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Would you lend your Cali to your kids?

crazygrandad

crazygrandad

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T5 SE 180 4Motion
My kids are 28 and 34 ( not so much kids any more) should I offer up the California for them to holiday in next year as they both keep hinting! Both have been driving since 20 , I am just worried how I would deal with it if they caused any damage?
 
Simple answer No. Something will get broken and you will kick yourself.
 
My kids are 28 and 34 ( not so much kids any more) should I offer up the California for them to holiday in next year as they both keep hinting! Both have been driving since 20 , I am just worried how I would deal with it if they caused any damage?
So, did you have use of your Dads Campervan, if he had one, when you were in your 30s?
I bet the answer was No.

And that would be my answer now.
 
I'd lend mine to my kids even though it's only a couple of weeks old. They're pretty responsible and they would enjoy it. I'm guessing that they won't ask, though.
 
All four of mine are on the insurance so, yes we would. They had great fun with our 1979 Bay and didn't break too much ;-)
 
My kids are 28 and 34 ( not so much kids any more) should I offer up the California for them to holiday in next year as they both keep hinting! Both have been driving since 20 , I am just worried how I would deal with it if they caused any damage?

I’m sure you brought them up well and to be respectful of other people’s property so if anything were to happen I’m sure it wouldn’t be intentional.

Let your kids experience the van life, being able to give them that joy is an honour. After all, it’s only a van! (Gasps from the crowd!):shocked
 
Both my Sons drove Albert but never borrowed him.

I would have no problem if My son wanted to take his children away in Alfie and I would fill it with fuel and deliver it to him with my greatest delight.

It broke my heart for so many years not being able to take my children away on holiday because we were too poor and when some friends lent us a frame tent one year, when my children were about 8 years old, two weeks at Croyde was like having all our Christmas's come at once.

to think of My Grandchildren having that freedom would bring the biggest smile on my face ever and to hell with the van, it's only a van that I will only have for a few years anyway, my children and my Grandchildren will have memories forever.
 
So, did you have use of your Dads Campervan, if he had one, when you were in your 30s?
I bet the answer was No.

And that would be my answer now.
My Dad died when I was 29, but your post got me thinking. He didn't have a camper van, but he enjoyed camping and I think that it would have given him the greatest pleasure to have lent me and my family his camper if he had had one.
 
It's theirs within' time anyway so why do you make a big deal out of it?

Maybe best that we don't have kids :D
 
Our kids have been brought up around campers throughout there lives,having fortnights holidays and weekends away camping in everything from old bay windows with no heating working fridges or mod cons up to our California today .
It’s part of there lives and I’d trust them wholeheartedly to look after it so sure we would be very happy to let them use it....
But I must say to them .NO supermarket diesel :) :) :)
 
My dad lent me his car when I was in my mid twenties....I crashed it.
 
My Dad died when I was 29, but your post got me thinking. He didn't have a camper van, but he enjoyed camping and I think that it would have given him the greatest pleasure to have lent me and my family his camper if he had had one.
We have 5 children, between 30 and 40. All with good jobs, their own houses and all married. They all earn far more than I did at their ages and have seen far more of the world than I had at their ages as I was still working a 1 in 2 On-Call Rota at their age.
We have given them a good education seen them through university and now we are retired we spend our time travelling and visiting them. So, no, I wouldn’t lend the California to any one of them because that would favour one over the other and besides we are using it. They understand that certain things are non-negotiable, My California, My Tool Kit and My Record Collection. They’ll get them in time and until then they’ll just have to be patient or get their own.
 
My dad lent me his car when I was in my mid twenties....I crashed it.
Each of our 4 boys had total right offs of my wife’s runabout over the years. A Mini, Metro, KA x 2.
Only my daughter has never crashed her Mums car.
 
So it seems like the answer is either enthusiastically yes or equally enthusiastically no. I’m not sure you’re going to get much help deciding from this forum.
 
Two of my three sons have borrowed it for occasional weekends. Was I worried? Yes. Did I enjoy watching them drive off in it with their families, something I would have loved to be able to do at their age? Definitely. Did they damage it? Yes- one of them buckled the roof rack when the bikes he was carrying hit a height barrier. Was it fixed? Yes. Would I lend it to them again? Of course I would.
 
My kids are 28 and 34 ( not so much kids any more) should I offer up the California for them to holiday in next year as they both keep hinting! Both have been driving since 20 , I am just worried how I would deal with it if they caused any damage?

Afraid to say there is no right answer and only a decision you can make as there are too many variables.

Mike
 
I’d have to say no....they can’t be trusted not to get food everywhere or pen, ink on things, plus I’d probably get it back and they would have added pink cushions and fairly lights, but that’s 6 year old girls for you.
 
Yes I would. My sons are 25 ( nearly 26) and 23. They are both insured on the Cali and have been driving since they were 17. The eldest has his PCV licence and drove buses for stagecoach whilst at uni.
They can use it on the understanding that it is returned in the same condition. Any breach of that trust and they will not use it again.
It is a vehicle to be used and if they enjoy it then that makes me happy.
 
Very interesting views. In theory yes, 35 and 32 years old should be able and responsible. In practise probably no as I would worry myself sick they might forget to disconnect the EHU or melt the bowl when cooking with no ventilation, hang on, it is only a bloody vehicle albeit a rather capable one. I wonder sometimes if I trust myself!
 
We have 5 children, between 30 and 40. All with good jobs, their own houses and all married. They all earn far more than I did at their ages and have seen far more of the world than I had at their ages as I was still working a 1 in 2 On-Call Rota at their age.
We have given them a good education seen them through university and now we are retired we spend our time travelling and visiting them. So, no, I wouldn’t lend the California to any one of them because that would favour one over the other and besides we are using it. They understand that certain things are non-negotiable, My California, My Tool Kit and My Record Collection. They’ll get them in time and until then they’ll just have to be patient or get their own.

Mr Gas, with you 100% on the record collection, over my dead body!!
 
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