Oppo-inions: Letting someone drive your car

"TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma" (TillTheWheelsFallOff)
04/27/2015 at 14:34 • Filed to: None

Today’s RCR featured an Opponaut’s (very nice) Civic Si. The video got me wondering if I’d ask RCR to drive and review my truck. I rarely let anyone other than family drive my truck.

So, Oppo how long does a person need to know you to drive your baby?

DISCUSSION (30)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 14:38

I happily let my grandad drive my cars, besides that basically no one. So far only I’ve driven my Renault since I bought it.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 14:39

I throw the keys to Charlie to just about anyone who will take them. I haven’t decided if that’s dumb or not yet.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 14:42

I’ll let anyone drive the M3 if I know they’re a good driver. I have a friend that’s wrecked her Mini three times in the six months she’s been driving, she would not be getting the keys.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 14:43

I let a few of my friends drive the ST if they can drive stick, or are willing to learn. My dad is the only person allowed to drive my 944 by request, only if he’s taking it to work and nowhere else.

Hermann > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 14:45

I think I have to know and judge their driving abilities before handing them a key, and obviously a good reason for it.

I’d probably hand my keys to RCR because they have a reputation of being humble and cautious drivers. Same goes for my family. I have only once refused giving my keys to a family member, but then again, they know how picky I am about my car and I had very few of them asking me.

So if a close family member has a beat up car and asks for my key because they need to do “things”. No way. But a well cared for car and the reason they need my keys is to pick up their son at school. Just go ahead.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 14:46

It's more about how good of a driver and how responsible they are than how long I've known them. If you still act like a 16 year old when you're behind the wheel, and you're 30, I will not be handing my keys to you ever.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 14:47

Ive let a few people drive my truck, but im really particular about it. Ive let nibbles drive my truck, and jake huitt. But it really depends on the person.

TheRealBicycleBuck > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 14:48

For me, it isn’t about how long I’ve known you, it’s about how well you are insured.

I’ve been on both sides of this deal. I once lent my truck to someone who then allowed someone to ride in the back. Not just someone, one of my high-school teachers (who should have known better). The idiot then took a corner too fast and dumped the teacher into the ditch (he was sitting on the side). Fortunately, these were the days when people took more personal responsibility for their own stupidity and there were fewer lawyers around to convince them otherwise.

I once stupidly borrowed my mother-in-law’s G-35. I discovered how bad the rear visibility is when I backed it into a big yellow concrete pole. I was fortunate that the damage was limited to the driver’s side corner of the rear bumper cover. I offered to pay the deductible, but my in-laws refused to file a claim. I ended up paying for the whole thing out-of-pocket. That was the last time I drove anybody else’s car - and the last time anyone drove any of mine.

TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
04/27/2015 at 14:48

Your friend: Yikes.

Bad luck or just a lack of awareness?

BrtStlnd > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 14:50

They need to know me for long enough that we get married, because no one other than my wife is driving my car.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 14:52

Just a piss-poor driver whose parents are just as bad. Her mom back into my girlfriend’s Taurus when she was staying the night at their house, for example. None of them should be allowed to drive, let’s put it that way.

TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
04/27/2015 at 14:53

I have fears of letting someone wreck my truck after letting them drive. The paranoia is real, haha.

TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma > Hermann
04/27/2015 at 14:56

My dad calls me a snob because of how protective I am, haha.

I haven’t let close friends drive my truck and it bothers some of them.

TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
04/27/2015 at 14:57

That’s fair. You’re more generous than me, haha.

TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
04/27/2015 at 14:57

That’s nice of you. People wanted me to teach them stick on the Mustang and my answer was always no.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 14:59

Charlie’s so small, loud, and stripped that most people are too frightened to try anything really stupid. That and they’ll think they’re flying down the road when they’re not. It’s fun being in the passenger seat while the driver’s laughing hysterically at 20 mph. “Go-kart” is the word everyone uses without fail to describe it. The thing’s so visceral that I don’t expect anyone to be able to push it unless they know how to, in which case I’m not worried.

ceanderson920 > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 15:00

I will pretty much let anyone I trust drive my car, my motorcycle is a completely different story. I have only let one person besides myself ride it and that was my dad!

