Many if not most households these days have multiple cars. Or often one per adult anyway.
Chatting to a friend the other day I was mildly surprised when in conversation he mentioned that he'd never driven his wife's car in fact never wanted to, and indeed that she'd never driven his in all their years of marriage.
We're sort of the opposite. I currently have a company car which of course I use for work. It's a large estate and jolly handy it is too at being a large estate. At weekends though, I tend to nick my wife's Qashqai if I'm just nipping about. It seems to be nicer for that purpose. She takes mine if she wants to shift kids and grannys and shopping and stuff.
Driving a different car at the weekend sort of makes me feel like I'm really off work in a way.
What about you? Do you tend to just stick with the one which is your everyday drive or do you switch around according to whim or need?
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I've been running around in the boss's old Civic today. It warms up quicker than the Outlander which I try to avoid stop-start use with anyway. And it's automatic, which I prefer.
She rarely uses the Outlander, she just prefers hers.
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We rarely drive each other's cars.
But its really down to radio stations, seating position, bits & pieces and that sort of stuff than anything else.
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>> We rarely drive each other's cars.
>>
>> But its really down to radio stations, seating position, bits & pieces and that sort
>> of stuff than anything else.
>>
Same here.
Plus if I leave any evidence of a crafty cigarette in her car I'm in the doghouse for a week.
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>> We rarely drive each other's cars.
>>
>> But its really down to radio stations, seating position, bits & pieces and that sort
>> of stuff than anything else.
I tried my spare key for the Vectra the other day (just to see if it still worked after being sat in the drawer for the past 5 years or more)
Climate control settings were different, as were the stored radio stations, dash light brightness, and a couple of other things as well. Turns out each key remembers the settings last used by that driver. Had it also had electric adjustable seats and electric interior mirror, they would have moved too. And I thought I knew about all the features of my car!
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If someone as well as me drove my car I'd have gone for memory seats so the seats and mirror would adjust when the car was unlocked by each key.
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I tend to use the Charade to do the donkey work and most of the running around, we use the Matrix for trips out together and my wife just uses her Sirion to go to work with the occasional run to Norwich, though she may now take the Matrix.
Im insured on all three cars and my wife wont drive if she goes out with me as she doesnt like driving, though she is insured on the Matrix as it is useful to have the choice such as when we are on holiday and want to share the driving.
I prefer the Matrix of the three cars, but I put a 6k limit on the insurance so I wasnt tempted to use it all the time and spend a fortune on fuel!
In my work I have come across quite a few wives who dont drive their husbands cars or husbands that wont let them - I have one that everytime his car picks up a bump he says the wife was driving, not sure I believe him! Always seem happy to throw me the keys though, even to park in tight garages, which id happily pass on.
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I've spent most of the day nipping in and out in the Up! because it was only me in the car, and the journeys were only 5 or 6 miles each way. Perfect car for the job. If the OBC is to be believed I averaged 57mpg,had fun hustling along B roads and cruised along at 85(km/h of course...) on the A27. Music streamed via Bluetooth from my phone to the built in satnav, heated seats on to take the chill off first thing. Have to admit that the last journey of the day ( only mid afternoon) was top down in the A4 thouh, heater on full blast and heated seats on, in the afternoon sunshine. Must be nearly spring!!
I'll just use whichever car is most suitable generally, though my partner will always prefer the manual Up! or A4 to the auto LEC, even when the larger car would really be the best choice.
Last edited by: PeterS on Sat 16 Feb 13 at 19:52
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Rarely drive each others cars, accept when its required. (like driving me home after a few)
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We run completely different cars, its nice to take each others now and again to enjoy the change.
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Apart from having a play when I first get a new one, the Boss never drives my cars. The only exception was the BMW 3 series. She used to drive that occasionally because she liked the experience. She is a big fan of the Audi but flatly refuses to drive it.
I don't drive her cars either. Since we both drive similar sized/type of cars, I suppose that this is not too strange. If we had, for example, a family-sized car and a city car then we probably would take whatever car suited the journey best.
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we occasionally drive each other's cars. No pattern though.
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Often drive each others. Mrs B prefers to take the Volvo when working (usually nights). She feels less mumsey in it, its slightly better on fuel and warms up much quicker on a cold morning.
I sometimes take the Sharan if its in the way or already warmed up, and when we go out together either of us could drive - no pattern to it.
