5 Tips For Lending Your Car To a Friend

Posted by at 20 July 2017, at 12 : 41 PM

5 Tips For Lending Your Car To a Friend

If you’ve got a car, there’s always a chance that somewhere down the line a friend will ask if they can borrow it for a trip. It might be something as glamorous as a road trip or as routine as driving to see their family in the next city over; it doesn’t matter. In the end, they’ll be in control of your vehicle, and it’s not a straightforward decision to make. Below, we offer five pieces of advice to ensure your car stays in tip-top condition.

Find Out Where They’re Going

It doesn’t matter why they want to borrow your vehicle, but it is important where they’ll be taking it and for how long. There’s a big difference between driving from one town to the next along a quiet country road, and going on a four-day road trip in a city or terrain they’ve never been before. If they’re taking your low-riding muscle car to the mountains for example, then, you might want to say no: that is not the place for a muscle car. If they want to take your vehicle to a place that you wouldn’t take your car, it should be an automatic no.

What Will Happen If Something Goes Wrong?

Even if they’re going somewhere where things are unlikely to go wrong, it’s important to figure out what will happen if there is an incident. Do this before they go, because things can get messy if there’s an issue and there’s no procedure in place. If there is an incident, it’s acceptable to request that your friend is in charge of taking it to the auto repair garage and all the associated costs. They should be aware that the risk and liability of the vehicle is entirely on their shoulders.

Prepping the Vehicle

If you do agree to hand over your keys, make sure you take some time to prep the vehicle so that it’s in tip-top condition before they depart. This has two benefits. For one, if you hand over a vehicle that’s in perfect condition, you’re setting an expectation for how they should return the car. Second, a car that is in good working condition is less likely to have an accident or any other problems. You’ll be handing over a car that has no issues; if one arises, it’ll be on your friend’s shoulders.

A Walk Through

Your car will have quirks that can take some getting used to. In any case, all cars have different ways to turn on the lights, open the doors, lock the car, and so on. When you give your friend the keys to the car, make sure you have a thorough walkthrough. Don’t expect them to figure things out on their own.

Don’t Be Afraid To Say No

A car can be your pride and joy, and it’s understandable that you might not feel comfortable letting another person drive it, even if they are a friend. Don’t ever feel cornered into saying yes: if you’d rather not let your car go, then say no. It can be a bit uncomfortable, but it’ll be the right decision.

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