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 15:02

It also depends on which vehicle it is. My truck, yea I'll probably let you drive. Corvette on the other hand, I have to REALLY trust you to do that.

yamahog > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 15:10

Jeep: Sure you can drive it, and for a small sum you don’t even have to return it!

Camaro: Only Travis so far, and only while I’ve been in the passenger seat. Of my immediate family members, I’d only trust my middle sister anyway. Mom and Dad are both maniacs, and my youngest sister is 17 and I don’t think she’s driven manual before.

Yamaha: Dad, because he gave it to me, and that is it. I don’t even take passengers.

AM > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 15:12

I’ll let others drive if I’m in the car with them but I only let the wife take the cars out alone (she’s on the insurance anyway). She won’t take the truck anywhere though because she can’t park it but she sure likes the Jetta.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 15:27

Kinja'd!!!

When it comes to lending my car, Cameron Poe said it best.

“There are only two men I trust. One of ‘em is me. The other ain’t you.”

(and he didn’t say it to Cyrus the Virus in the movie.)

Also, as a flip-side of this argument, that is a reason that I hate “...have you driven such-and-such a car?” rebuttals to criticizing cars. I don’t ASK people to lend me their cars for test drives, either, and I don’t put miles on new or used cars I don’t have any intention of buying. If it is offered, I might consider it, but I don’t push... so I don’t drive other cars than I own very often.

And just a non-sequitur, Why couldn’t you just put the bunny back in the box?

Kinja'd!!!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 15:43

Did you read Lehto’s post about this?

I’ve let plenty of people drive my car (usually with me in it), but this is giving me second thoughts...

http://carbuying.jalopnik.com/why-you-should…

Hermann > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 16:08

Well, I just realized that I never had a car that needed extra special care, like some people here with Porsche 944 and BMW M3. Handing my keys was always merely for utility purposes, because I never owned a car that’s really desirable to drive.

But even so. I come from a very small town with a very close community where 90% of the place’s revenue comes from farming. So pretty much all of my childhood and teenage friends had farmer parents. All of these farmer friends knew how to drive a non-synchronous gearbox and reverse park a tractor with a trailer. I had no issues handing my keys to these friends. When I moved to the big city to study I noticed how different people were about their cars. It was a pretty big shock when I allowed a colleague drive my car and he reversed it into another car.

Nobi > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 16:11

Only 2 people drive my car. Me, and the wife. Unless I absolutely have to (body shop or other kind of out-of-my-hands repair) I don’t let anyone drive it. A car is an investment. Protect your investment by only allowing those you trust to handle it.

nermal > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 16:14

I have a simple policy: Only I drive my cars.

Need the services of one of them? A ride somewhere, or otherwise something hauled by the truck? Fine, I’ll drive as my schedule allows. If not, then no go.

TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
04/27/2015 at 16:17

I haven’t. Thanks for the share.

wafflesnfalafel > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 19:16

It sounds kinda of OCD - but nobody else, (except the mechanic,) has ever driven my current car, though part of that is because it’s a manual transmission. Don’t be touchin’ my stuff says I.

Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 19:54

I happened upon my former PDX instructor at Cars & Coffee a couple weeks ago and he brought up the time I made him drive my car. I don’t lend out the XLR-V to anyone, but he and I both enjoyed the circumstance. For the first two or three runs, he (a Miata racer) had a list of four or five things he said I needed to improve. I was listening to him and I was improving, but by this time I was also quite frustrated so I just blurted out, “You drive the damn thing!” He did and when he was done, we went over the list again” 1) don’t worry about that, 2) you got that, 3) ignore that, 4) that’ll come with practice, & 5) hand placement on the wheel is OK most of the time.” At Cars & Coffee, he finally admitted after he drove it, he was impressed with my finesse and ultra-fine motor control of both the steering and pedals because the power , brake and throttle response were way more than he expected. We shared a rowdy belly laughed after that comment.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma
04/27/2015 at 23:25

It’s not just how long I’ve known someone that I go by. It’s also my assessment of how responsible they are.

For example, I have some extended family that I know were such shitty drivers, that they lost their license due to all the tickets they got. If they asked to borrow my car, I would respond “nah... I can’t lend it to you because I need it”. But my car is a cheap car with stick shift... so that alone greatly reduces the number of instances people want to borrow my car.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
05/07/2015 at 22:55

I feel special.