I was just curious if some of you find yourself driving differently because of the $$$ that you spent on your car. I Have heard of people with 100k+ cars that drive them just as hard as one that costs $20,000. I've seen some hang back far because of abuse to their graphics. I know i don't like to drive other peoples cars (even when they ask me too) because of the risk of damaging it, however i never think that of my own.

This question is really for those of you who have had both a $20k buggy and a $70k buggy.

This question came to my mind as i have spent countless hours on the mods to my SU 2 seater (like 25hours on a custom exhaust system) it makes me think about what a great loss if i worked my car over but even with all the time spent (or $$$$) I think I will drive just the same.

John

When I am out in the dunes I completely forget about the money I spent on the car, the mortgage, the kids, the business, the ex-wife, the wife to be, the dog................who cares, every day is a bonus

I am curious too and will be very interested in reading the replies in this thread. I think the answer will be they drive it like they stole it no matter what it cost.

I drive my LT harder than I did my beam car.

NO

The only buggy I had access to in the beginning was a standard travel 2 seat beam car with a bone stock 1600 single port and stock geared type 1 trans! I drove it hard but not in excess of it's capabilities. It wasnt mine and I didnt want to tear it up. I consider myself a very aggressive driver but not abusive (my quad may beg to differ...).

Now, I'll drive my buggy like I stole it (qualifies for the 70+ range). I spent the money on a strong motor, great trans, bypass, and beadlocks for a reason. I couldnt care less about a nice paint job (not that it has one right now ). I know parts are going to break, it's part of the game.

Based on how often you see those $100K cars in the dunes, rather than sitting at olds, I would assume they would drive the cheaper car different...they drive them...

Come on! Sometimes they sit at the drags too.

I remember 5-10 years ago everybody seemed to race each other--pride wasn't an issue. I think that a lot (not all) of them won't race the drags or hill because "what if they lose with a $70k car." so yes i think they drive (or participate) differently based on the price of their cars.

I realize some would rather not shoot the hill or the drags because of all the mayhem and the crowds--and that's o.k. too.

Yep, I drive alot different, I spent the extra cash on a Funco, now I can drive twice as fast because the thing handles so b*tchin!!!!

i drive the LT alot harder then the old cars that is why i biult it to beat it .its only $40,000 car

scu lilbro honda 48000.00 drive it as hard as you want

translated-"Little Brother Car", at first glance of the word it looked like you were going Spanish on us

John

I drive my lt super car like I stole it every time, I did not make a high dollar purchase to be have a camp queen, I wanted the best avalible and the strongest ,and also ya have to look good ! cars break, it doesnt matter if it is a 5g car or a 200g car things happen and we just dont hope it will be a high dollar item every time. I'm just glad to have purchased a car that can run sand and hardpack. For a while I thought I should have just built 3- 50g cars ,but they just wouldnt be the same as 1 super car. so I will continue to drive er like I stole er !

i drive mine pretty hard when i'm in the sand. I try to hold back a little when i'm at the hill or the drags because thats two places that i DO NOT want to break down at. i also dont rly take mine in the desert, cause i HATE scratches and dings.

A 10k car can be just as a financial stretch as the guy who owns a 100k car. Depends on the owners income.

My Banshee might just be a little cheap toy for some of you but it was a major purchase for me.

I had the cheap one.... drove it like I stole it when it ran properly. New spendy car is being driven even harder because it has better stouter components. Don't abuse them.. but aint skeered to drive them either.

Drive it as hard as you can and still get into camp under your own power! That's the balance, anyone can break things and everyone will eventually. Just take lots of pictures of the shining new car cause if you DRIVE it, it won't stay new for long.

If you cant afford to drive it hard then you cant afford to own it.

I drive it hard but always have to keep the budget in mind. I can't afford to be breaking all of the time or it will be sitting. Bumping the HP this summer and I'm already starting to worry about my 2D holding together.
This last season I hit a jump and the rear wheels hit first slapping the front end down. I got out and was sure that it broke something. ( Neck was extremely sore for a few days). She was good to go but I did go beyond the limits. When your out there adrenaline gets going and it sure is easy to forget what it would cost to fix.

I'm very careful when I drive mine. I got $10 G's into this thing so I'm in no hurry to beat it up. I rarely change out of first gear for fear I might hurt the tranny. I'll putt it out to the drags (just to watch) or out to Patton Valley (using the Sand Highway of couse), but I'm very slow because I don't want the powdercoat to get dulled. I spend about 40 hours cleaning it after every trip, if you think I'm gonna drive this thing THROUGH the dunes and throw sand everywhere, you're crazy! But, that's just me.

on my old beam car i went out to see whjat i could break. when i build my lt i will do the same with that.

on my old beam car i went out to see whjat i could break. when i build my lt i will do the same with that.

