"I want to drive your car"

[Topcat]

"I want to drive your car."

A close member in our family and his Dad and a few friends keep pressuring me.
One even offered to have me drive his Super Charged Mustang in return.

I'm keeping firm foot down..."No way"   

If I let one person drive it and it opens a Pandora's box for others that feel they're entitled to as well.
Screw that!

I was wondering if other members have been pressured or needled like I have as well.
How do you handle it?

From their point of view, you're being either un reasonable or considered a jerk.

[rUNCHARGER]

Anyone that I would trust or I thought might deserve to drive it would never ask.

Sheldon

[JS27N0B]

Everyone that knows me would never ask. I'm far too particular and they know it.

[cudamadd]

Great post. Some one said 2 me ,just last week .What would it take 2 drive your car ?? Well i said owner ship thats it full stop . I have lots of family members who ask .But my answer is  allways the same. If i was 2 offer well thats a different story 

[Beekeeper]

You're completely in the right to refuse and they really shouldn't hold it against you. Especially if they understand how much the car means to you personally. I've had a few friends allow me to drive their babies and I'm humbled that they would trust me to do so but I usually refuse and I'd certainly never ask. I don't want to be the guy who does something dumb on a bad day and is always remembered in that bad way.

Let my girlfriend drive my Superbee many years back right after I got it all operational. When she came home, the window mechanism broke halfway down, one of the gauges stopped working, and it was making funny noises after that. I know she didn't cause the problems but it still pissed me off. Haha

I have a brother in law who periodically mentions that he wants to borrow one of my cars sometime. I just cringe every time he mentions it. So far I have always managed to quickly change the subject before being cornered. Cool guy but If you knew him you'd understand. He's the kind of guy who would wrap it around a telephone pole in the first 30 seconds and then laugh claiming it would probably buff out. One of these days, he is gonna really be persistent and then I am gonna have to be the jerk who says no.

[Bullitt-]

Exclaim... Did Hell Freeze Over & I MISSED IT?   

[dodj]

My son and my wife are the only two other people who have driven mine.

I was wondering if other members have been pressured or needled like I have as well.
How do you handle it?

I have been needled a few times over the years, but never pressured.

[Joe mama]

I have been asked on several occasions to drive my cars. I always have the same answer. NO! But, I have asked friends to take me for a drive in my car when I ruptured my achilles tendon and couldn't walk let alone drive.
My son learned a lesson with his car. He let his friend get behind the wheel of his turbocharged celica and the first thing his friend did was rev the engine then dump the clutch and snapped several teeth off of the pinion gear on his 8 3/4. Needless to say he wasn't much of a friend.

[GoodysGotaCuda]

Anyone that I would trust or I thought might deserve to drive it would never ask.

Sheldon

Bingo, that's where I stand. If I want you to drive it, I will ask you. Otherwise, no.

[anlauto]

Nobody's ever asked me, but I've often offered to friends to take her for a rip

[Oldschool]

Only a rare few friends have ever driven my Cuda. Also my oldest son - the one that helps me work on it - has driven it around some. I have let him take it on his own. He worships that car and has tons of respect for what it is and never tries to she what it'll do......    

['Cuda Hunter]

For the most part I will let my family drive whatever they want.   After all, I only have one family and I can go buy any car I happen to want.  And I can work more to go buy even more cars in the future. Can't replace the family members I love.   I figure that one drive will give my family member a memory of a life time. 

  Now I always go with them.  And I am very particular so anyone who asks would know that I will be paying attention and expect them to respect my stuff like I do.

It's all just metal junk in the long run.  So I say live a little. 

This does not include friends or friends of family.   Although I have let many a friend drive several cars. 

Now my crotch rocket on the other hand, I don't let folks ride that.  It will kill them or get broken.  So two wheel street bikes  are not acceptable for anyone but myself to drive. 

 

[70chall440]

I wouldn't say I would not let anyone drive any of my performance cars; however specific conditions have to be present such as I have to be present supervising or they have to have a clear understanding of monetary and emotional value of the vehicle meaning they have something similar. As stated above, those who fit these conditions will not ask in the first place.

Yes, at the end of the day they are just cars, however they represent piles of money and years of labor not to mention a huge emotional connection. Anyone who gives a crap about you personally would not risk the relationship for a little seat time in your prized possession. IMO anyone who wants to go and thrash something that isn't theirs and that they have no responsibility to repair isn't someone I want hanging around me in the first place.

[HP_Cuda]

 

I think this sums it up nicely. Folks who want to drive your car who never had a hand in any of the work building it just wouldn't appreciate what it is.

[4Cruizn]

Hmm most have just asked for a ride . . .     The hardtop has manual steering and a 4 speed.  That is a challenge itself.