Is there a tactful way....

[rammstein]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Jake: Look at this this way: At least she hasn't burned a car to the ground like you did; right?

OH NO YOU DIT-ENT!

[Rick Lee]

Subscribing!

My wife also often comments that such and such a situation wouldn't be her fault or that, since we're in America, she'd get rich from the lawsuit. I always ask her if being right or winning a judgment will make her feel better when she's in a wheelchair or permanently maimed. She even walks in front of cars in parking lots with the attitude that they'd never hit her because of the lawsuit. I'm truly worried.

[MichiganMat]

She needs a safe but disposable car that she can be responsible for.

Treat her like a teenager: you don't buy a teen a Ferrari and expect them to preserve it while you're paying all the repair bills.

You're a patient man, I would have put the hammer down from day 1. I think the clinical term is "enabler" actually, be grateful her vice is car destruction and not booze.

[rammstein]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

She even walks in front of cars in parking lots with the attitude that they'd never hit her because of the lawsuit. I'm truly worried.

You can't be serious.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by rammstein

You can't be serious.

I am serious. And stop calling me Shirley.

No, she doesn't do it to aggravate people or try to get hit. She's just oblivious to her surroundings. I'm the kind of guy who, when I walk into a restaurant, I sit facing the door, look around for cops or troublemakers, emergency exit, that kind of thing. Riding a motorcycle has also done wonders for my awareness in parking lots. I look for reverse lights, heads in drivers' seats, any kind of movement. My number one rule when around vehicles (after safety) is that no one ever has to wait because of me. I get out of people's way, either on foot or by making my turn as soon as I can. My wife just doesn't know or care that others don't see her or might be waiting for her to make her move.

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by rammstein

You are entering VERY dangerous territory there.

Isn't she pregnant now too? From what I understand, the female species can get quite unpredictable and erratic during the incubation period.

YES. And yes on the unpredictable too. I am wondering if I can use the preggar angle to my advantage though. Maybe I should take some driver's ed, you know, just to be safe because there's a baby on the way. Hey, maybe we both could brush up on our defensive driving skills.

Originally Posted by rammstein

I suggest a truck in your future. A small truck, but with big tall sidewalls.

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Buy an SUV with big offroad tires. That way she can just bounce over everything. If she manages to break the SUV, make her pay the repair bills. If you've been taking care of all the repairs, she probably just thinks "no big deal". Make her write a few checks and she might get the point.

Well the 4runner has a lot of sidewall, and she has fallen in love with it. It's not on the road yet, but once it's all sewn back together, maybe I can move her towards that thing. It's pretty damn tough, and it wouldn't bother me as much to see it abused.

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Jake: Look at this this way: At least she hasn't burned a car to the ground like you did; right?

Ha ha , it was an accident, I swear!

[Porsche_monkey]

Is that getting a diesel engine?

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by Porsche_monkey

Is that getting a diesel engine?

Yessiree bob. I was thinking of a benz om617 5cyl, but that swap is pretty convoluted. I have a VW 1.9 TD that will slot right in with a $500 adapter plate, just have to fab engine mounts, cooling & exhaust.

Have to get it rolling first. It moved under its own power again this weekend. Got brake lines & cables in last night. It ain't pretty, but it's stout.

Mrs Notfarnow loves it, mostly because it's such a huge step up from my $400 Suzuki Samurai. Maybe it won't be too hard to get her in it.

[Heel n Toe]

Start referring to it as "The Roughrider" instead of the 4runner.

That way when you turn over the keys, you will have prepared her for the very stiff ride and can tell her that the more careful she is with it re: potholes and running off the road, the less chance it will shake loose her fillings.

Maintain its the tire pressure at about 8-10 lbs. over spec. LOL

[DasBoot]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

No, she doesn't do it to aggravate people or try to get hit. She's just oblivious to her surroundings. I'm the kind of guy who, when I walk into a restaurant, I sit facing the door, look around for cops or troublemakers, emergency exit, that kind of thing. Riding a motorcycle has also done wonders for my awareness in parking lots. I look for reverse lights, heads in drivers' seats, any kind of movement. My number one rule when around vehicles (after safety) is that no one ever has to wait because of me. I get out of people's way, either on foot or by making my turn as soon as I can. My wife just doesn't know or care that others don't see her or might be waiting for her to make her move.

OMG...you sound like me (and your wife sounds like my girlfriend). She is clueless when driving, at ATM machines, bad neighborhoods, etc.

(And I always sit with my back to the wall @ bars/restaurants!)

[notfarnow]

Yeah part of the problem is that with our previous cars, I really didn't care if they got beat to crap and drove like jalopies. I have a hard time driving the e300d the same way, and can't stand having rattles and thunks in it.

We really didn't have a lot of choices for cars, because we only drive diesels and I just couldn't own another VW. This is the nicest car I've ever owned and I want to pamper it. I guess in that sense, I'm the one who has an issue.

On the flip side, last week I was figuring out my mileage. Since I converted it in April, we've put on 13k miles, and we've only spent $217 on diesel. I guess paying for maintenance isn't too bad, in the big picture. Even if we got a civic, corolla or something, we'd be paying A LOT more for fuel.

[DasBoot]

Originally Posted by notfarnow

On the flip side, last week I was figuring out my mileage. Since I converted it in April, we've put on 13k miles, and we've only spent $217 on diesel.

What kinda mileage you getting?

On topic: You can't teach common sense (male or female). I agree with the above posters. Get her a separate car and hand over the keys.

[Porsche_monkey]

Originally Posted by notfarnow

On the flip side, last week I was figuring out my mileage. Since I converted it in April, we've put on 13k miles, and we've only spent $217 on diesel. I guess paying for maintenance isn't too bad, in the big picture. Even if we got a civic, corolla or something, we'd be paying A LOT more for fuel.

You are either using 1.2 litres /100 km or getting a lot of waste oil....

That car might be, uhh 7 litres/100 km?

Is the VW engine powerful enough for that big vehicle?

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by DasBoot

What kinda mileage you getting?

~25mpg, on diesel or vegetable oil

Originally Posted by Porsche_monkey

You are either using 1.2 litres /100 km or getting a lot of waste oil....

That car might be, uhh 7 litres/100 km?

Yeah. LOTS of waste oil, and my wife gets paid for mileage. We're saving tons right now, it's nuts, actually.

Originally Posted by Porsche_monkey

Is the VW engine powerful enough for that big vehicle?

Eeegh... not real sure. It'll have to be, I guess. The 1.9 idi (pre-TDi) is 90hp stock, ~110 ft/lbs. It can be tickled to about 110hp, 125ftlb before you start to strain it. That's not too far from the 22re, but yeah, I think it'll be slow. I can deal with being a bit sluggish, but I may go out of my mind doing 80km/hr on every hill. Time will tell. Maybe I'll manage to find a balled-up 98-99 TDi with a good engine. That would be a bit better.

Originally Posted by DasBoot

On topic: You can't teach common sense (male or female). I agree with the above posters. Get her a separate car and hand over the keys.

I dunno, I have to tread lightly. I may play the pregger card: "we should both hone our defensive driving skills, cuz there's a baby on the way"

[svandamme]

remove suspension coils and dampers
replace with solid steel struts
solid rubber tires


that'll teach her to avoid potholes in NO time

[DasBoot]

Originally Posted by notfarnow

I dunno, I have to tread lightly. I may play the pregger card: "we should both hone our defensive driving skills, cuz there's a baby on the way"

Try herding cats...or solving the energy crisis. Might be easier.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by notfarnow

Mrs Notfarnow loves it, mostly because it's such a huge step up from my $400 Suzuki Samurai. Maybe it won't be too hard to get her in it.

Give her a big hug. My wife has told me that if I buy a $4-5k Land Cruiser, she will not ride in it nor will she drive it, because it is ugly. Actually, that could be a bonus.

[911pcars]

I offer an observation if not a solution to your dilemma.

I think one of the marketing companies assigned large sums by GM cash discovered that a large majority of the population, men included, don't have a friggin idea of how, when and at what rate to point and turn a vehicle properly. They discovered that wheel alignment, tire and suspension parts manufacturers are invariaby profitable no matter the state of the economy. Finally, the marketeers convinced the big three to concentrate their efforts on building trucks and SUVs, for these vehicles are most able to absorb the punishment of curbing, holes and other solid obstructions on our roads than a regular vehicle can provide.

And this is the reason why the big three, and pretty soon the big two, continue to build and push trucks and SUVs onto the US consumer, no matter the consequences to our environment and earth's resources. They even go so far as to label these vehicles as "green" and "environmentally friendly", as in 2.5-3 ton SUVs (now called "sport-wagons") powered by hybrid technology, ethanol, hydrogen, natural gas, or all of them, none of which attain more than 23.5 mpg.

For the more forward-thinking among us, I think the ideal vehicle for uncoordinated spouses would feature half-track technology from world wars past along with lower body and full coverage under-vehicle shielding made from light weight, carbon-kevlar (or just plain steel as an option) armor-cladding. Upper body pieces, including breakaway door handles and outside mirrors would be made from recyclable milk, egg or Maalox cartons and quickly replaceable using quick-disconnect, Dzus-type fasteners.

All vehicles would have a choice of two colors, a generic off-white or a generic dark brown plastic appearance for low cost maintenance and repairs. Paint surfaces would have a semi-satin to flat finish to reduce glare and increase visibility so drivers can more easily extricate themselves from road construction ditches and just plain ditches found along the highways of America.

The Pontiac Aztek was an early design effort, but I think they have a larger, improved version on the drawing boards featuring the latest in mag-anti lift technology to compliment the very high center of gravity manufacturers build into these vehicles.

Or you can wait until your spouse is 80 years old and fails the "back up 10 yards" test at the local DMV to continue legal driving as we know it. I think that's more realistic.

I'm glad I could help.
Sherwood

[jhynesrockmtn]

It drives me nuts to be in cars with most other people now after a few years of driving schools, track experience and now motorcycle riding.

My fiance drives with her dog in her lap. I've tried to mention as subtley as possible that in an accident, if the air bag deploys, she'll have Oscar's insides all over her. She also for some reason refuses to use the parking brake, even on hills. She zooms through my neighborhood at 10 to 15 mph over the limit. She's in her early 40's but really didn't start driving until her early 30's after living in New York for years. She's never driven a stick. I'd love to eventually get her to a driving school but realistically it probably won't happen.

[Shawn 357]

Buy her the car of her dreams as an anniversary present and let her be the one to take it to the shop so that the shop (NOT YOU) can tell her what she is doing wrong. If she views the car as just a mode of transportation then she won't be careful with it but if she views the car as something that she really likes, wants, and cares for then it will bother her that she keeps damaging it. My Wife is much nicer to our cars then I am and that is because it truly bothers her when they get messed up.....me, I think dents give a vehicle character