LehmanZ06

I think I might be stupid.....

I am out of town for like 3 weeks on a business trip....

My 2000 mile 997.2 GT3 is sitting in the garage, and I asked my 17 yr old daughter if she could start it up. She asked if she could take it to her public High School...(a good school in South Florida)...she's a Senior and has her own spot in the Senior Lot, the Seniors get to decorate them as they like.

It's just a 7 mile trip each way...some Interstate 595. She's a pretty good driver, but not a racer. She has autocrossed with me like over 12 times, and has driven my ASP vette with 400 rwhp. On a 34 second course she was like 4 seconds slower than myself in the Corvette.

She knows to go slow over a possibly small speed bump in the lot, and to use the lift. I told her to take it easy. I figure you only live once and she will remember it for her whole life. Hopefully everyone will be cool in the Senior Lot.

Note: She has driven my M3, and Shelby Mustang to School before, and she drove my S2000 the other day to school for the same reason. She daily drives a 2009 WRX.....(all stick shift cars).

I told her to call me when she gets to school, and then when she leaves school (hopefully no one will mess with the car...fingers crossed !)...and when she gets home.

David

MiltonBeeswax

I was raised to be trusted until I proved otherwise, and was allowed to drive all of my dad's most precious toys. I support your choice and think it is fine. I might have been more explicit regarding letting someone else take a spin... You're a good father who believe in, and respects his daughter. Who could ask for more. Good for you.

PogueMoHone

+1

No car is more important than any child....and to share your possessions with them is the ultimate recognition of their maturity and your faith in them. It may take years for them to recognize it, but your gesture will pay back in spades in the future.

chopperzz

Without knowing what other influences that she may have (boyfriends mostly) it's very hard to support this decision, sitting on the sidelines.
While its very easy to trust your own daughter and you've clearly spent time with her in your family car culture, 3 weeks is an eternity.

Ask yourself this, when you were in school what would you have done to get your *** in the seat of a comparable car to your GT3?
Would you have been more friendly to the 17 year old princess that's had a crush on you for over a year, if she showed you the keys to her dad's (enter appropriate circa car here)????

Can you trust every senior boy in her school?
My grandma used to say, "a fool and his money is soon to part"

P.J.S.

sounds skilled enough
should be no problem as I am sure she has a good head on her shoulders

watch for sharks in the water after if you know what I am sayin :-)

LehmanZ06

No boyfriend at the moment but a lot of friends.
Very few of her friends drive stick....and NONE of them could handle the GT3.

Just hope she doesn't stall the car (I have numerous times and it's embarrasing...stiff clutch, and you need to remember to hold it a little extra in a parking lot manuver)....I am no national champion driver, but I am driving out to Lincoln later in the week from Phoenix, (but I live in Florida...long story)....for the solo national championships....will see Rad out there.

Also worried about a small speed bump possibly or two...but on the plus side no steep driveways.

Once when I asked her to drive the GT3 with me in the passenger seat..(because of a glass of wine that had been consumed by me....well I let her get on the throttle after paying at a toll booth....she likey.....but she knows NOT to do that when she drives......

A boy I would doubt more...Testosterone and all that.

I didn't drive in HS...I rode the bus, and had a bicycle. Took the driving test at 16, and failed parallel parking in my Mom's Caprice Classic Station Wagon...duh..

And now driving is my hobby...go figure

911SLOW

Very well said.

And may I add that it doesn’t really matter if the gesture is paid back. You did the right thing and I don't mean giving the car but raising a child that you can actually really trust to give the GT3 to.

John

VERBOTN

@Lehmanz06

Fantastic, I had similar experiences growing up with my parents and parents friends always tossing me the keys to some serious cars (comp to current RS and italian gt's). Never had an issue, it was a measure of trust something apparently I had earned and validated.

BTW the RS is a great car for teen- only 2 seats. Studies are fairly consistent the fewer people in a car with a teen the safer it is. If it didnt have too much "spoiled rich kid" associated with it I would opt for a caymen for my soon to be teen driver.

911rox

Agreed completely... sounds like you've done a great job parenting and certainly done a great job teaching her car control... Your lack of hesitation in allowing her to take it speaks volumes for the trust and respect you have for her... good on you!

Electric Lizard

It sounds like you should be very proud of your daughter and how you raised her. That said, while you realize your above statement to be true, teenagers believe that they can do anything.

ohdavey6286

Your daughter auto-x's and drives a WRX? Awesome! I hope that if I ever have children they share the same passion for automobiles as I do. Otherwise I am going to "accidently" forget them on a third world country vacation.....

brim

You're a pretty cool dad! I think she'll be fine, but I would have stipulated that she is the only one to be in the car to avoid temptation to show off when you have a ride along.

roberga

She will cherish the trust you have in her to make right decisions. When I was a kid I was t boned by someone while driving my Dad's car. 56 Chevy (not new)... after the police and tow trucks left he threw me the keys to the other car. I dropped him off at home and went out for the rest of the evening until my routine curfew. Good job Dad.

SeanR

This will be a memory she will cherish. At least I would hope so.

Back in 1987, after much begging, my dad let me drive his Turbo to school, once. Very fond memories of that.

chago996

All gave great advice. I think that if you are going to be away for that long, I would wait until you get back and then give her the keys a couple of times. That gesture in itself gives the great message of trust, but having her have it alone for so long is perhaps too much for a 17 yr old, but if mom is around, then its a different story. Plus all those boys around. I would want my child to be recognized by who she is and not by what she drives. Best