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>> Apart from having a play when I first get a new one, the Boss never
>> drives my cars. The only exception was the BMW 3 series. She used to drive
>> that occasionally because she liked the experience. She is a big fan of the Audi
>> but flatly refuses to drive it.
>>
Funny that - my wife used to hate driving my company cars but I had a 3 Series for a couple of months and she loved driving it. Had my own Merc now for 8 yrs and she's never driven it.
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My better halve used to ride a moped now she R) I mean drives me potty.
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When we ran two cars, I'd drive my wife's far more often than she would drive mine.
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Our other car is a GSX1400 otherwise known as Bertha so I only have the problem of Ian driving 'my' Mondeo for a few of the very coldest weeks during December and January.
It does however annoy me intensly when I jump in the drivers seat and can't reach the steeering wheeel to adjust the seat back to where I have it.
The last Mondeo had electically operated seats and surely they should be standard on all cars?
Pat
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>>It does however annoy me intensly when I jump in the drivers seat and can't reach the steeering wheeel to adjust the seat back to where I have it<<
You gotta train em m8, LadyDog always pushes the seat back for me when she alights from our automobile.
5'2" & 6'0"
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>> You gotta train em m8,
LadyD doesn't frequent the forum then D?...;)
SWM moves the seat back for me, but invariably puts the sun visor down and leaves it down, why this annoys me as much as it does i have no idea.
edit, another reason we swap cars is for refuelling with LPG, self service SWM doesn't like, understandable the blast of propane when you release the nozzle is a bit disconcerting.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sun 17 Feb 13 at 09:08
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- - - gb
I noticed the local price of Autogas is 72ppl - is that about average for England I wonder?
I'm surprised more peops don't use (convert to) it at that price!
Last edited by: Dog on Sun 17 Feb 13 at 09:15
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Thats a good price D, 77p is the standard round here at Morrisons and the main road BP, Shell site in town at 80p but are always more expensive and i have never bought from them.
Had reason to pop over to Corby to a shop close to our usual indy supplier yesterday so topped up the old MB whilst there, disappointingly they have also gone up to 77p so won't be going back there for a while unless the other two more convenient sites price match sites raise price appreciably.
I'm glad its still a rare conversion, if too many people took advantage i have no doubt that dick turpin would raise the tax take on it far faster than already planned.
Its not for everyone, and not all cars have room for a tank of useful size, its my fuel choice for the forseeable though.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sun 17 Feb 13 at 09:28
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I thought that was a good price gb, I use to use Autogas when I had my Hymer motorhome back in the 90's.
Never had any trouble getting it ISTR - as long as one plans in advance when travelling.
I bet you don't do the mileage in your MB gb, to justify spending c£1000 if you were considering having it installed today, like. :)
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OUt of interest what sort of mileage do you get with lpg. Is it comparable with petrol?
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>> OUt of interest what sort of mileage do you get with lpg. Is it comparable
>> with petrol?
Its as near as makes no difference CGN which might be fairly unusual from what i read, working out roughly 22 or so mpg on gas whilst petrol might be 23 mpg, thats normal commute through two towns and fairly hilly A roads in between, i think the best i've ever had from the car is 25mpg on petrol.
''I bet you don't do the mileage in your MB gb, to justify spending c£1000 if you were considering having it installed today, like. :) ''
I'd do it again tomorrow D and will do when the MB eventually gets sold on, its not simply a question of economics, it enables me to drive what i want as much as i want instead of being forced into something i'd hate owning.
Only wish i could get a 6cyl good conversion for a bag o' sand..;)
From my limited experience i would say the best conversions are when the vehicle in question has more than enough power, so it can be driven easily swiftly without thrashing, that describes the MB which has been a total conversion success without a single drawback save the extra tank.
I wouldn't want an underpowered car converted.
Through recommendation i found the chap who converted mine, old school, he and his partner specialise in maintaining classic cars so are used to fault finding and repairing the problem NOT throwing new parts at wot computer diagnoses willy nilly.
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>>Only wish i could get a 6cyl good conversion for a bag o' sand..;)
oops!
Is Mrs bennets Outlander bi-fuel gb?
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>> Is Mrs bennets Outlander bi-fuel gb?
>>
Yes from new, wouldn't want one of them without LPG, serious drink problem.
Will be doing a write up in due course now its back with us.
