I bragged about a ride I got in a 2005 GT3. It was at an AX driving school. someone on here pointed out he would never drive a car he could not write a check for. While I could scrape together the money to pay for a totalled GT3, that thought never crossed my mind.

I guess I learned a lesson the cheap way, and you are the expensive way. Dont get in/on it if you cannot afford to buy it.

Sucks dude!! I feel your pain. At least your a stand up guy and realize where your at with this.

The best advise I read so far is to have a talk with the guy and find a happy medium.

I appreciate everyones thoughts. Unfortunately the facts are I dont have the 6700 to pay off his sled. He addmitted he wouldnt have 3-4000 to replace mine. We are talking and will come to some sort of resolution. I think the minimum i will do is pay his deductible and find out what his premium will change after/ if he makes a claim and pay the difference. he told me he is going to find this out.

All my professional addvice i am getting; my parents, insurance agent, WIFE say this is what insurance is for and leave it at that. I am not comfortable with this thinking. They think i am nuts!

Anyone who does not have the means like Jim C states, to write a check for the vehicle, should really think twice about saying yes to someone offering you to try thier toy or car or whatever. If you havent been here let me tell ya you dont want to be!

I don't understand how people think that the owner of the sled should be out of pocket on this one.
It's already costing him the end of the season plus he's still making payments.
I think this should be a no brainer.
There is a code among men when it comes to our toys (and woman, but that's another thread)
You need to find out what his sled is worth, plus tax, and pay him.
He doesn't deserve a fixed bent sled or someone else's junk.
If you need to sell yours and pay him over the summer so be it.
You can part his out or fix it for yourself.
"pay as you play" doesn't need to be said among men.

This guy HAS insurance.... Pay the deductible so he is debt free or gets a new sled. Then IF the insurance company drops him he'll just have to find new insurance. You are NOT responsible for his past claims!

I have insurance on all my cars, bikes, etc. If anyone drove any of them and totaled it they would pay the deductible and my insurance would cover it. I would NOT expect them to write me a check or go out and replace it in kind.

For example, if someone was driving my 930 and totaled it, they pay the ded. But if I had a lots of claims last year and I don't want to be dropped by the insurance company so you need to come up with 40grand? This makes NO SENSE!

Another example, what if you were driving your friends car down the road and went off the road to miss a deer and hit a tree. Are you responsible for buying him a new car? No!

And another example, what about if you plugged in a new store bought lamp that he bought at his house and the lamp exploded and the house burned down. Are you responsible for buying/building him a new house? No.

THIS IS WHAT INSURANCE IS FOR!

I understand you "pay as you play" thing and I totally agree! But when something IS insured you pay the ded. or repair it which ever is cheaper and/or makes it right.

I busted my friends, not insured, rototiller by accident. I paid to repair it.
I wiped out on my neighbors, not insured, pocket rocket. I paid to repair it.
I ran in the back of my brothers, insured, truck with his, insured, quad! I paid the ded. in both cases.
My brother wiped out on my, not insured, dirt bike. He paid to fix it.

I just don't understand the debate here. I feel bad for your friend but this is how the real world is. It sounds like he needs a different insurance company anyway.

But, if you totally destroyed something that was NOT insured. Then you have to make it right. Pay him off on a agreed value, replace it, etc.

Good Luck!!!

What about YOUR insurance? Do you have general liability? You may find that he can file a claim against your insurance (he may technically have to sue you). Then you pay your deductible, he gets paid, and responsibility is where it should be.

Crazy insurance system we have, but no matter whose insurance pays, that's what insurance is there for, so use it.

Pay his deductible, period. He took a risk handing over the sled. (I have taken the same risk and understand it, some here do not). You are being a stand-up guy for trying to make it right, you would not believe how many people would just say "sorry" and walk away. What was he thinking when he handed over his high powered snowmobile to you w/o mentioning that the throttle was on the other side?? Schit-for-brains. He's lucky you didn't kill yourself or another person, their heirs would be cleaning out his house, garage and bank account about now. And he sounds like a mooch for trying to profit on the deal. You might want to reconsider his friendship after you settle this, events like this can reveal what people are really about. You sound like a gent, though.

I appreciate everyones thoughts, and time spent answering this delemia.

911 Rod: Your thoughts are how I feel, really. I cant financially do it. Lesson learned! I will never do it again. I have to let his insurance take care of it. I have a wife and kid to take care of. Think of me what you like, I may deserve it, this is just the way its got to go. I am so sorry.

Dennis: Thanks, not just because you sound like you are agreeing with me, it just feels good to hear that right at this very moment. Sounds kinda mushy but thanks.

Now I gotta get back to reality and life.

Thanks again everyone!

Exactly. I don't hand over the keys to my 951...to anyone.

Well guy, enough said on the subject however, I get the feeling that it still bothers you.

Here's a suggestion that help the situation:

Don't commit to anything but make sure that you keep in touch with the guy or know where he is.

Consider this; In your mind consider it a debt to made right no matter how many years it may take. As you progress through life your financial situation will change and as you become more successful, one day you may be able to make this guy whole.

You did the right thing by allowing his insurance take care of it because choosing between the snowmobile and your family was a no brainer.

Very good advice indeed.
After all is said and done, toys are material things.

Joe,

Sounds like you'd have had better luck at the swap meet. ;)

Sorry to hear about this but I think you're handling it the right way.

By the same token, don't loan out anything you can't afford to lose. It works both ways.

After reading most of the post here, I feel I have to clarify my earlier post, repeated above. I was not referring to any financial risks you exposed yourself to. I was referring to the stress you've inflicted to your friendship.

With that said, let me offer a different position than what's so prevalently posted. Your friend shares a very large portion of responsibility for what has happened. After all, it is HIS snowmobile. He did offer to let you drive it. He didn’t made you take out supplemental insurance before hand. And I bet he didn't even mention, "if you wreak it, you’ve bought it." Your friend assumed the risk that something bad might happen the minute he offered you control of the sled.

This is exactly why your friend is wise to have insurance. He's just got to decide if it behooves him to use his policy to cover his loss. After all, what would he do if he balled it up? Would he make a claim? I bet he would. Otherwise, why have it insured?

Your offer to cover his deductible is most magnanimous. If I were your friend, I'd take you up on the offer. Then I'd file a claim and hope for the best. And never again would I offer anyone the use of my transportation. After all, your freindship has a certain value.



...There are three things you should never offer someone else the use of: Your wife, your car, and your underwear.

This guy offers to let you ride his snowmobile. Doesn't tell you about the throttle, doesn't tell you you have to replace it for cash if you toss it, then wants you to cough up $6,700 so he doesn't have to risk cancellation or a premium increase?

With friends like that, who needs enemas?

I really wonder if the big talk about writing a check would take place if the shoe was on the other foot. Seriously doubt it.

Actually I believe he did point out what he had done with the throttle as it's a common upgrade for them as they are hill climbers.
They are both experienced riders and each own sleds.

Very well said.

I seriously doubt that if he'd walk away from it if HE had wrecked it. I just can't imagine asking someone to pay cash for something because I didn't want to deal with the insurance problems. Why have insurance?

Hey,
How come you can't put it under your own sled insurance?
Did you try?

Well, what I read said he mistook the throttle for the brake. But I suppose he would have been aware of the throttle location from using it before the crash, anyway.

My understanding (at least with cars) is the insurance follows the vehicle. The driver's insurance is secondary only.

BTW, he should claim his chipped teeth and any other damages to the other guy's insurance.

They could report it stolen.
(I didn't say that)

Or he could get some real freinds.