The first couple of days on a trip drive like you borrowed it. The last two days drive like the bank is gonna take it back when you get home...................Fix and Repeat....................

I beat the "S" out of everything I own. Drive it or sell it. I did learn a lesson however. When it makes noise stop. That extra day of driving wasn't worth the cost. Don't drive it till it explodes.

I changed my driving a little after I learned what breaks my stuff, I used to jump in and out of olds and hammer it thru the whoops mutiple times each time we would run by the hill, broke alot of ring/pinions, I dont do that any more, I prefer the dunes and my r&p will make 2 seasons, but in the dunes I dont think we hold back too much..

Ive been able to drive vw buggies to SCU rails. i dont own one. just my 450. I treat everyone's car with great respect. If I did own one of these fine rails, I'd drive it to its capable limit. not the extreme limit. (drove the SCU little hard and fast g.f. was scared) I want to be able to enjoy the whole weekend driving it. not changing a tranny or repairs due to broken parts. no one like to be back at camp with a broken toy.

I also drive my car hard at times, but also try not to push it to the extreme so that I can enjoy the whole weekend driving instead of turning a wrench.

I just sold the $30K buggy and the $70K buggy is being built. I upgraded because I wanted to go faster, which usually means you're hitting everything harder. Breaking sucks and it does happen to everyone but I would rather drive hard and fast for two days than nurse it for 3. With that being said I'm still an advocate of driving hard without being overly abusive. If it's your buggy....drive it as fast or slow as you want....different strokes for different folks

I drive my $70k car harder than I did my $40k car. One reason is because I have more suspension and the car sucks it up better so I go faster. I still broke my tranny, but that is part of the game.

The only thing taht the $$$ has to do with the way I drive is that now that I have spent the BIG $$$ I feel that I can go at any pace and not hurt the car. With the old screaming German I drove that car way over its limits, and broke it numerous times. New LT car with lots of HP ahven't broke yet. Same driver and driving styles. PS. No matter how much I have spent I always like to run the hill, or the drags its jsut the thrill of a race.

True that

Just like duneflyer said you know what your car is capable of doing,if you drive your car enough you know where that limit is.My first car was a vw beam sand limo and I took it too it's limit all the time and that's not too far,from what my sand winder does.

I am still trying to find my limit. First car (35K) jumped it out of Comp in 3rd and bent up the front end and busted the tranny, several times. As for the new car (75Kish) I drive it harder but am still trying to find the sweet spot, having fun but not breaking it.

- J

what adds up real quick is fixing tranies and it also can take time getting it rebuilt the guys that are showing off at olds, the drags or sand highway are the ones that are always having problems. if your just dunning your less likely to eff somthing up IMO

I know a lot of people that wont push it because of how much money they have spent on their car. Nothing wrong with that. They dont want to mess up the paint or the bling. You wont ever see me driving any different because of cosmetics. Replacing major components every trip get old and expensive. I push it till it breaks and then back it of a hair.

I'm thinking you wouldn't have a choice at that point. LOL

I have no "hair" so what should I do ???\

I just won't back off (nothing to measure by)

John

I drive harder when I have more money in savings. No issues on how much up front it costs.

I don't have a rail, but come September I will. One thing I learned from the US Army was the more you babied equipment, the more it broke down. The more you used it as it is designed and tested to be used, the less it broke down and in fact performed really well. I will have to find my comfort zone of things I will do with the rail and how fast I will go or how high I will jump, but the price of the car will not stop me from finding that comfort zone. I will use it, within my abilities, as it was designed to be used.

I drive everything hard... A friend of mines wife told me at Olds one day after I raced duner21 up the hill about 6-8 times that I am going to break my car. I told her "I know". She said you do? I said yup, that is why I bought it. It is an SCU and after 10 trips of driving like that it hasn't broke yet. I am not going to find some wood to knock on because it will probably break the next time I look at it.

COme on John. You still have a few left on the sides.

It took me a lot of time and hard earned money. The only thing that makes me not drive it like Bat out of hell is if some one is with me and is scared. Its only a 2 seater. If you aer not my Girl then you don't ride. Its just a don't want to be responsible for any one but me thing.

Drove my last car so hard fatigued it and finally it broke after 6 seasons.
Could of kept modifying it/strengthening the welds because I loved it but wanted a newer safer bigger and more suspension car.


Driving this one a bit more careful UNTIL I know it... but not the motor.. working that thing to death to get it where I want it. Getting a new block now!

But it's an off road car- meant to be driven hard and meant to cost to fix it.

So if it breaks it gets fixed. It is my passion and one thing I love to do..so it's worth it to enjoy it. When I die.. it is going with me!

Now my Lexus LS460L drive that one as a cruiser... has 20's on it and don't want to ruin those! ha ha.