06-21-2008, 05:25 PM | #1 (permalink) |
Crazy
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Borrowing a car
Hi guys,
Wanted to get some advice/opinions on a situation that arose this week. I went away for a week on business, and my roomate asked to borrow my car when I was gone. I didn't have a problem with this, as long as he paid for any gas that he used up (Damn $1.47/L in Halifax). Now my car is not the greatest or newest, however it is in good shape with not many kilometers. (1996 Honda Civic). Regardless, when I came back he: A) Took the car on a road trip out of province without saying anything (found out from another roomate) B) Car came back with battery shot to shit - would not charge, car would not start. Had to buy a new one today which was 70 dollars. My beef with this, is that he did not offer to pay even a portion for the cost of a new battery. I realize that the battery may have died even if I did not go away and was driving the car, but i consider it common courtesy. My question to you all is this: If you borrow someone's car and it something breaks, who is responsible? What is the etiquette?
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06-21-2008, 07:55 PM | #2 (permalink) |
Psycho
Location: melbourne australia
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You use it you help pay. Something like a battery its just good manners to offer to help buy it, using it for a long trip without prior consent(asking to use it may have given permission by his thinking) is not ok. Learn from this and next time (if it happens) maybe spell out your idea of useage and fair renumeration
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06-21-2008, 08:15 PM | #5 (permalink) | |
Tilted Cat Head
Administrator
Location: Manhattan, NY
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If I sit in the car and play the stereo or leave the lights on when parked, it sure can affect the battery. I was always taught to leave things better than you got them. I'd be offering some money for the battery. Not just because I'd feel responsible, but also because I'd like to use the car again in the future and I'd like you to be agreeable to me using it. As far as the driving out of province, that's also a consideration since well, if I ask to drive your car for the evening it has an assume limit to it. But a road trip? That's a whole different ball game...
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06-21-2008, 11:58 PM | #6 (permalink) |
has a plan
Location: middle of Whywouldanyonebethere
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Make him pay a portion, and never let him use the car again. Cynth is right in my opinion, one usage can kill it. Also, "using the car" and "road trip" are clearly different things. He probably knew that had he told you his destination/intention, you would have objected.
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06-22-2008, 06:04 AM | #7 (permalink) |
Crazy
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Thanks for the responses. I'm not really the type of guy to go up to someone and ask for money. Its just not my style. If he isn't going to offer to pay, then thats fine, however like some of you said - no more car.
I feel like I just want him to offer to help pay, I probably wouldn't even take the money. Its not about money. Its about common courtesy. When I got home all he said was - your car is dead. No apology, nothing. It just irks me a bit.
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"You learn more and more about less and less, until you know everything about nothing." |
06-22-2008, 07:02 AM | #8 (permalink) | |
A Storm Is Coming
Location: The Great White North
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If the battery ws fairly old using it up might be the thing that pushed it over the edge. However, from the OP, there was no info on the age of the battery. It sounded like the big issue was the trip out of the province and the battery issue is a red herring? I can see paying for something he broke but not for something that wears out over time. If the starter went out you wouldn't expect someone to pay for that. And if there weren't any guidelines on driving where, how long, that sort of thing, you're kind of out there when complaining about distance. I for one wouldn't let someone borrow something expensive like a car. Too many things can happen.
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If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy. |
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06-22-2008, 08:45 AM | #9 (permalink) |
Upright
Location: reykjavík, iceland
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from experience (and working at a mechanic´s for a while) letting the battery run down is bad for the battery. he may have left lights on and had to jump the car. i agree with the overall concensus: he´s off the hook since you weren´t too specific but obviously you shouldn´t be loaning him the car again. if he asks why perhaps tell him honestly.
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mother nature made the aeroplane, and the submarine sandwich, with the steady hands and dead eye of a remarkable sculptor. she shed her mountain turning training wheels, for the convenience of the moving sidewalk, that delivers the magnetic monkey children through the mouth of impossible calendar clock, into the devil's manhole cauldron. physics of a bicycle, isn't it remarkable? |
06-22-2008, 01:32 PM | #10 (permalink) | |
A Storm Is Coming
Location: The Great White North
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If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy. |
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06-22-2008, 04:34 PM | #11 (permalink) | |
zomgomgomgomgomgomg
Location: Fauxenix, Azerona
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06-22-2008, 05:01 PM | #12 (permalink) |
Upright
Location: reykjavík, iceland
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iæve seen my fair share of new batteries go bad as well as used.
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mother nature made the aeroplane, and the submarine sandwich, with the steady hands and dead eye of a remarkable sculptor. she shed her mountain turning training wheels, for the convenience of the moving sidewalk, that delivers the magnetic monkey children through the mouth of impossible calendar clock, into the devil's manhole cauldron. physics of a bicycle, isn't it remarkable? |
06-22-2008, 07:15 PM | #13 (permalink) | |
I have eaten the slaw
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Quote:
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06-22-2008, 08:12 PM | #14 (permalink) | |
Insane
Location: left coast
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My snap judgment is that your roommate doesn't owe you anything monetary. As far as I can tell, he didn't do anything to directly cause the battery to fail. I can understand why you'd be reluctant on loaning him the car in the future, but I don't think he's clearly in the wrong here. |
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06-23-2008, 12:19 PM | #15 (permalink) |
Currently sour but formerly Dlishs
Super Moderator
Location: Australia/UAE
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the way i see it he was banging some chick in the back seat of the car while playing the radio. thats what killed the battery.
id get the car cleaned as soon as possible did it smell like sex when you got it back?