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>>Will be doing a write up in due course now its back with us<<
Good - and some pics?
This is one I was looking at recently gord, nice one but not bi-fuel, although we don't do many miles pa.
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201301235028390/
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Looks a nice example that D, facelift with xenon lights? it might be sporting 17" wheels too seem bigger than our 215/60 x 16's i reckon, the tyres look meaty treaded but check replacement costs, check too for cambelt interval.
Not great on fuel hence LPG conversions popular, and make sure that like this one its regd before March 21st?ish 06 or VED of £470 awaits.
I like them a lot, extremely sure footed car with a silky smooth auto box, reasonably simple too like the Lancer.
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>>and make sure that like this one its regd before March 21st?ish 06 or VED of £470 awaits<<
Yes, I was thinking about that gb, I wouldn't be prepared to fork out £470 at all at all!
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Blimey, someone's easily offended !
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Eh? Ok now I'm confused !
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>>Eh? Ok now I'm confused !<<
I like to give them out with gay abandon to appreciate the joy of giving.
I've given the dog a new name = goon face, he lays in front of the multi-fuel stove and the area is 32°C (I've checked it) he looks like dogs do when they lay out in the hot sun with their tongues hanging down to their paws.
He's a Rhodesian Ridgeback so they can take a bit of heat, I presume.
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I always seem to get left the one that needs fuel !
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My wife very, very rarely drives my car, I occasionally drive hers at weekends. Same with the bikes, she won't go near mine, I take hers out for a blast now and then.
I find it odd how my wife has the seat closer to the steering wheel yet she has longer legs than me. I can't get in her car without first moving the seat back.
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Well, this has proven interesting. Seems most people do indeed mainly stick with their own vehicles. We seem to be in the minority in that we've always switched cars regularly.
I suppose we did so less on the occasions when we both had similar sized cars but for most of our lives I've had something big and practical and my wife has had something small and nippy so they genuinely fitted different tasks.
Now, the main reason why I use the Qashqai is that it has the bike racks permanently on it's roof and they get used most weekends but sometimes I just take it for a change and sometimes she just feels she wants the large estate for some practical purpose.
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We do drive each others cars at times. I've even been caught speeding in my wife's car - and yes, she did sign the form to say it was me speeding!
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Back in the day when i used a council's pool vans every day it used to annoy me intensely when I got in one and the wipers and blower came on as I turned the ignition. Why some people don't shut everything down before they switch off beats me.
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One of the guys I worked with had a migrane - I drove his perfectly horrid little saxo thing home - the radio was blaring some modern techno crap when I fired it up. As a sort of revenge I re-tuned all his pre-sets to Radio 4....
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>>modern techno crap
=
>>had a migrane
?
Prima facie case I think :-)
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My wife leaves the car radio tuned to some appalling local radio station with Smashy and Nicey / Alan Partridge type DJs. All interspersed with carpet adverts. What's more she insists on having that dreadful Lorraine Kelly screeching half witted inane nonsense on the telly in a morning.
Then at night she wants to watch anything which involves dead bodies and murder. Silent Witness is her favourite and for a bit of light relief some American guff about modern day vampires.
Apart from that she's fairly normal.
Having said all the above I won't hear a word said against Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Sun 17 Feb 13 at 10:47
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"Silent Witness is her favourite"
My wife likes that too. I suspect they see us on the slab.
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We have 4 cars and a tractor in the family pool.
I drive the Volvo to work, my wife sometimes at other times.
The Triumph is my toy but my wife mostly drives it if she needs a car when I'm at work. It's my treat and her everyday car.
The Landrover only I drive, for winter emergencies, pulling trailers, fill-in duties when another car is unavailable, and for fun trips. It's good in summer with the canvas rolled up.
My wife is scared of it but agrees it would be useful to learn. My daughter is probably about to learn to drive it so that she can get a trailer licence for moving horses.
The Peugeot is used mainly by my daughter for work, but also as my wife's preferred car if nothing else available. I hate it - too small, cramped, hopeless reversing lights, and tiring over-assisted steering with the usual front-wheel drive combination of over-powering but lack of real self-centring.
Tractor is strictly mine only, but daughter is tempted.
The various half-dismantled cars are mine, but my wife does the complaining.
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When my dad had the Fiesta, he would often use my car if he had a long distance journey to make as it had much better MPG and is safer.
