Hulk Friday: enthusiasts that buy lesser cars for their wives/family to commute...?

[Ben73]

Umm I let her own whatever she wants. 4 cylinder buzz box is what she wants.
She absolutely refused to drive my "luxurious v8"
She got the ***** majorly one time we had my car out and I got drunk and she had to drive home. Wouldn't speak to me for the rest of the night.

[Alan D Segal]

I drive a 1991 Toyota Corolla.

My wife drives a surfboard. I think she got the better deal.

[ford71V8]

My car rarely gets left anywhere other than my carport or work carpark.
This way it is not prone to the damage caused by morons.

My wife's car is used to pick up clients from their homes / housing estates and then parked at doctors / hospitals / shopping centres / banks / school.

This is why I get the good car and she drives the family wagon.
One look at the panels on the AU (and remembering what they did look like) is all you need to know this is the correct choice.

I have offered to grab another old school cruiser for her but she doesn't want a 70's car as a daily. Really I think she is on to me, in that its just another way for me to buy another X-series. :-)

[chopstar87]

In my situation... I get my 2013 300c Luxury and she gets her Small 2013 Ford Focus.

I have the car I wanted, which was more then double the price of hers, and she got a car that she wanted.

If she wants to drive the 300, she can certainly drive it, she can drive it well... but in the end she prefers her Zippy little focus. the 300c is a brilliant car and awesome on the highway, but around town, its a very BIG car.. it can get stressful to drive in tight spaces, we are both paranoid when parking it.. always miles away, and at some shopping centres its basically as wide as the parks. plus the parts for my car are $$$ so that adds to the stress and paranoia. A mirror = $2k, Headlight = $3k each.. so its not cheap, even if something small happens in it.. We both work in the insurance field, so we hear all the horror stories in car parks.. so that adds to it.

she loves my car, but she prefer her little zippy car to drive regularly. which I understand.

[xisled]

Hulk from your first post, you are assuming a small car such as a getz, is less safe than a bigger car which is not true. Just because the other half drives around in a smaller cheaper car does not mean it is not as safe as a big expensive car.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by xisled

Hulk from your first post, you are assuming a small car such as a getz, is less safe than a bigger car which is not true. Just because the other half drives around in a smaller cheaper car does not mean it is not as safe as a big expensive car.

Lets face it. A Getz will be less safe in a 100 km an hour accident then a FGII Falcon. There's no doubt about it. Bigger car, more metal to soak up the energy.

Same goes for these smart cars with safety cells. The safety cell is all good, but what about the damage done to your internal organs at in the case of a high speed accident.

I reckon my Falcon ute would hold up better to a high speed accident then my Mercedes, simply because there's more sheet metal around the driver compartment.

[NTF6]

Me: 2014 FG F6
Her: 2013 Kia Rio

Spare Car: 2010 XR6

I took her to the dealership and said "get what ever you want" and she picked the Kia Rio (red, cos shiela's lik'em) paid cash and she drove away. She's happy as a pig in it cos she got what she wanted not what I told her to get.

12 months later and if you saw the shopping trolley dents, car door dents, bird *****, inside like a rubbish dump then you'll understand why I'm ecstatic that she has no desire to drive my car!

[damo76]

I drive around in a 82 ford bronco.
Wife 2012 ford focus sports.

[Sox]

Originally Posted by xisled

Hulk from your first post, you are assuming a small car such as a getz, is less safe than a bigger car which is not true. Just because the other half drives around in a smaller cheaper car does not mean it is not as safe as a big expensive car.

Actually it does.
All things being equal, a bigger heavier car is always safer than a smaller car.

[Raptor]

SWMBO currently has the newer, sportier, sexier car. It was her turn, my turn next time we turn over cars.

Then there's the 2 P-Platers who I've 'helped' into cars. None of them are bombs, I take the families car's seriously.

That makes 4 in the household plus a few dirt bikes - why are all the rego's and insurances due together

I'm getting lost in paperwork

Originally Posted by Sox

...
All things being equal, a bigger heavier car is always safer than a smaller car.

Not always, it depends and what sort of crash you have or are trying to avoid. Sometimes momentums your friend, other times the enemy.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by damo76

I drive around in a 82 ford bronco.
Wife 2012 ford focus sports.

I'm pretty jealous to be honest, it would be pretty cool to be roaring about in an 80s Ford Bronco

Except for the fuel $$$

[CoupeKing]

Lets not forget about the people that cant afford two cars, and the only daily they got is a piece of &^%$.

Also while married, buy your wife a car as if you were buying your daughters first car. Aghhh screw it, once divorced she`ll get em both anyway.

[EA2BA]

Wife has a 2011 Ford Fiesta bought new
I have a 2010 Ranger bought 2nd hand

Spent around the same money on both, my problem is I want expensive cars but budgets come into it.

[MrEL]

My wife chose what she drives. The only say I had in it was checking it out to make sure it wasn't a ******* and using my jewish negotiating skills to do the deal.
Im just lucky that she wanted an AU3 5.0 Fairmont Ghia.
Its lowered , exhaust and wheels and Im not allowed to do anything more to it. She is happy , I am happy.
Im actually driving a lesser car then the missus now. I no longer have a V8 at this time...............
But to a point for a change I actually agree with Hulk. It ****** me off to see people cutting corners on safety and maintenance and putting the cheapest chinese tyres on a car because "its just the missus's runabout".
If we are short of coin for some reason and our cars need something doing to them , the wifes gets done properly and no expense spared and mine gets patched up.
At the moment our AU wagon run around has a set of tyres that while are still nearly new treadwise are tragic in the rain.
My wife is under instruction to not drive it in the wet unless its 300% unavoidable.
Just getting over a couple of things at the moment , then it will get some new rubber. Until then Ill take the calculated risk on myself only.