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06-23-2008, 12:28 PM | #16 (permalink) | |
Registered User
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He has no responsibility to pay you for the battery.. and.. all you told him was to pay for the gas he used.. well he paid for the gas he used on his road trip.. so.. yeah.. he's not really at fault. If anything, spell out exactly what you want done with the car if you lend it again. |
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06-23-2008, 12:30 PM | #17 (permalink) |
Upright
Location: pretty much directly in the center of North America
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Your room mate is an ass. It was up to him to clarify if he planned to do anything unusual with your car that you might object to. This isn't court. As a friend he should have specified. Who cares if you are legally right or technically right. He took advantage of you.
As for the battery...well, it depends on the type of freind he is. But i guess that's pretty obvious.
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06-23-2008, 02:46 PM | #18 (permalink) | |
Crazy
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Im not in the business of lending things. I did a favor for a roomate because he is my roomate. I had no reason up until this point to not lend him the car. I think it was a goodwill gesture. Granted now I regret the decision but that is life. Live and learn. I keep putting myself in my roomates shoes, and if it was me, I would feel guilty and responsible to help pay towards any damage that the car took while it was under my control. This is why I am frustrated at this situation because he obviously feels much differently than I do. Regardless if it was a battery, a cracked bumper, or whatever, it doesn't matter imho. Sure it may not have been his fault, but if you borrow something do you not accept responsibility for that item? Thoughts? If you borrowed a lawn mower and the thing crapped out, would you feel obligated to replace or repair the mower?
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"You learn more and more about less and less, until you know everything about nothing." Last edited by REDL|NE; 06-23-2008 at 02:50 PM.. Reason: Automerged Doublepost |
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06-23-2008, 02:59 PM | #19 (permalink) |
Mulletproof
Location: Some nucking fut house.
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I agree that there is likely little he could have done to roach the battery just by taking a road trip.
I rarely loan my vehicles and then it is only to someone I would assume would return the favor and will take responsibilty if something goes wrong and it theor fault. Long ago someone told me "Never trust your car or your girl to another man. Either one he will try to throw a rod in".
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06-23-2008, 03:17 PM | #20 (permalink) | |
zomgomgomgomgomgomg
Location: Fauxenix, Azerona
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twisted no more |
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06-23-2008, 04:22 PM | #21 (permalink) | |
A Storm Is Coming
Location: The Great White North
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Quote:
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If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy. |
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06-24-2008, 06:23 AM | #22 (permalink) | |
Registered User
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well, no I wouldn't feel obligated to replace or repair anything unless I caused the problem. when a person borrows something they borrow it in the condition it is in. Granted, when he took it, it had a working battery.. but there's no way to know if the battery would have died on you the same way. Unless he did something really stupid, then he's not obligated to do anything. I understand and see where you're coming from.. but it's kind of pointless to keep going on about it. He didn't offer to pay for it.. so now you know how he is.. don't lend anything out to him again. |
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06-24-2008, 07:50 AM | #23 (permalink) | |
Found my way back
Location: South Africa
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A few adages spring to mind:
Like the OP, I'm not the type to go asking someone for money - if they don't feel compelled by their morals/conscience to help pay for the battery, then I don't want their money anyways. I guess I'm proud like that. So don't borrow him anything again. And if you're lending something to someone again, be sure to stipulate the boundaries or rules. they might think you're full of shit, but at the end of the day, it's your things.
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06-25-2008, 05:50 PM | #24 (permalink) |
Upright
Location: reykjavík, iceland
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heh, i lent my housemate my car when i went back to au for a few weeks and when i got back the car didn´t even have enough petrol to do the drive from keflavík to reykjavík, the handbrake was broken and the windscreen wiper motor made a grinding sound. i always had an excuse each time he asked to borrow my car after that....
__________________
mother nature made the aeroplane, and the submarine sandwich, with the steady hands and dead eye of a remarkable sculptor. she shed her mountain turning training wheels, for the convenience of the moving sidewalk, that delivers the magnetic monkey children through the mouth of impossible calendar clock, into the devil's manhole cauldron. physics of a bicycle, isn't it remarkable? |
06-25-2008, 09:03 PM | #25 (permalink) |
zomgomgomgomgomgomg
Location: Fauxenix, Azerona
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It occurs to me that I didn't post my own story on this: I lent my friend my van with the caveat that the transmission was probably on its way out (being a fine Chrysler product-plus 4th gear was starting to be iffy). With the trans working, I could have sold it for $600.
He drove it for two weeks, and bam, tranny went out. He admitted to racing a couple people (which I thought was awesome/hilarious) which probably didn't help the life of the tranny any. Basically, it blew completely out, so I sold the van as scrap for $300. He was a good friend, it was a component that was going to fail anyways, so I didn't even think of hitting him up for the difference.
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06-27-2008, 05:12 PM | #27 (permalink) |
change is hard.
Location: the green room.
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I've always wanted to borrow a car, especially from my step father, and bring it back after having a mechanic remove the doors. Pull in and toss him the keys with a very nonchalant "thanks bud" and walk into the house.
It would be worth the price.
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06-28-2008, 07:47 AM | #28 (permalink) | ||
The sky calls to us ...
Super Moderator
Location: CT
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If I borrowed a car for a week I'd wash and wax it by hand and return it with a full tank of gas. For longer than that I'd probably shampoo the carpets and change the oil (which I would also do myself.)
Returning a borrowed car with a dead battery and no gas just isn't cool. Quote:
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borrowing, car |
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