I used to drive my dads Fiesta when the head gasket blew on my Corsa and I was waiting delivery of my Panda.
Rarely drive the i10, only needed to in an emergency once, and I often move it so we can get both cars parked outside the house. I am only insured to drive it third party, didn't matter on the Fiesta, but on the i10 it does!.
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We swap about as needed. She used mine for work this week as Lad was on half term and he's only insured on her Berlingo. I pinched hers for shopping trip to Daventry this morning as I couldn't be bothered faffing around shifting Brommy from boot to garage AND the shopping bags were in hers.
She's not that keen on the Xantia as it doesn't suit her short legs - ends up too close to wheel. Miss B loves it and would much rather take it than her Mum's even though she's insured on both.
The 'lingo is the family car and as I do the bulk of the holiday driving (Mrs B can only do an hour without getting dozy) so some years I drove more miles in it over a year than she did.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sun 17 Feb 13 at 13:30
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Interesting thread.
Mrs H won't drive my C8 unless forced to. After 8 years of ownership I seek every opportunity to nab her C3 for a lark about; I suppose I'm bored with the C8.
Last year we had to rearrange our holiday to be a swift drive from North Yorkshire to near Chaource in France. We took the C8 but, unusually, no caravan; so Mrs H was expected to drive. She spent the first 20 mins of our rainy journey whingeing about the automatic wipers, then settled in to an assertive 2 hour drive down the A1 to the queue behind the accident which cost us our lunch stop. She needed reminding about 6th gear and went for the handbrake with the wrong hand occasionally.
I never worry about radio settings in her car. Switch it off for the duration!
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>> I never worry about radio settings in her car. Switch it off for the duration!
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My wife can't resist fiddling about with my preset stations, and usually leaves it set to a pop station on full blast. Perhaps that's the children however.
They also fiddle around with heater settings, and usually manage to leave at least one unlikely feature turned on, such as the heated seat on a summer day.
Another trick is to leave a rear window 1/4" open. Not enough to be visible below the felt, but enough to make a noise once I've got up to speed.
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Snap Cliff,Diana put her rock cd's on full blast on a long run.I'm looking forward to the C4 Citroen big enough to put her in the boot..;)
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Just finished using the Qq today as bike transporter. Never cease to marvel at how Sundays genuinely do bring out the worst drivers it seems. You'd think it was a cliche but it really isn't. I have learned though to be particularly wary of anyone who chooses to drive while wearing a hat, especially on a Sunday. Odd facial hair is generally a warning sign too. Goatee bearded baseball cap wearers being among the worst offenders. Frankly, even if they're driving perfectly you still can't help hating them.
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They are fashion victims that you help create and exploit. Don't knock it.
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Mmmm maybe, but I've also noticed a strong correllation between baseball cap wearing while driving, usually small Vauxhalls, odd facial hair and really rubbish driving.
Perhaps some clever scientist will be able to isolate the gene causing these predilections in the future and it could be bred out or something?
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>> isolate the gene causing these predilections in the future and it could be bred out or something?
Too late Humph. They come out of the womb with baseball caps, track suits and silly beards now.
I myself was born bareheaded and naked, but unshaven I am afraid. Always was a slob.
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That's not a controversial idea. Work on it.
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Two other generalisations:
Old man in a hat syndrome is often closely linked with car colour. Old man in a hat in a small dark blue or dark maroon car = overtake as soon as possible to avoid getting stuck behind.
Boy racers often have sticking out ears.
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>>Boy racers often have sticking out ears.
Yes ! Why is that do you think? Not just the young ones either. Men with sticky out ears are usually very aggressive and uncooperative drivers. Is it because the chips on their shoulders are starved of light do you suppose?
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"Is it because the chips on their shoulders are starved of light do you suppose?"
No it's all due to ear resistance at high speeds.
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'Boy racers often have sticking out ears.'
And the majority appear vertically challenged. Next time you see one look to see if you can just see their eyes over the top of the doors :)
Last edited by: Fullchat on Sun 17 Feb 13 at 22:52
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Haven't tried to quantify it, but I'm wary of drivers with things swinging around on the interior mirror. Peripheral vision works by picking up movement, it must be impaired when you have something moving there all the time.
When I see the brakes go on before the turn indicators at every junction they go up another notch on the beware index.
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Whole different matter with the family bikes - I take the Kwaker out as a regular ride especially in winter.
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Each to their own? - Manatee
