Frylite

This isnt about Fuel costs and all the other crap i just want to know how do people use their subaru every day and not worry about it getting scratched, keyed, dented etc etc.

I want to use mine as a every day car and sell my run around but i dont know how i would cope knowing its sat in a public car park maybe i am to OCD with it but if i saw some one hit it with their car door i know i would probably die a little in side. If i keep it in the garage for the rest of my life whats the point in owning it?

How many guys here use it on a everyday basis and if so what condition do you manage to keep it?

d4vidh

My wife uses our WRX Bugeye everyday but to be honest its bodywork is not a minter. I think it really depends on its value to you. Ours was only a £2k car but had it been a £12k car I would be telling the missus to be a bit more careful with it.

Frylite

The car is 10 yrs old so it has stone chips but no dents or scratches. I have parked it to go watch a movie and all i could think was please end so i can go see if my car is ok....

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

i couldnt leave my baby in car parks with the local door dingers. so its not my everyday car.

it does live in a garage when not in use but gets driven often in the summer, if im not going to leave it in a public carpark etc ill take it.

stevie1982

iTrader: (16)

End of the day it's just a bit of metal. The way I look at it is the more I use it the more miles I cover the more value for money I'm getting out if it. You could do half the miles I do but end up with twice as many scratches and dents, just depends on others around you and that is completely out of your control so you may as well save the running costs of two car ie tax, insurance and the money saved keep it for a yearly trip to a dent specialist

Enjoy the car mate, it's why we buy them

Frylite

This is my thoughts. Sod it i would rather enjoy it now while i can afford the fuel than wait for it to hit £2.00 a litre and think to my self dam i missed my chance.

honeybadger

i'm showing this to the wife as proof that i'm not the only one concerned about my car's well being.

she often throws the line : "it's JUST a car..."

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

it depends if you bought it as an everyday car though, mine was never bought for that it was bought to modify and take to shows and use on track days, i have been modding it over a number of years and this is my hobby, a lot of the time it is in pieces as i try to do all the mods myself in my garage.

Frylite

Tbh i just bought it to enjoy the car (power handling etc) But i like to keep it looking pristine. Dont want some jelous waster who cant afford one with his giro to go and ruin it.

Also people who say it is just a car need clubbing over the head....every one has somthing they like that could be described as just a (............)

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

only way to keep them like that is garage them and little use, but if its your only car thats not practical.

if it is your only car as said above just enjoy it and accept it will get dings and stone chips.

Frylite

I usd to have 2x cars the scoob and a run around fiesta but this year i got a mortgage. so tbh cant afford to have a spare car so its a choice of using the subaru as a every day car and enjoy it or put it away and hope in coming years petrol isnt gonna be 5 quid a litre lol

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

if your not going to use it and just leave it in a garage to sit then whats the point??


i wouldnt keep mine if it was just going to sit and not be used or modded

Frylite

I just realy realy like it lol *shrug* i know the bugeye prodrives might not win any beauty contests but still...

speedking

Every day driver. Loads of little scrapes and dints by others as it is parked in public car parks. Wheels were mint but I have added a couple of little scrapes. Dropped some equipment on the front wing and made a deep 1cm diameter dent in the top. I'm more of a function over form type of person so I don't think its worth fixing because it will only get damaged again soon.

Frylite

My dad is a perfectionist if he buys anything he will keep it looking the same untill he sells it. i need to learn to let go. my idea of showroom example is very different from 90% of people on auto trader.

speedking

Start by parking in public car parks, loading lawnmowers in the boot, carrying bikes on a roof rack, towing, putting overlong objects through the ski-hatch, giving teenagers lifts back from hikes, etc., you'll soon get the hang of it.

bikesforme

Just use it mate thats what it for, even if i had the money for a second car i will not buy another car. You can always touch up the paint work with matched spray paint for any marks.
I touched mine up today, was alittle windy but be ok with a 1200 rub down and polish, just got it done before the rain, british weather.

steverashi

iTrader: (1)

I use mine everyday and it gets to me everytime I notice a new dent from some gimp that cant control the doors when they park next to me. I have a dent in the back wing from a 4x4 door, a lovely 2" dent in the rear driver side door where someone pushed there door hard into mine and a new one on the front driver side wing from the same thing.

