I love sharing the love for my 85 300TDT with friends, but I absolutely won't loan it out to anyone. I'll let them drive it as long as I'm in the car. Is that nutty? Or are there others? heh

I do however loan it to family members and one close friend.

Eric

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1995 E320 Sportline Wagon "Bernard"
black on black leather

http://i.imgur.com/BdZ7jM3.png

I will sometimes offer to let people drive my car, but that depends on the person - I won't make that offer to just anyone. And I've had a couple people whom I trusted actually turn me down because they were afraid to drive it.

I will never, ever, ever let someone valet park my car.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

my car has a 5spd manual transmission. When I absolutely have to leave it with a non-Benz mechanic (e.g. for emissions testing), I leave instructions for how to place it in reverse (because it is not apparent to a non-benz person how to do it).

YES! valet parkers are HORRIBLE. i live in a very historic part of richmond, VA. there's a fancy hotel nearby that valet's all the cars into a parking garage. the kids that drive these cars are nuts. frequently i see them peeling out in the parking garage- they love getting to drive all these fancy show boats.

while valet parking is nice, i don't like it either, just a lack of trust. is there a classy way to turn them down?

eric

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1995 E320 Sportline Wagon "Bernard"
black on black leather

http://i.imgur.com/BdZ7jM3.png

Inevitably once in a while some one else drives my cars, its like getting my nails pulled out. I dunno its just that there is this zen btwn myself and the cars and I feel that it takes a while for the forces to settle down once I am back behind the wheel!

Valet parking, been there and loved those machinas, took one autocrossing with the owners full knowledge! and permission (2002 tii) (One crazy/cool dude). As for me and fancy valet parking, I'd rather walk than turn me keys over!

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Diesel-Lover
STABLEs STAR MEMBERS
190, 220-Missgreatly
E300D95-Smoothassilk

My wife gets to drive it. (She's had fewer accidents and tickets than I have). My kids can drive it if I or my wife are in the car. They actually drive really well too. My son is very nervous when he's driving it tho. (He knows he's replaceable. The car isn't )
That's it! Everyone else can just ride in it. No food allowed.

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past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

My wifes drives about 1/3 the time, but not if I am in the car too. As for anyone else driving, I don't even like anyone else riding in my car.

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Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired

Always wondered why the heck they needed such a darn stiff spring on those knobs. And why no one ever came up with some kind of aftermarket switch

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past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

If I know I can trust the person, I will let them borrow the car. There's only a couple people that fit that bill, though (my girlfriend, my mom, my dad before he lost his license due to vision, two friends). However, if I'm in the car, I'm driving it unless I'm too tired on a long trip, another person needs to drive it for some reason, or someone really wants to (and then only for a short distance). I get very jumpy and nervous if I'm in a moving vehicle and not driving it.

I will also give clutch driving lessons in my truck to anyone who wants to. However, there are only two people who are currently living who can "properly" drive the truck; the clutch is very stiff and hard to engage smoothly.

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2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver
1991 Ford F-350, work in progress
1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual
Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D
Spark-free since 1999

I let basically anybody I trust drive the 91 300D. Actually, I usually have somebody else drive it on the weekends, because it is a nice car to take out and I don't drink and drive. It's not hard to find a sober friend who wants to drive me and my friends around in my Benz.

I"m not picky about letting people drive my cars. They are just machines, and they are for the enjoyment of everybody. No reason to be stingy. I must admit, though, I would never let my mother drive any of them. Her track record is just too scary.

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Ben

The MBs:
1976 300D (W115) - 330K and still going (sort of)
1991 300D 2.5 Turbo - Sold at 221K
1983 280SEL - Sold at 206K
1981 300SD - Sold at 232K

I generally do not let others drive my vehicles unless on a trip and I'm too tired to drive anymore. There are only one or two others that I'll even consider letting borrow one of my vehicles. Even then, it will usually be a last resort.

Within my immediate family (my parents and my sister, but she's only 14) we have 7 cars but only three and a half of them are exclusively mine: the diesel, an MGB, a BMW 330Cic and sometimes (hence the half) I take the LandCruiser out on extended loan. I'll really only let people borrow the Land Cruiser and BMW because they're simple to drive. I'd have no problems letting people take the diesel but very few know how to start it, and even fewer can get used to the bizarre non-linear acceleration, turbo lag, shift lag, etc. The MGB, because it is British, is constantly flirting with breakdown, so only I use that. But, I'll let my friends take the BMW or Toyota for days if they'd like.

Alex

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1983 300D (parked for four years)
2012 VW Sportwagen TDI Manual
2001 Miata SE
1962 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside

Family and highly trusted friends drive the C230. A few more the 190E 2.6. Anyone that I knew would bring it back can drive the Mazda 626.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

I do..

if he/she is a good driver then I would let him/her drive it by him/herself.

If not I usually sit in the passenger seat.

In fact I'll probably leave my car's keys to a friend of mine to let him take care of it when I go home this summer.

not many people really ask "can I try your car?" though...

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2008 BMW 335i Coupe

No one but my wife or I drive the Benz's and I only let her because......well you know.I'd even let a thief drive the Stang though,hint,hint.

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Democracy dies in darkness, you have to kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight