Cheeky neighbours?

[LittleBlackHat]

My neighbour has just called my DP and asked if he could take his children and mother to the airport next week as they (neighbours) will already be away. It's a 120 mile round trip. However the neighbour has asked to use the 7 seater. Which is my new car I've had less than 2 weeks. It's not brand new but it's new to me and it cost me a lot of money. He agreed to this on the phone and then came to ask me and I've said no. I don't want my family car being used a taxi. My partner thinks I'm being unreasonable. Do you?

Take your car to a friend or parents house the weekend before and leave it there until they leave. Tell them its broken down and at the garage.

I would suspect his annoyance is more that he said yes without thinking and is now regretting it and has to back down with the neighbour. If you had agreed then at least he would save face.

And you are not being selfish for saying no either

Lol. What giant extremely fuel efficient car are you driving that you can get 600 miles on one tank? Or is that 2 tanks for £20 each? Ours is pretty efficient but only goes about 300 miles on the tank and it’s around £65 to fill up.

I can get 600 (and 20ish) miles from a full tank in my car, driving "normally" (ie not attempting to save fuel or anything). It averages 55mpg and that's an average since I've had the car (it cannot be reset it just varies itself over time). The "real time" mpg goes up to about 65-70 at a constant motorway speed. I've even tested the accuracy and easily drove from South Somerset to Edinburgh and back on a full tank of fuel with 3 adults, 1 dog and a boot full of luggage.

It's just a bog standard 2011 1.6l diesel ford focus, not an eco warrior car or anything. Well used too, it's got almost 250k on the clock. I drive a lot.

Did they offer petrol money?
If your DP thinks it’s the right thing to do then it’s good on him but he can take his car.

Perhaps dh said..sure l can do that and dws car will be best as it has so much room. Now he is embarrassed to pull back.
Just do it. My dh would easily do that as spinning up and down to the airport is no big deal to him. I couldn't careless if he did it every week as long as l hadn't to drive. Ye may need neighbours in an emergency some day so ye will have a big favour owing.
My bils life was saved by his neighbour when he had a heart attack and they were only ones around...CPR/ defib/ ambulance ...everything.
Maybe have word with dh about offering your car without checking.

I'd do it.

You say they are nice people/good neighbours and assuming that it isn't really inconveniencing you it's a nice thing to do.

These things come around eventually and you never know when you might need a favour in the future.

Depends how close your friendship with the neighbours is. I have one very good neighbour who I’d be happy to help out if she paid the petrol money. The rest aren’t close enough for me to do big favours.

Why can't they pay for a taxi? CFs.

YANBU. He shouldn’t have agreed to it without speaking to you first.

You’re busy that day and need YOUR car!

You what?

No!

I'd do it for a neighbour who I had a friendly relationship with. As long as I wasn't already busy. I would expect them to offer fuel money though!

It's neighbourly, isn't it?

Have they offered to pay you the going rate for an airport taxi?? I probably would consider it if it made me some money.. but i am broke right now

I can get 650 miles from a tankful of diesel quite easily. I take DD1 to & from uni with all her stuff including lots of books & musical instruments. It's around 230 miles each way depending on which route we take and I certainly don't hang about. My car is a 1.6 VW Touran.

The 120 miles depends on where you live and the sort of driving it is. I live in a rural part of Devon. To take DD1 to Bristol airport in the August took me around 90 minutes but I allowed extra because the M5 can be a nightmare. Most of the journey was on the M5 & A38 (70 & 50 or 60mph limits). If it is a journey of 120 miles on 40mph roads, that's a different matter altogether.

Where are people getting full tanks of Diesel for £40? I've got a 1.4L Dacia and get 5-600 miles out of a tank but it costs me £50-£60 to fill up.

But why has the neighbour asked for the 7 seater? Are there more than two children?

i) who will drive - you or DP? if DP expects you, that is very presumptious
ii) have neighbours oftered to pay? I would suggest £50 minimum as that will cover 3 gallons of fuel and some money for the time involved 2-2.5 hours I'd guess assuming not a huge amount of traffic
iii) relationship with neighbour? are you good friends and do they help you out? would they give you a 120 mile round trip free of charge if that is what they're asking for?

I agree it is presumptions of your DP to assume you were okay for your car to be used (even if it would be him driving).

Think about my points above, if overall it seems like you're really going out of your way in a manner which is in excess of your usual neighbourly relationship, i would overrule DP and refuse. Your neighbours should consider a taxi or a train.

Bear in mind that the neighbour is not asking for a lift for himself and assume his partner
He is asking for a lift for his mother and his children as he will be away so unable to take them to the airport himself

I wouldn’t. That would take a whole day. And asking to use a specific car us just cheeky.

I'm assuming that DP is a taxi driver and is charging for this. If this is the case, it's not unreasonable of your neighbour to 'book' a larger car for the journey.

If it's a favour, then very cheeky. Otherwise, it your DP being cheeky, not your neighbour.

It should be rather simple. It's your car, not DPs. He spoke out of turn. You obviously keep your money separate as you paid for it his car. You've only just bought it and do not want to use it in this way. I totally understand your discomfort. You can be 'kind to your neighbours' without doing this level of huge favour. It is a ridiculously big ask and they could just as easily order a taxi for not much more than what might be fuel cost two ways.

Your DP certainly can agree to take neighbours to airport in his Mondeo.

You might as well happen to be busy that day using your car with friends, so DP will just have to say he should have checked. I suspect they have asked for your 7 seater due to bigger boot space for luggage. But it's not available and it's a shame he didn't ask you first (and you're not keen on becoming an airport taxi!)

For all those saying how much petrol it costs, I had a second hand C8 (2.2) which did about 17-19mpg (in town traffic 9mpg! Damn car showed me!!) because it just drank petrol (despite what fuel efficiency it was supposed to achieve!). A 120 mile round trip regularly cost me well over £40, how much more depending on whether we were pootling in crawling traffic (which burnt even more off and dropped the mpg!) and how heavily loaded the car was as at the time. I cut my fuel bills by 75% once I changed to a smaller 1.6 Merviva that actually did fuel economy it stated and I stopped giving lifts to others! Be very wary OP, people see 7 seater and will start volunteering you as taxi service.

Mistype in middle of first paragraph.
I meant *You obviously keep your money separate as you paid for 'this car'. (not 'it his car')

Wow, your dp is kind. This must be 2-3 hours of his time and £50 in petrol.
There's no way I'd do this for a neighbour unless it's some kind of reciprocal arrangement?
YANBU to say he should use his own car.

Fuck that!

Love the way neighbor specified that he'd like your DP to drive YOUR car. Priceless.