[blueoval]

I tried getting my mrs into a newer car, but she refused to give up her 2005 AH Holden Astra hatch. It has its gremlins, but as long as its safe for her to drive and roadworthy, who am I to force her into something she has no desire to drive?

[baboon]

Originally Posted by NTF6

if you saw the shopping trolley dents, car door dents, bird *****, inside like a rubbish dump

I thought this was just my problem! phew... not alone.....

[jimt3te50]

I'm a bit surprised that I agree with you...

I'd never have a better car than I put my family in. Having said that, "lesser" is a subjective term.

I drive a couple of busted **** Falcons whilst my wife drives a new Audi SQ5. BUT the reason she is driving an SQ5 (which she can't fully appreciate) is for the times when I have to drive it!

[T4ME]

Is it possible somewhere in the world its Saturday now?

[BENT_8]

My wife and I both grew up driving old bombs with no safety features other than seat belts, she had a Datsun 1200, I had a TE Cortina.

Her current daily is the TJ VRX 5sp, but as I have just done the timing belt and rocker cover gaskets and it is in need of a new muffler and clutch, it is off the road for a few weeks.
That leaves us with my CE lancer Coupe or the lads VT Acclaim.

Believe it or not she prefers to whip around in the little manual Lancer than the big auto Commodore.

[buggo]

I think that the fact we're all enthusiasts of cars just means we see more value in a GT/ Euro whatever. And it just so happens you can drive your hobby to work as well.

Your wife might love designer shoes that cost $400 a pair while your kicking about in 8 year old Dunlop Volley's. And your kids might be wearing $60 Billabong t-shirts while your jamming that Lowes shirt from the late 90's while trawling eBay for new parts.

Isn't that unfair too then? It's like your wife eats at a restaurant while your kicking it at Maccas.

I don't think it is, and granted she isn't driving around in a dead set POS, it just comes down to individual wants and desires. Whether it be FPV's, Quicksilver wardrobe or 25 pairs of Luis Vuitton shoes.

[HULK_I6T]

Originally Posted by SgtBourne

When you get a lady (or man) friend in your life Hulk, you may learn that it is best to give them what THEY want, not what you think they should want.

I agree give them what they want...

But I seriously doubt you would both go shopping and you say ill get a FG F6....then the wife says well Ill get an AU forte..

I agree give them what they want but give them the opportunity to have an equal entitlement.. not say ill spend $70,000 on a car and you can spend $5990.

[NTF6]

Originally Posted by baboon

I thought this was just my problem! phew... not alone.....

It's a woman thing, my daughter looks like she lives out of her car, 8 pairs of shoes, left over food scraps and containers, friends clothing, beach towels, all of her mail. I don't want to dirty my pants just to get a lift, I'd rather get a taxi..!!

[XD 351 Ute]

I have a spare car, just gotta buy a missus.............

Ed

[baboon]

Originally Posted by NTF6

It's a woman thing, my daughter looks like she lives out of her car, 8 pairs of shoes, left over food scraps and containers, friends clothing, beach towels, all of her mail. I don't want to dirty my pants just to get a lift, I'd rather get a taxi..!!

I open the passenger side door and BAM a waterfall of coke zero cans bigger then Niagra streams out of the foot well! how the.....?

The rear door grab handle was filled with melted choc candy, my poor phillips head screw driver couldnt take out the screw which holds the handle in the door.. run out of loctite 242? just let choc candy melt and dip the screw in there!. Vice grips on the screw driver works though..... my oh my..

[cs123]

Originally Posted by T4ME

Is it possible somewhere in the world its Saturday now?

Best thing about these threads is that we know the weekend is just around the corner.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by NTF6

It's a woman thing, my daughter looks like she lives out of her car, 8 pairs of shoes, left over food scraps and containers, friends clothing, beach towels, all of her mail. I don't want to dirty my pants just to get a lift, I'd rather get a taxi..!!

The old steroetype is that women are the ones doing most of the cleaning. I believe it's because they make all the mess in the first place.
I hate going in my missus car, feet are resting on a pile of junk in the passenger foot well.
My mates ex was exactly the same. I just don't understand it.

[SB076]

I used to know a girl who drove an old Morris, whilst her hubby had a great car (I cant recall what it was) All I would say is best of luck to whoever thinks they could replace the Morris, a less painful experience would be to stand in the middle of the Collingwood cheer squad wearing opposition colours and give a loud honest assessment of everything you see

[SB076]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Umm I let her own whatever she wants. 4 cylinder buzz box is what she wants.
She absolutely refused to drive my "luxurious v8"
She got the ***** majorly one time we had my car out and I got drunk and she had to drive home. Wouldn't speak to me for the rest of the night.

So let me get this straight, you got to drive your car somewhere, have a good night out and had a peaceful and quiet return journey? You are doing it right

[Alan D Segal]

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

not say ill spend $70,000 on a car and you can spend $5990.

When you split you end up with the $5990 one and she gets the good one trust me. So enjoy it while you're married. I look at it more like a loan after past experiences.

[EA2BA]

My wife hates mess, I actually clean both our cars, only cause I want it done right