After a mates car got ran into on Friday he was desperate for some way to get to work.
So, He’s currently got my '5 (“A friend in need”, As they say). I’m starting to feel I’d rather have gone out and bought a 100 quid banger to lend him. Every time the phone rings I think "OK, Is this him phoning to say it’s Broken / Stolen / Damaged / Crashed (Or a combo of the lot).
I can’t really say “Give it back now, Its my toy, I don’t want to play any more” [:D].
Before anyone worries, His insurance does cover him in my car (I made frigin’ certain of that).
So, The question is, Would you lend your car to anyone? Are there any people out there that won’t even let there partner drive it, Or are we predominantly an easy going bunch who believe in “The greater good”?
Not what you want to hear, but no - I would not lend my car to a friend!
Maybe I’m just selfish, but I feel the need to park in the middle of nowhere in a carpark, so I sure as heck am not going to let somebody else park it next to other cars, let alone drive it next to other cars!
Your mate may well have cover, but is it comprehensive in someone elses car? A lot of policies are only 3rd party under these circumstances. Original question…My son had my car for a while, he managed to destroy the battery, but that was the only problem thank goodness. I was out here in Australia and every time the phone rang, or my e mail chirped I had the worst fears…never again…the only other person to have driven my car in the last 9 years has been the mot guy, and that was on the brake test rollers. I trust very few people, my partner is on my insurance policy, I might have let her drive it when we were in Malta?, but over there you have to drive very slowly as the roads are so awful. If anybody is gonna blow up or bend Blue Belle it’s going to be me[;)]
No, He’s only 3rd party on her. The deal is that If she gets bend while under his care he has to get her fixed or replaced (He’s not that short of the folding, If you know what I mean). After that I decide if he gets to retain the use of all his extremities.
He’s helped me out a lot in the past and didn’t want to start looking for another car unless his gets written off, Also, As I’ve said “renting a car’s dead money” enough times I have to practise what I preach. It looks like his insurers organising a courtesy car for him some time tomorrow anyway.
He’s a good friend and I’d trust him with my life. He knows how attached I am to my '5 and he knows the trust I’ve placed in him by letting him use my car, Also I know from experience that he’s a very competent / steady driver (Bordering on boringly slow).
The only thing that would ruffle this arrangement would be if he got killed in an accident, Mind you, In that case a car would be the last thing on my mind.
On a plus note, Today he did said “Its very nice to drive isn’t it, What sort of money do they change hands for ?”, Before he started into storeys of how bad his MG Roadster and Triumph spitfire had been in comparison. Then we had a little look around Ebay to see whats about… So, It looks like he’s realised that the daily commute CAN be a pleasurable drive too. (And I think he now WANTS his car written off so he’s got an excuse to get something else [:D])
My wife is insured and drives the car occasionally… not exactly comfortable with it but its what you sing up for I suppose with marital bliss [;)] Plus easier life just to let it go LOL
There is only 1 other guy (my best friend) similar to you that I trust completely. I know that his respect for me would make him very considerate with my car and I would return the favour to him. I certainly wouldnt see him go without.
Everyone else could go hang LOL
So the short answer is a very exclusive few would ever be allowed behing the wheel.
Plus its nice to recieve their compliments after they have had a go and you see their face light up!
My parents often pop along to take the silly red thing out on a Sunday - they’re in their 70’s, and the only annoying thing is that they don’t replace to fuel! I’m glad they still want to though…
My girlfriend’s on my insurance too (I’ve been on hers for the last 3 years, and used her car heavily, so it’s only fair!) and she’s driven it a couple of times in the month or two that I’ve had it. She doesn’t like driving it all that much though - she’s a bit nervous and scared of the extra power compared to her car (a one litre Corsa!). That said, she’s a very safe driver, so I don’t feel worried about letting her drive it, however I don’t know whether I’d want to let her borrow it…
Her uncle asked when he could take it for a spin a couple of days ago… My answer was quite negative, but then he had spent the previous half hour boasting about how much he’d scared his son when he took his (the son’s) first car for a spin, so that didn’t encourage me!
Other friends, I don’t know… It would be a hard decision! Especially as a couple of them have lent me their cars on a few occasions, so it would be hard to say no! Certainly not without fully comp insurance though.
My 5 is set up to be a smidge lethal, so I only let friends borrow it on tracks, and then only if I know they can afford to replace it and have enough skill for that outcome to be unlikely. Plus we agree terms before they get the keys (usually to keep it off the limiter and not to kick the clutch)
My less evil cars I lend out if one of my friends needs it more than I do. I once lent out my 5 series for so long I forgot to keep a parking space free for it when it came back.
In return I have got to drive some excellent cars - 350bhp Nissan Silvia (on a track - I had to replace the tyres), F360 and E30 M3 among them.
I’ve not had any damage of problems so far, I suppose my outlook would be different if I had…
[::(] While i was stationed in Germany, in the 80’s i did lend my Mazda to a friend and he managed to put it in the middle of a field, after he had hit a telegraph pole.I cant remember what his explanation of the accident was, but he was ok and went home on leave the next day!![:S]
The side of the car was stoved in, but drivable, i know because i drove it home. It was a write off though and if it happened now i wouldn’t take the chance.[A]
The Mazda in question was 616 not a 5, i would still lend my car or bike to a friend as long as he/she knew that to bend it would mean paying for it!![:)]
Wife and son are both covered on insurance and will drive the 5 if their cars aren’t avaliable but it always makes me nervous even though the 5 is worth rather less than my daily driver.
Mind you, that’s less money-wise, not emotionally!! [:$]