People nowadays have no respect for other peoples property and it really annoys me. The wife is understanding when I get annoyed but its the cost to repair thats painfull. To remove all the dents and scratches is going to cost me over £200. I'll do it because its a black car and when its polished all the marks show up. I've now started to park over two bays in the far end of the car parks to try and limit how often this happens.

I wouldn't stop using at my daily drive as thats the reason I bought it, to drive. Cars are for driving and not being kept in a bubble. A guy near me has a mint mk1 Escort that never leaves his garage, whenever I go past I see it with crap piled all over it and wonder whats the point of him having it.

bikesforme

Repair it yourself, solid colours so easy to spray, even if you get it wrong some elbow grease will put it right.

steverashi

iTrader: (1)

Its not a solid colour. Its the black with the gold flake in, thinks it Black Mica?? Not sure

bikesforme

Mine is basecoat silver, so yours would be a metalic basecoat black, has long has the basecoat colour goes on without runs ,sags the clearcoat can be sanded and compound good if you get it wrong.
Get a cheap can of a metalic colour and practice, you be amazed on what you save, and repairs you need you will beable to do yourself.

Frylite

To the guy who sprayed his silver car. I tried to respray my fiesta and had no problem with the colour match etc but the lacquer was the pain to get to blend with no visual mark.

bikesforme

Instead of masking a stright line of tape around repair, roll tape over so paint will bounce off not leaving such a line. Also going over the whole job with a can of spray thinners will blend it in , or you can 1200 the repair untill no shinny dots are present when you leather it, then just compound and polish it good. Leave the paint for a week if you going to do it with the last method tho, gives it time to fully harden, unless you have a spray oven lol .

sovietspybob

iTrader: (3)

I used to use my scooby as a daily driver for about a year till i got sick of the running costs and got a diesel commuter.

Mine did pick up quite a few stone chips and general dings but im very much function over form so it didn't bother me atall as for my its there to get thrashed and not looked at, and plus mines a 7 year old car now so not that bothered if it picks up a few dings here and there. Just dont think there's a way to have an every day car looking perfect or you'd lose your mind worrying about it.

R12CYS

Use mine daily, but we use the wifes for shopping ect... Only do about 7k a year max so no issues really

xcore

I use mine 40 miles a day and atleast 150 at the weekends, cars are there to be driven imo, and my scoob was only 1500 so no real loss if it gets dented etc

mnem1c

iTrader: (4)

Ive used my Impreza for over 4 years as a daily driver. 20 mile round trip to work each day, country lanes Use the car mate! My car is 18 years old. If something goes, replace it with something better

Jammedsix

I use mine daily,obviously think about where you park etc .using it once a week or daily if it's gonna get hit,dinged etc it's gonna happen wether you use it once a month or every day....that's life and **** happens...it will not stay pristine for ever and your not benifitting from it....don't be one to sit in your garage for x hrs a day looking at it and thinking should I go out ,na it might get scratched etc....get it used mate...

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

My green classic stays in the garage and now does under 2000 a year and I take it to work on a Sunday as its treat it's got 60 k on since I got it new 12 years ago
My wrxd is my every daycommuter car and does about 12000 a year and lives in the garage

My every day other car is Honda accord S which is 9 years old and is immaculate as my parents have given up driving and we ferry them about for shopping and days out etc and we do about 6-8 k a year with it and use it for the tip runs etc

Stevesbluewrx

iTrader: (4)

Mate, just use the car. I use mine everyday except when I am on nights as I get use of the wifes car.

I had a winter mobil a few years back that I used when it was utter crap weather. I used my car when it was sunny out side (winter sun ans crisp weather) but also I pay for my wifes car etc.

I was running x3 cars and didn't save anything, so personally since then I thought "Sod it" it have AWD , 4 doors etc why not use it everyday.

People on here even my own family and inlaws and my local club/clubs seems to think I never use my car etc which confuses me and my wife to the point it ****s me off.

OK, do what I do. I budget for £40 each month damage that could occure to the car at work, car parks etc ( Dent removal etc) . If I save that £40 then I spend it on the wife or the kids. Simple. Give the car a regular wash down too and if you find some scratches simply polish over them ASAP.

I give my car its treat by giving it a full detail every year.