Is this Common?

Wes Bischel

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We own two cars for daily driving. Typically my wife's Saturn is for her use almost exclusively to go to work and errands. My car is the family car so whenever we go someplace together, it is in my car. So that was a long way to say I don't drive my wifes car all that often. Now, the last two times I've driven her car, I have found big problems with the car that really did need attention. LOML's comments always seem to range from "Oh is that what's causing that." to "Well, it kept running, so I didn't worry about it."

Is this normal? Do others spouses and or adult kids work in the same way? Now I need to note that LOML is really, really smart. She holds a PhD in material science and is well respected (and feared by some) for her mental capabilities. I'm just astounded that things that send off warning bells to me have virtually no impact on her. (I think she married me so she would look better.:eek::eek:)

Not a rant or complaint since I've become accustom to it. I'm just more curious as to how prevalent it is.

Wes
 
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I have to say, my Mom would do the same thing to my Dad all the time, my wife is a bit better, as she knows the vans we drive are part of the business, so she schedules the tune ups etc.
 
I think it varies from individual to individual. My wife's brother is like that, not only with cars, but with everything in life it seems. :rolleyes: My wife, on the other hand, is real attuned to any changes in her car, and doesn't hesitate to ask me to look at things if she suspects something's wrong.
 
Yes... Although in all fairness my wife is very diligent about booking her car for services.

Some time ago I needed to use my wifes car for some reason or other. I discovered that all 4 shock absorbers were totally shot. The rear ones were so bad that the bouncing had worn spots on the tires right down to the steel belts. What is really shocking was that the car had been for a service just the week before. I checked the service sheet and "apparently" they had checked the shocks and tyres. There really is no accounting for service these days. Im just grateful I drove the car as my wife was traveling long distance fairly regularly.

I now make a point of driving my wifes car every now and then just to be sure. And I check both our vehicles after every service.
 
My wife is the opposite. She is always complaining this or that is broken on her car. I'll check it out and find everything is OK. But she'll still complain whatever is broken. So, I'll ignore everything she says. And, guess what? Eventually something will really be wrong and I'm big time in the doghouse.
 
Eventually something will really be wrong and I'm big time in the doghouse.

Thankfully, LOML is usually angry at herself for not noticing a problem. I have to temper what I say and do because I am hyper sensitive to all the sounds my car makes. I may elect not to do anything about the noise, but I need to know what it is. Today I get to roll under her car and find the loud banging it's making.:rolleyes::D
I guess it's good to know my wife is more normal (and I'm the aberration:eek:).

Wes
 
Mine is more like Frank's. Often asking me to drive her minivan to check out a noise. More often that not, it's nothing, but she has a tendency to be hard on brakes. She's on her third set of rotors in 5 years. :huh:
 
I remember the time that my ex told me that her car was making a little squeaking sound and had been for a few weeks – it was one of those “oh, by the way” type comments. The following weekend I was installing new rotors & pads in the middle of a nice snow storm. :rolleyes:

Wife # 2 is much better about letting me know when something needs attention.
 
Some really interesting responses!;) It is a head scratcher for me because LOML is so diligent about most things. Oh well, considering the things she puts up with from me, I'm still ahead of the game.:eek::eek:

Oh, I crawled under the car and found the hanger for the muffler let go. It's a stainless exhaust, so I do need to fix it ASAP. Shouldn't complain, it is 11 years old.

Wes
 
My wife is the opposite. She is always complaining this or that is broken on her car. I'll check it out and find everything is OK. But she'll still complain whatever is broken. So, I'll ignore everything she says. And, guess what? Eventually something will really be wrong and I'm big time in the doghouse.
Yep, my wife was the same. She'd hear things I never could find a problem with. But I'm glad she was that way instead of the opposite. Sometimes what she complained about was a real (and sometimes serious) problem. But I usually also drove her car on a regular basis so I had the chance to discover problems for myself.

The difficult situation was when the car was getting older - they'd be problems that either I just didn't want to spend the time on, or they were not serious but a real effort to fix (example: an oil leak from the engine. The leaking seals might be a major effort to replace and I could keep adding oil for a long time.)

This was back when I did my own service.

Mike
 
Mine is more like Frank's. Often asking me to drive her minivan to check out a noise. More often that not, it's nothing, but she has a tendency to be hard on brakes. She's on her third set of rotors in 5 years. :huh:

Nah she's normal...

I can only speak for the two wives I had, but both of them wait to the very second to start applying brakes. Makes me grab the Ohhh Poo handle just over the passengers door when we do this on slippery roads...and here in Maine we have our share of snowstorms.

The other thing I notice most woman drivers do is steer for EVERY pot hole in the road. Once again we have our share of those too. I think the two women I married actually aimed for them.

I learned to drive with my Grandfather. It was not good. I was 15 and was told to drive the truck to Unity, the next bigger town over. When I hesitated I got back-handed. So I drove the truck over to Unity...by myself...while he drove the other truck. The truck...for what it is worth...was a fully loaded GMC General dump truck wheeler loaded with gravel. I had smoke rolling off the brakes when I got to the construction site, but I got it there.

I got back-handed for resting my foot on the clutch while driving. I got back-handed for not steering for a pot hole. I got back-handed for not shifting early enough. Come to think of it, I got swatted a lot growing up. Now here is the big question, am I btter driver because of it, or in spite of it:dunno:
 
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