Not using your car because it's too nice

jaybee

jaybee

jaybee

Soldato
Joined
10 Jul 2008
Posts
8,178
I know a few men that tend to prefer to take out the other household car, or their wife's car because they are worried about damaging their "nice" car, or it getting dirty.

I'll give you a scenario;
Your going on a longer trip into the city, let's say London. Hotel has dedicated parking but wait...it's London old chap! I have a mate that won't take his sporty Merc (sorry not sure what model) worth maybe 50k, because something might happen to it. Instead he'll go in his wife's **** heap. Now there's nothing wrong with **** heaps - I should know - but call me a rascal for being so rash, I'd drive my 50k Merc thanks and actually use it.

There's many other people I know that do things like this. I know someone that literally always drives the family Focus over his fairly new Audi A5 Sportsback because it might get dinged...
Tactical parking when they are driven so as to avoid trees and possible bird **** on the car...
Always trying to seek out parking spots miles away from people and/or going over two spaces...
Not driving them in wet conditions to prevent it getting as dirty...
General anxiety about going anywhere without sussing out the route and what lies at the other end...

Whilst it's annoying what we have to go through in the UK with people abusing other's property, is life not a bit short to be having nice cars that sit on the drive way not being used?
 
Last edited:
i only have 1 car which is, what i think, a nice car. i take it everywhere. it's a reasonably fast car but i've booted it properly in the short time ive owned it exactly once upto 70mph then backed off. in my old(ish) age i have developed mechanical sympathy for my vehicles, i don't like to mistreat them :D a neighbour said to me the other day he doesn't see the point of me owning it lol.
 
Used to have an S5 which I drove everywhere until we got another car - a Fiesta.

If we're doing short trips/shopping we'll always take the Fiesta.


I've now got a 135i instead of the S5 and only take it to work if it's nice weather/I fancy a good blast. Otherwise take the Fiesta everywhere.
 
My old man is like that. He's been in the motor trade his whole life but never owned a brand new car. A few years ago, for his 75th, he treated himself to a brand new Audi then it lived in the garage and he was paranoid to drive it, preferring to drive one of the older cars. He didn't end up keeping it very long!
 
Use mine way too much all the time & have the massive running + maintenance bills that go along with that but seems pointless having a nice car & not using it as much as possible to me!

I absolutely hate the stone chips, small scratches, tar, oil spots etc etc & risk of constant damage from other vehicles when parking or driving but cannot see the point to owning something nice & being scared to use it in all weathers!

Last few months had to buy an expensive new windscreen, new alloys (one then got damaged due to a careless tyre fitter!) & loads of expensive maintenance items which would have cost more than a 2nd runabout car LOL!
 
Example. Come back to nice car after a days works in a let’s say… cosmopolitan area and finds half a lamppost thrown through the side window.

Damage.

Door dented
Window seal
Door card badly scuffed/torn (leather)
Seat badly torn/scuffed (leather)
Centre console scuffed/split (leather)
Armrest badly torn (leather)

Car soaked, glass everywhere. Fuming mad, boarding on murderous rage. Cost to repair was many times the price of a nice run-around.
 
jaybee said:
Tactical parking when they are driven so as to avoid trees and possible bird **** on the car...
Always trying to seek out parking spots miles away from people
Click to expand...

What's wrong with doing this?

These are the only two things in your list I do and they've helped all my nice cars stay nice.
 
[TW]Fox said:
What's wrong with doing this?

These are the only two things in your list I do and they've helped all my nice cars stay nice.
Click to expand...

If you can do it without it causing a fuss then yeah I get it. The trouble with parking away from everyone in a massive, super empty car park is you always come back to someone parked next to you anyway! :) Always happens I swear!
 
Street said:
My old man is like that. He's been in the motor trade his whole life but never owned a brand new car. A few years ago, for his 75th, he treated himself to a brand new Audi then it lived in the garage and he was paranoid to drive it, preferring to drive one of the older cars. He didn't end up keeping it very long!
Click to expand...
have to say im like that ..when we had 2 cars it was always use the old honda didnt care if scratched/bumped, when we got rid of both and got to us a new car (late cmax) was and always looking where to park, worrying everytime other half goes out . after the first few times of moaning at new scratches/small dents have just resigned myself to having to keep polishing/covering up small marks:( am convinced water based paint is thinner and shows more marks).
maybe my age but its true folk dont seem to value other folks vehicles. daughters galaxy seems to sprout dents and scratches everytime she pops in keeps me busy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom