Who do you let borrow your trailer?

[czechsonofagun]

Recently a neighbor asked to use my trailer to move something. Since he is in his teens! I offered to move it for him for the cost of gas. He didn't accept it and I look good - while I actually did nothing

I think I am too chicken to let a teenager pull my trailer anywhere in this sue happy country.

Opinions?

 

[thatguy]

Im with you.. I try to loan out very little of my stuff for 'unsupervised' use.. BUT I will as a chaperone for my stuff.. LOL

Brian

 

[ray66v]

I have had a 4x8 trailer for about 30 years. No one ever wants to use it when its been a while since I painted it, and its starting to get rusty. Sure as h-e double hockey sticks, every time I clean it up, redeck it, and repaint it, someone asks to borrow it. and of course, they tear up the plywood deck, and scratch up the expensive automotive paint I use.

The last time, I made up my mind, no more loaning it out. If I have time, I will do it for them, otherwise their out of luck.

 

[Will_C]

My brother-he is a CDL driver and owns his own business.
My neighbor-if he broke something, he would replace better than he found it.
My mechanic buddy- if he broke something, he would fix it better than new.
No one else.
Will

 

[bigdad]

I know teenagers that I would trust more with my trailer than some adults. I just make it a point not to loan my trailer or anything else to anyone regardless of what their age. I didn't buy a trailer for others to use. The ones that get "weepy" about it.......... get over it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I am with you Will. I have very few that I loan anything out to because they treat my stuff like it belongs to them. They always return things better than when they got it, just like I do.

Chris

 

[chh]

I loaned my gooseneck to my next door neighbor that I have known since I was a little kid. There are about 2 more people besides him that could get it if they needed it, otherwise, forget it.

 

[Nissan197]

I would loan my trailer to my brother and that would be it. I loaned it out to my BIL and his young son decided to take bricks and scratch the fenders all up. I assumed he would repaint all the scratches, but no offer. If I borrow something I make sure it is in the same condition if not better than when I received it. Too bad everyone is not like that.

 

[Matt_Jr]

My mom or dad.
Any one who has something better that their willing to let me borrow.
A couple of friends like Will has.
Anyone who wants to make a $4000 refundable deposit.

 

[Shmudda]

I personally don't lend anything out for other people to use....nothing! When they want something I usually direct them to the local rental station, and they look at me kind of weird. I then take the time time explain to them the price I paid for the item, and how many hours I had to work to aquire it, and then inform them they can at their will go and purchase the item just as I have. Most times they say I'm no friend, but in the end I'm not here to supply everyone else with items I work my tail off to aquire in this lifetime!

So be it I guess......

Usually, I have one nerve left by that time and the begger is on it!

Craig

 

[Tig]

I generally do not loan or borrow. If I do loan my stuff out it's olny to people that I don't mind if they wreck it. If they don't wreck it I am pleasantly surprised.

 

[skipro3]

Wow! What a stingy group here! I loan everything. If it comes back broke, and they don't offer to fix it right, then I don't loan to that guy any more. I also borrow everything. For example, my neighbor asked to borrow my cement mixer. No problem. Some time later, I needed to borrow his post hole digger. Again, no problem. In many instances, my buddies and neighbors discuss what "we" need and who should get it. If you have a circle of friends and family that are not deserving of borrowing your stuff, you need to get new friends and family!!

 

[Sackett2]

My mom or dad.
Any one who has something better that their willing to let me borrow.

I seem to be a bit more liberal than most with my trailer- 16' tandem axle with rails that only cost me $1100. Stout enough, and I seem to keep more scratches on it than paint. Its made to be used and if its not being used, it's in the way. I haul about everything from lumber to furniture, cars and tractors.
If your a friend and need it,most likely its not a big deal. Now, I won't lend my 92-f250 with it, unless I feel you can handle a long rig. I can fix most everything on each of 'em, but the trailer is easier.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

I don't loan.
I don't borrow.

My trailer is a very important, key tool in my business.
I CANNOT afford to take chances with my trailer.

There have been times when very dear friends have asked to use a tool such as my rototiller. In those cases, I make sure that they know that they are very special friends by not only taking the tiller to their house, but doing the tilling also.
Maybe i'll let them try their hand at tilling after a bit but I'm right there to watch'em.
Other than that:
"Can I borrow your chainsaw?", "Can I borrow your torch?" , "Can I borrow your daughter?"
Same answer: NEWWWWWPP!

 

[bigdad]

Craig,

You bring back memories of my youth. When I would goof up something of my Dad's, I would get, "Do you know how hard your Father had to work to have something like that?"

Stingy? Perhaps, but I have kept better relationships with friends that I have turned down than the ones that brought back borrowed stuff TRASHED or abused. (That is if I didn't have to ask for my stuff back)

I suppose that I don't have many friends, but the ones I have, are good enough not to take advantage of me.

BD

I personally don't lend anything out for other people to use....nothing! When they want something I usually direct them to the local rental station, and they look at me kind of weird. I then take the time time explain to them the price I paid for the item, and how many hours I had to work to aquire it, and then inform them they can at their will go and purchase the item just as I have. Most times they say I'm no friend, but in the end I'm not here to supply everyone else with items I work my tail off to aquire in this lifetime!

So be it I guess......

Usually, I have one nerve left by that time and the begger is on it!

Craig

 

[czechsonofagun]

I let my friends borrow tools and such - sometimes me included - and they help me with their tools if there is ever a need.

But this was not a friend, I did the best I could by offering to move it for him.

 

[Ductape]

I've loand out my car trailer twice. Both times it came back damaged. One of those times the damage was fixed by the person who borrowed it. I no longer loan out my trailer unless it is to one of two good friends who would fix anything they broke...... or my FIL or BIL who would do the same. Anyone else, including the two people who borrowed it in the past, can go rent one at U-Haul.

 

[Lunk]

Recently a neighbor asked to use my trailer to move something. Since he is in his teens! I offered to move it for him for the cost of gas. He didn't accept it and I look good - while I actually did nothing

I think I am too chicken to let a teenager pull my trailer anywhere in this sue happy country.

Opinions?

You did the right thing. Leaves you clean, and your trailer unscathed.

My FIL is a great guy, but if you handed him a hunk of structural I-Beam, he'd hand it back bent, with a shrug of his shoulders. A couple years ago he dropped about 3k on a nice, heavy-duty tandem axle equipment trailer, and the morning he picked it up, he basically removed one set of fenders just parking it on his property....

As a result, I'm the most helpful SIL you've ever seen (because I own most of the tools, equipment, etc. that gets jobs done). I know he's been itchin' to borrow my tractor, but I'm always available as the "qualified operator."

I'm just glad he hasn't pushed the issue...

 

[kthompson]

Not all things being discussed here fall into the same liability issue. But, if you want a valid reason not to load such as a PHD it can honestly be due to your liability insurance would not cover you if they damaged something or were injured. "So let me help you" makes sense there. As to the trailer, don't miss the real liability issue it carries for it is on the road with a load. A friend who owned a rental center told me years ago, you don't want the risk.

Yes I borrow and I loan. Think my borrowing and loaning is in the same few people.


Lunk, made me think of my FIL. He was the best. Took care of his equipment but don't hand him wrenches. A great friend. Yep he loaned me he tools, tractor, trailer and daughter. But better take care of all of them! and I have each one. Borrowed his chain saw and it blew up. Not what I wanted about two weeks before Christmas. Had new block assembly put in it without ever telling him about it or the mechanic said it was due to fuel mixture. His son (my BIL) borrowed his trimmer, brought it back with damaged engine from not having oil in gas. No offer to repair or replace. Did about the same with lawn mower he borrowed from me. Came back with knocking engine. From then on I went with anything he needed. Odd, he never had anything that anyone else needed to borrow. Had never thought on that until now.

 

[Dargo]

When I had an 18' bumper pull trailer with 2 3500 pound axles under it I had all sorts of relatives and friends borrow it. Some brought it back with new dents or dings in the fenders and once it came back with half of one fender missing without a word mentioned about it. I just ordered new fenders, cut the old ones off, welded the new ones on, painted them and never said a word either. Another time it came back and one of the tires didn't match the other three and it was basically bald to boot. I think the worst that happened was when my attorney borrowed it and backed it off into a ditch. He had a 4X4 3/4 ton pickup and, with his truck on the road, he kept yanking sideways on it until he got it out. It came back with the tongue about 14" off center that time.

Since I sold that trailer (after fixing it of course) I bought a 30' GN trailer that weighs 6500 pounds by itself. None of my good friends or relatives have ever asked to borrow it. If it was a close friend or relative I'd just have to offer to move whatever they wanted for them. I don't want to be a horse's rear, but it gets darn expensive being the nice guy!

As far as me borrowing, I just don't do it. After my experiences, if I need it bad enough I either go buy it or rent it from a rental place. I have a neighbor who would love me to borrow all sorts of things from him. Similar to an earlier post, I once borrowed a trencher from him (about 16 years ago) when I was building my home. I got about 20' with it before the hydraulic pump went out. I spent hours taking it off, several hundred dollars getting it rebuilt, and hours putting it on again. It then only went another 50' or so before the engine went south. Yes, I'd checked all the fluids, but it had a wrist pin let go. That cost me almost another thousand to get that fixed. Needless to say, that was a very expensive trenching job! That probably makes it obvious why I don't borrow anything anymore and haven't for quite a long while.