Is it bad that I won't let my wife drive my modded A/C?

Post by **rjdmmfl1** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:13 am

I would love to hear folks opinion on this one. So far, I've put about 12K into the car, and with that many aftermarket parts, I'm a bit picky when it comes to letting folks drive it. I really don't particularly like letting the valet drive it... but I digress

Recently my wife and I had a discussion about this and she wasn't too happy about my response. After the 20" wheels with low profile tires, and the Stillen front splitter, you can't drive the car like you would a normal car.. she doesn't quite get that and that's my biggest argument regarding letting her drive the car. She then asked me if I would let her drive my Mercedez benz SL 600 AMG when I get it, and I very calmy stated "absolutely not." If she were a car enthusiast and appreciated cars and valued taking care of them the way I do, then I wouldn't mind, but she isn't and she doesn't, and that's my biggest problem. Please weigh in and let me know how you feel about your spouse/significant other driving your baby!

Post by **AppleBonker** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:17 am

I guess it comes down to your opinion on how your wife is as a driver. Clearly, you have some questions about her capability for whatever reason (I'm not saying this is a bad thing). My dad is the same way. I've driven his car before but my mom has not. Reason is he knows how much I baby my own car, and figures I wouldn't do any less on his.

Post by **LongBeachCoupe** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:17 am

Doc you met my girl.. I let her drive it around the block (with me watching from the street) when i got my 20s.

Beyond that, she hasnt driven it at all (probably almost a yr ago when she drove it)....

Accidents can happen to anyone, but wheels and tires are something different. It takes experience not to damage them IMHO.

If someone takes on the "break it you buy it" attitude, then its ok... but id hate to be upset at my girl because she misjudged a curb etc, so best off just not allowing it to happen to begin with.

My girlfriend no longer desires to drive my car, and when i offer she gets too nervous and wont do it!

Post by **LinkNuc** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:25 am

It won't matter, because there's a better than 50% chance you'll lose both cars and the house.......so until then absofrigginlutely DO NOT

Post by **dldjros69** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:28 am

I agree with everybody so far. No way. I wouldnt let my gf or anybody for that matter drive my car. My dad is the only other person i have given permission to drive my car.

Good luck with your lady.

Post by **Infantry1327** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:37 am

I am not married, but I certainly would not let her drive my car. I used to let mt friends drive my car all over the place (with me in it, ofcourse). But now that its lowered with 20's. Hell No. I am not really worried about them crashing, because my friends are responible and have insurance. But It is vary easy to scrape your wheels or bottom out if you arnt careful and know what you are doing.

Post by **Coupeguy23** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:40 am

i agree with everyone, i dont let anybody drive my car. My little sister wreck my last car (maxima)and totaled it out . i had 3k in it .shes had more wrecks in the drive way then on the road My dad is the only other person i have given permission to drive my car

Post by **dldjros69** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:44 am

Dr. show her that pic of the total maxima. Pictures say a 1000 words

Post by **marlin29311** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:46 am

It's a trust issue. I can understand that you don't want someone that doesn't know how to properly drive the car operate it, but you're talking about your wife! Not some random dude around the corner. Appreciation and enthusiast levels aside, driving the car once or twice isn't going to be an issue. I feel if you can't trust someone you love and share what you have with them in that type of relationship, it could lead to other problems down the road. I agree that I wouldn't allow her as a DD of the cars without the proper training/understanding of how to operate, but if she did, I think it would be ok.

Quite frankly, my g/f is scared of driving my car. I don't know why, I've offered for her to drive it a couple times. Nothing special about it, minus the fact that I treat it like my child.

Post by **Sacky2.5** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:49 am

honestly, I would prefer to not have my gf drive my car.

This is also why i got stick

Post by **08altima35** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 7:09 am

take her out to a smooth parking lot with speed bumps and show her how to aviod bottoming and how to not curb check your wheels or your splitter on parking blocks. If she really really wants to drive your car, let her. If she damages something i'm sure it will be the last time she asks and you'll put this behind you as a lesson learned for both of you.

Post by **Alt.ImaCoupe** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 7:15 am

Just say no, man.

My previous car was a G35, which I loved, and I would spend hours cleaning, washing, etc. and my wife would go out and drive through puddles. She would have no idea why I was so pissed.

