Do you let friends drive your nice cars? Wish you did?

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by Dantilla

I bought a '69 Corvette when I was 20 years old. I have very few regrets in life, but one thing I should have done: Before selling that car, I should have tossed the keys to a few of my closest friends and said "Be back in 15 minutes, and don't tell me what you did with the car".

I thought this was worthy of its own discussion. I've let certain friends drive my cars, and they've been very appreciative. By certain, I mean serious car guys, in their own right. For some, it's the only P-car they may ever drive. I see the end game by reading Pelican and seeing older posters divest themselves of material assets as they age out. Knowing this, I try to be open to letting series car friends try out my cars.

[Scott Douglas]

While I was never trusting enough to let them drive my cars, I would make it a point to offer them a ride in it so they could experience what it was like. Most were impressed with how they rode and got on down the highway. I gave one gentleman a ride in my 912 after we took his newly acquired 912 for a ride. He was inspired to put more money into his car once he saw the way mine ran.
The Sportomatic opened a lot of eyes very wide on more than one occasion too.

[recycled sixtie]

Let's put it this way. Nobody looks after their car as well as the owner.

[Crowbob]

I do. I let my friends drive. They prefer that I do, though.

Nothing like a passenger grabbing her seat.

[stomachmonkey]

No.

Liability.

Let a friend borrow one of my dirt bikes once.

We were in court for 5 years.

He hit a kid with it.

[Crowbob]

There you go. Leave it to the monkey to make it a buzzkill.

He is correct, though.

[Alfasrule]

Don't let anyone drive my cars! I've made exceptions, my buddy Jeff(Best ALFA Mechanic) can drive any of my cars. Let a few drive the Race Car Mick, Dave & HMA. I was in the car with them!
If your going to allow it at least be in the car with the person!

[Crowbob]

Direct quote:

'Wow! This car really throws you around! Wanna come in for some decaf?'

[speeder]

That's a loaded question. Depends on the friend and the car. I have friends whom I trust in a car plus they can write a check for anything I own and it would be like an expensive lunch for them.

I could write a check for my buddy's GT3 if I wrecked it @ the track but I don't want to, that's for damn sure.

[Crowbob]

Had a 'Vette back in the day. Let the friend drive.

A friend with benefits was the result.

Back in the day.

[sugarwood]

I've edited the OP to indicate only certain friends, those who are serious car guys. Not some Ford Focus driving random from the office.

[Crowbob]

Yep. Good revision there, Suge.

'Letting' is not the same as 'facilitating'.

The end goal is paramount. 'Stay on Target' is my credo.

[BeyGon]

I let friends drive my 911
I let friends drive my 360 hp perfectly orig. 64 Corvette
I let friends drive my 2001 Z3 Coup
I have let friends drive most of my fun cars.
but I was always in the car with them.

[Oh Haha]

When I had the 911 I let other Porsche owners drive it with me in it OR whilst driving theirs. I've been lucky enough to have Pelican friends with cars wayyyy nicer than mine.

The only other persons to drive it were my younger brother and my wife. My wife is the only one, besides me, to have an accident with it. She was hit from behind by another vehicle. No real damage done.

EDIT--forgot about the young Pelican that I let drive it. I was trying to help him get his Dad's 911 running after many years of storage.

[masraum]

I let my son drive my 911 with me in the car before I sold it. I had to push him to get him to get the revs up. He really enjoyed it, but had never driven anything like it before. I think I also let a buddy drive it, but I'm not positive. If i didn't let that particular buddy drive it, then I wish I did. The missus has driven them all. She enjoyed driving the 911, but I think was nervous about it. She's driven the Boxster too, but is, I think, also a bit nervous about it.

[ted]

Do have a few friends I would rather avoid riding with in their own daily drivers.
So I'd rather not ride shot gun in their car or mine.

Also some friends I would trust with my car but they have owned/driven interesting cars already so they don't ask to drive my cars.

I don't ask to drive anyone's car, I would feel terrible if it broke while I was driving their car.

Give away enough joy rides and someone unfamiliar with your car will damage it.

[Crowbob]

Good rationale, ted.

In my worthless opinion, letting less than proficient friends drive is a benefit accrued down the road. A discriminating owner reaps intangible benefits by sharing.

Down side is expense.

I got out and haven't looked back. Yet, the benefits to me keep accruing.

Tough decision.

[BeyGon]

The thing I never ever did was let someone take my motorcycles for a ride. Never ever. I wasn't going to sit on the back with them either.

[MRM]

Yeah, I used to be proud to share my car and tell everyone that half the fun of having the car was being able to share it. Then an in-law cousin and "friend" who supposedly had tons of experience with exotic cars took the Carrera out for a spin alone (with my blessing) and about a mile down the road he did the famous redline shift from second to third but hit first instead. He shredded the clutch but fortunately didn't grenade the transmission. But he had the termedity to walk back, swearing at me for letting him have a drive in a car that had only one shift left in the clutch. He denied the mis-shift, despite the mechanic's report and obvious characteristic damage that matched only a 3/1 shift, and refused to even share half the cost to repair. Oh, and the car was 300 miles from home at this point in the middle of nowhere, so there was a bit of a logistical issue with getting the car fixed and me to and from the car to get it back home.

Suffice it to say that hard feelings continue to this day and I am regretfully no
Longer nearly as generous sharing my car as I once was. They are complex machines that are beyond the capabilities of drivers who aren't used to them. I won't let anyone I don't trust drive my car anyone and I will be in the car anytime anyone else drives it, no matter who they are.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by MRM

Yeah, I used to be proud to share my car and tell everyone that half the fun of having the car was being able to share it. Then an in-law cousin and "friend" who supposedly had tons of experience with exotic cars took the Carrera out for a spin alone (with my blessing) and about a mile down the road he did the famous redline shift from second to third but hit first instead. He shredded the clutch but fortunately didn't grenade the transmission. But he had the termedity to walk back, swearing at me for letting him have a drive in a car that had only one shift left in the clutch. He denied the mis-shift, despite the mechanic's report and obvious characteristic damage that matched only a 3/1 shift, and refused to even share half the cost to repair. Oh, and the car was 300 miles from home at this point in the middle of nowhere, so there was a bit of a logistical issue with getting the car fixed and me to and from the car to get it back home.

Suffice it to say that hard feelings continue to this day and I am regretfully no
Longer nearly as generous sharing my car as I once was. They are complex machines that are beyond the capabilities of drivers who aren't used to them. I won't let anyone I don't trust drive my car anyone and I will be in the car anytime anyone else drives it, no matter who they are.

I had a similar experience...5th to 2nd...only my friend offered to pay...but that was before he got home and had a conversation with his wife. I can say that was my only bad experience with letting someone else drive.

My Mustang is easily replaced should something bad happen. I'm much happier with my current car situation. Nevermore do I want a $pendy and irreplaceable car.