds far better, he's not short of a bob or two mind, valets indeed..:-))"!

Ha Ha!!

Its not the money GB; is the convenience and sometimes it is no more expensive than having to pack and get a bus from a remote car park. Certainly, the maximum difference at MAN is no more than £20 over a two week period. When you are spending in excess of £2,000 on a family holiday, £20 to make you less stressed at the beginning and end of a holiday is worth it.


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Wed 9 Oct 2013 11:29
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - barney100
What a rotten thing to happen. Part of me wonders if 'left at owners risk' is legal. I don't like letting someone take my car and park it in a field or leaving it at the airport. Next time I'll just get a taxi and save myself the worry as it,s only a few quid more.
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Wed 9 Oct 2013 11:37
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - skidpan

Have never parked at an Airport, always had a taxi/private hire, costs sod all more than fuel and parking and we live approx 60 miles from the popular holiday ones.

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Wed 9 Oct 2013 12:36
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - jc2

Valet parking??? Dump in in a farmer's field(as has happened);dump it outside someone's house(as has happened);use it as a taxi(as has happened).At least if you park it yourself,you still have the keys!

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Wed 9 Oct 2013 14:41
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - Roly93

Full sympathy from me.

I only have an A4 Avant but use this same car park regularly when I fly down to the Channel Isles.

I would go to plod if they are not willing to look at their CCTV, I'm not sure also if it doesn't say on some of their literature words like CCTV security ?

Car parking in Sou airport has ballooned in price in the last 3-4 years it was £5 a day not so long ago, now I think it is £22 ish !

Maybe they should change the airpot name to Southrow !

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Wed 9 Oct 2013 16:12
Audi S4 Avant - APCOA Airport Parking Southampton car damaged - brum

From their website:

Security measures in place at Southampton Airport include 24-hour car park attendants, frequent patrols and comprehensive CCTV coverage. This car park holds the Secured Car Park Award.

I think thats enough to get the police involved and make a claim against APCOA

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