And They Send You Off To College .....

[Patrick T.]

Just to gain a little knowledge, but all you want to do is learn how to score!! (Remember that one?)

My 19 year old just came back from college 500 miles away, and the first thing he said to me was, I just completed 2 years of a grueling major getting A's and B's, I'm halfway there, now do you think I'm responsible enough to drive your (99 C-5) once in a while? This sounds like a loaded question. I told him I'd have to think about it.

There must be a lot of you out there who have faced this same question, what did you decide? Whether he drives it or not rests on your opinion. Thanks, Patrick

[Ol'Geezer]

Re: And They Send You Off To College .....

Heck. My kids were driving my corvettes when they were in high school. If I remember rightly, in those years I had a silver '75 conv for the summer and a L-82 silver anniversary (with plates QWIK AG) for the winter. Many years later, the older kid bragged that the '78 would easily hit 100mph. Harruuumph.

I say -- let 'em drive it !! Hey, that older kid just flew 2000 miles to try out my new '00 C-5. And he is now 33 years old. If you want your kid to appreciate a corvette, then you have to let him drive it !!

Geezer


Geezer's Cars

[Duke W.]

Re: And They Send You Off To College .....

Is he willing to pay the delta cost of adding him to the insurance policy as a part time driver. You really can't appreciate something unless you've got some skin in the game! My parents said if I wanted a Corvette I would have to earn the money to buy it, pay for the insurance and all operating costs (They did let me use the garage for "free"), so that's what I did. I've owned the car for 37 years now. It was a good lesson about how life really works in the adult world!

Duke

[Chris H.]

Re: And They Send You Off To College .....

no....

Two more years of good grades and then you can drive. With me. During the day.

I remember being that age and I'd say around age 27 I became mature enough to handle a C5.

Having just sold my 99 I know how potent those things are.

[Juliet P.]

Re: And They Send You Off To College .....

I'm going to insist on all A's before I'll let my daughter drive my Corvette. Of course she's only 5 now so I have a few more years before it's a real issue. But then again, straight A's still might not earn "Put the pedal to the medal" Alexanna the right to the vette keys. If the A's and B's are an improvement and your kid really did bust his butt earning them, maybe a drive with you in the passenger seat might be in order. Don't give in too easy though and milk the situation for whatever you can get out of it! There's nothing like having some leverage device over your kid to keep them in line. But then again a kid with a real appreciation for a corvette and the finer things in life is pretty good incentive for them to do well at school so that they can one day be in that same situation with a brand new corvette in the garage. ~Juliet

[Jerry Clark]

Re: And They Send You Off To College .....

I had to move out of the house before I could even own a Chevy, moved out , bought a 68 , 435 convert, best two things I ever did to enhance my life as a single guy.

jer

[Bill Braun #33186]

Re: And They Send You Off To College .....

Patrick,

Tough call for a father, and completely dependent upon your assessment of his maturity. If you think he's the type to feel the need to show his buds how cool he can be in his Dad's Vette, you're better off saying no. After all, the 'Vette can be replaced, the son can't. Sometimes I think today's kids have it too easy, and could well benefit from the occasional "no" to prepare them for later life. He'll have to get used to it sometime.

Bill

[Bill D.]

Re: And They Send You Off To College .....

Patrick,

Lots of good advice above! My son worked to earn the money to buy his first car, a 69 coupe, when he was 14! He learned the value of money and hard work as he has upgraded the car since then. He has replaced many parts during R&D testing (3 spindles, engine brackets belts & pulleys, etc.) but respects the power and knows how to use it. He has become an excellent driver and has always paid his own expenses (insurance, repairs,...). My son is now 24 and has never had a negative driving experience that was his fault. If your son will take financial responsibility, and you respect each other, give him a chance.

WB

[Bill D.]

OOPS!

Sorry Bill, the above post goes to Patrick! WB

[Jeff]

Child abuse

Having any vehicle of interest, especially an easily replaceable one (C5 qualifies) and letting your kids see it but not drive it is child abuse. If you haven't raised them in a manner that means you can trust him by now, it's over anyway, now you're just waiting to see how that will evidence itself.

You certainly, by paying for the car, have earned the right to make him watch the video and read the owner's manual, take him for the first drive, explain everything you want him to know in person and go along with him for his 'check-out' ride but after that you have to let it go. Folks, especially kids or 'recent' adults, will do what you expect them to do. If you expect someone to be trustworthy you have to trust them.

When I was a kid, a friend had an uncle who lived at a lake and had every toy imagineable. We all used to congregate there and he let every one of drive his boat and his sport car without restriction. The one thing we kids were all agreed on was that no one was ever going to do anything boneheaded to get our priviledges cancelled. In the 10 years we hung there, no one did. Walter treated us like adults and we responded. Now that I live at the lake, all the kids drive the Donzi and the C5.

JP

[Bill Lucia]

Re: And They Send You Off To College .....

Patrick, let him drive it.......but....make him drive it to a meet to see some other cars. Better yet have him drive you to a friends house...one who is in the middle of a frame off. That way he can see how serious (and fun) this hobby is. God forbid he finds someone who lets him drive a brand "P" car and we lose him from the ranks of the Corvette nuts!!!!

regards Bill

[Bill Lucia]

Re: Child abuse

Jeff, well said....I couldn't agree more!!!

regards Bill

[VolVette]

One College Student Pleads for Another..

I'm a 20 year old Engineerning Student and the owner of a '75 Vette and I try my best to be active on this board and when I read this, I had to respond!

PLEASE LET THE BOY DRIVE!

It sounds to me like he's an Engineering major and I know the toils of school these days and how competitive it is! My Dad never owned a Vette and still says that he wouldn't "have my Corvette on his Christmas Tree." (I have no idea what that means.) Last summer, I took my earnings from my Co-Op and bought myself my '75. The idea behind this was not only a means of transportation, but was also to buy a beautiful, collectible Vette that wasn't perfect so that I could learn about the mechanics of automobiles. Great Vette guys and just great guys like Joe Lucia, Duke, etc have taught me so much in the last year and I would also encourage your son to invest in a 'project' Vette so that he begins to respect the C5.

Please extend the trust and responsibility to him and work from there. I know what it feels like to compete in school and to feel that it was unrecognized at home. (I'm a fair Engineer but chances are good that I'll never meet my father's merits) Please reward him and let him know you're proud.

Best of luck,

Stephen (VolVette)

[Jerry Clark]

Re: Child abuse

At the ripe old of 50 is it too late to hang out at your house ? I'd love to play with those toys.

jerry

[VolVette]

Additional Comments....

I am sorry, I feel that I need to address additional issues because my response above neglected to mention some import issues.

1) I have paid for EVERYTHING on owning my Vette, from taxes, insurance, decals, license plates, etc. (There is "no free lunch" at my Dad's house.) Financial responsibility makes one really appreciate the car. I would encourage that there be some sort of financial responsibility such as insurance at a minimum.

2) MATURITY ; good students do not always make responsible drivers. Again, I reemphasize the financial responsibility because it really reinforces the gravity of the situation. I am so fearful of something happenning to my Vette that I drive it more responsibly that I ever drove my Mom's '92 Ford Aerostar.

It's a judgement call but I fear that if the above two comments are in place, he could confuse your holding the keys above him as a lack of respect for what he's acomplished in school whether you intend that or not. (But it sure could make a good "carrot in front of the horse" that can be rationed when appropriate.)

I apologize for the more dramatic responses but with my Engineering curriculum and my exams just ending, I had to vent and stand with the guy. ;-)

Best of luck,

Stephen (VolVette)