I've since solved the problem, but it cost me half of everything I owned. So perhaps you should take that into account as well...lol

Post by **Marisha** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 7:30 am

It all really depends on your wife's driving ability and you're the best judge of that....If she's a completely horrible driver with no way of fixing it - don't let her anywhere near the driver seat of your car. If she doesn't know how to handle/drive your car properly but is willing to learn - show/teach her and let her drive when you think she's gotten the idea. If she knows how to drive it, you wouldn't be in this dilemma...I hope

Post by **JDRosenberg07** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:01 am

I dont know.. i dont think i would mind too much if my gf drove mine, although she does scare me the way she drives.. lol but she hasnt gotten into any accidents and only has one speeding ticket.

I have the MT as well and she has no desire to learn anyway so for now the only other person that drives my car is my dad when he takes it to his shop for me.

Post by **milkacaduke** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:32 am

no, 3 reasons.1. she doesn't have the proper skill to drive lowerd cars with low profile tires

2. she simply just doesnt value the car as much as i do

3. normally leads to fight

Post by **desertdragon** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:45 am

Doc, that is a tough question. I don't let my wife drive my car, I have had my car for over a year now and she has not driven it once. But she is cool about it, we never argue about this.Is it bad? I don't think so, because I am a car enthusiast and I take care of my car.

But if you ask anybody else (outside of the Car crazy community) they might have a different opinion.

Post by **soltys** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:54 am

My g/f was wanting to drive my car, not regularly give it a try, until I showed her its potential, and since then - nothing.

Post by **rjdmmfl1** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 9:32 am

Hey guys and gals, thanks for your honest opinions... honestly, she actually has driven the car a few times, but in toatal, less than 5 times in the last 14 months...I wouldn't mind letting her drive the car, but she's a bit stubborn regarding learning how to do things new, and she refuses to let me take her out, and show her how to drive a lowered car with an extended front... again, she's not a car enthusiast, and she doesn't baby her car the way I baby mine... I'm gonna have to say no on this one, until she lets me show her how to drive slow and sideways on speed bumps, inclines and declines and not pull too close to curbs due to the splitter...

thanks again for your input

Post by **jungleboogie** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 9:44 am

hmm... my gf is actually glad that she doesn't need to drive my car and constantly asks that i drive her around in hers lols. now i'm conditioned to think that this is normal...

maybe she doesn't understand how important your car is to you, or perhaps she feels that your car is becoming more important to you than herself? (insert other incoherent psycho-babble...)

rjdmmfl1 wrote:...If she were a car enthusiast and appreciated cars and valued taking care of them the way I do, then I wouldn't mind, but she isn't and she doesn't...

i think you answered your own question there. if she can't appreciate things then wouldn't logic dictate that she shouldn't be able to have them?

Post by **mcheddadi** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:09 am

rjdmmfl1 wrote:I would love to hear folks opinion on this one. So far, I've put about 12K into the car, and with that many aftermarket parts, I'm a bit picky when it comes to letting folks drive it. I really don't particularly like letting the valet drive it... but I digress

Recently my wife and I had a discussion about this and she wasn't too happy about my response. After the 20" wheels with low profile tires, and the Stillen front splitter, you can't drive the car like you would a normal car.. she doesn't quite get that and that's my biggest argument regarding letting her drive the car. She then asked me if I would let her drive my Mercedez benz SL 600 AMG when I get it, and I very calmy stated "absolutely not." If she were a car enthusiast and appreciated cars and valued taking care of them the way I do, then I wouldn't mind, but she isn't and she doesn't, and that's my biggest problem. Please weigh in and let me know how you feel about your spouse/significant other driving your baby!

what a douche! LOL

I let my GF drive my car, but she doesn't want to...says she is scared of braking it + my wrath

Post by **Shift_Altima** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:20 am

doc i think just let her drive it to get her to stop. once or twice and the thrill or whatever will be gone and she won't really care anymore. give her what she wants and eventually it'll lose its thrill

Post by **alphapig** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:26 am

It's not just a matter of having 20in wheels, although rubber-band profile tires can be a bit dangerous when it comes to potholes...

A bigger problem for me is the front fascia. I scrape it very often, and that's while going very slowly and at a very shallow angle. Some places are just unavoidable!

Having someone inexperienced drive it would be a massacre!

On a tangent, the roads in La Jolla are a friggin joke! Bumps and potholes everywhere, and HWY 5 isn't any better!!

Post by **Hussain** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 11:44 am

mcheddadi wrote:
what a douche! LOL

I let my GF drive my car, but she doesn't want to...says she is scared of braking it + my wrath

is that why she made you take off the Artisan exhaust?

Post by **lilojoj** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 11:53 am

Sacky2.5 wrote:honestly, I would prefer to not have my gf drive my car.

This is also why i got stick

lol same here. but, i think you should let her drive it. sorry! but you're married and i would just do what the lady wants. just tell her to be careful

Post by **mcheddadi** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 1:29 pm

Hussain wrote:
is that why she made you take off the Artisan exhaust?

Doh!

Post by **MagicM** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 3:00 pm

rjdmmfl1 wrote:I would love to hear folks opinion on this one. So far, I've put about 12K into the car, and with that many aftermarket parts, I'm a bit picky when it comes to letting folks drive it. I really don't particularly like letting the valet drive it... but I digress

Recently my wife and I had a discussion about this and she wasn't too happy about my response. After the 20" wheels with low profile tires, and the Stillen front splitter, you can't drive the car like you would a normal car.. she doesn't quite get that and that's my biggest argument regarding letting her drive the car. She then asked me if I would let her drive my Mercedez benz SL 600 AMG when I get it, and I very calmy stated "absolutely not." If she were a car enthusiast and appreciated cars and valued taking care of them the way I do, then I wouldn't mind, but she isn't and she doesn't, and that's my biggest problem. Please weigh in and let me know how you feel about your spouse/significant other driving your baby!

The last time a girl asked to drive my Range Rover i had a little wet spot on my undies after the ordeal was over, had both my hands over my eyes and prayed ....

Post by **{WBK}Viper** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 3:25 pm

It's just a car. If something happens it can be fixed.Much harder to fix a relationship.

You let her drive it otherwise you're in for it down the road.By telling her no...you're telling her you don't trust her. Tellingher you don't trust her tells her you love a "thing" more thanher.

My wife can drive mine anytime to matter what I do to it. We'repartners all the time...not just when it's convenient or circumstancesallow. Be a man and let her drive it.

Post by **mcheddadi** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 4:23 pm

{WBK}Viper wrote:It's just a car. If something happens it can be fixed.Much harder to fix a relationship.

You let her drive it otherwise you're in for it down the road.By telling her no...you're telling her you don't trust her. Tellingher you don't trust her tells her you love a "thing" more thanher.

My wife can drive mine anytime to matter what I do to it. We'repartners all the time...not just when it's convenient or circumstancesallow. Be a man and let her drive it.

well said!

Post by **imdavit** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 5:07 pm

what about lowered with stock tires for a 2.5s? do i hafta watch out for everything cuz omg the springs are in my trunk right now and im pretty confused on what i should do with em hearing about all the negative things that could happen.

i aint rich, so if in the long run i hafta pay a lot more for repairs please let me know =[

exactly how safe do u hafta be with the springs on? cuz you know how when u buy a new car you hafta drive it like a old lady till the 3k miles, i have 1.5k miles on it and it bothers me like hell that i cant drive it like the way i want to drive it. Im constantly watching the needles worrying about going too fast and such.

so guys in the long run the eibach pro kit didnt really mess up your cars did it?

and.....

i only let the people i trust drive my car

Post by **LongBeachCoupe** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 5:09 pm

{WBK}Viper wrote:It's just a car. If something happens it can be fixed.Much harder to fix a relationship.

You let her drive it otherwise you're in for it down the road.By telling her no...you're telling her you don't trust her. Tellingher you don't trust her tells her you love a "thing" more thanher.

My wife can drive mine anytime to matter what I do to it. We'repartners all the time...not just when it's convenient or circumstancesallow. Be a man and let her drive it.

I understand, but...'round my parts the roads arent the greatest...

and when your girlfriend/wife/partner sees you have an interest in keeping something "to your liking", they want to keep it the way you like naturally!

What cant be accounted for is mistakes, if they curb a wheel, hit a bumper, or just dont "get out of the way" in time when some other jerk swerves into your lane...

I know that when your dealing with my stuff, if you break it, id assume youd be big enough to replace it. And your partner i assume would feel even worse than a friend etc. and would want to "make it right".

What if you dont have the $ to fix the problem, now your partner is going to say to themselves everyday.. "idk why i wanted to take the car that day"...

Theres some of us who are meticulous about our cars, and some who arent as particular. Ive been known to occasionally have 3 bags of wendys stuffed behind my seat etc hehehe....

Some people dont bring DRINKS in their car without a twist on lid!

A friend of mine would wipe each seat down when someone would get up, like if dirt is falling off you or something lol.

In the end, it depends on your relationship with your other... and how nuts you are about your car, along with the "non-standard" modifications you have made.