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Maybe I'm being nitpicky, but...

7K views 35 replies 22 participants last post by  Jim_in_PA 
#1 ·
I try my best to be a "cool dad" and all that, so I grit my teeth and bear it each time we allow our 16 yr old daughter to take the Ascent. But every single time I hop in the car now after she's driven it there's an increasingly long checklist of "gotta change this back" items. The mirrors I understand, of course. Safety safety safety... And the seat, that one's easy since we've each got our seat positions programed. But then there's all the other little stuff. The vents are all closed or pointed in funky directions. Okay, she's gotta be comfortable, yada yada... But then the seat warmer is always left ON, and it's friggin' MAY for crying out loud! And I never notice that one til I'm driving down the road a mile or so and it's in the 70's outside and suddenly I notice my butt is getting really warm. Sigh... But here's the last straw. Just this past week or so, now she's decided she needs to adjust the dang steering wheel as well. So I'll start driving and then realize the steering wheel is practically in my lap! ARRRGGHH! And anything I mention gets an eye roll, of course, so what I'm wondering is this... Is there any way to lock the dang steering wheel in place? Where that little adjustment level underneath won't work, or is stuck closed, or anything at all so I can just quietly set it back and then not have it ever changed again? I've thought about duct tape, but I don't want to duct tape this nice new car. Or am I just being too dang picky in my old age? Should I just roll with it? Or would that drive any of the rest of you totally insane too? Just hoping for a little feedback &/or suggestions. :confused:
 
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#2 ·
Driving us a bit insane is part of their job description, of which she is doing great. I say give her a raise. Or her own car. My son bought a 2018 imprezza (i wouldn't let him buy an sti). He then proceeded to mod it towards an sti. He just ran it for two days at pikes peak international raceway destroying literally brand new extreme contacts. Now we are looking at racing brake pads, a set of racing tires, added cvt cooler. Good thing i said no to sti.

Just breath, smile and count your blessings. She will be out of the house way too soon.
 
#28 ·
Driving us a bit insane is part of their job description, of which she is doing great. I say give her a raise. Or her own car. My son bought a 2018 imprezza (i wouldn't let him buy an sti). He then proceeded to mod it towards an sti. He just ran it for two days at pikes peak international raceway destroying literally brand new extreme contacts. Now we are looking at racing brake pads, a set of racing tires, added cvt cooler. Good thing i said no to sti.

Just breath, smile and count your blessings. She will be out of the house way too soon.
Well I mean not everyone is rich and can buy a brand new car for their kid
 
#3 ·
My daughters are 4 and 6mo so I have 0 practical advice, but in dealing with the younger generation at work, I'd just be happy she figured out some of that stuff on her own. Maybe she needs a refresher on the HVAC controls, but as far as the steering wheel I'm very particular as to where it is, so I can see both sides. I'd also say that a comfortable driver is a safer driver.

I'll check back on this thread in 12 years, should be ready to hand off the 2018 outback to my oldest at that point!
 
#5 ·
Later this year, my daughter will be 16. I guess we will be experiencing some of this topic also. Unfortunately, she will learning the basics of driving on the Ascent which is our only automatic. The good thing, the Ascent isn’t my daily driver, it’s my wife’s. Our Crosstrek doesn’t have any of the memory buttons and is my daily driver. Every time my wife changes the seat position, I start over finding my position. Luckily she doesn’t mess with the steering column or mirrors. Once my kid is comfortable driving and learns how to drive a stick, she will most likely drive our Jeep TJ. This will hopefully further her driving skills since she will not rely on tech to drive.
 
#8 ·
Unfortunately, she will learning the basics of driving on the Ascent which is our only automatic.
Why not learn to drive on a stick then go to the automatic? I always feel like there would be less traffic jams if everyone drove a stick because you have to pay attention and plan ahead
 
#6 ·
Our student driver doesn't like the Ascent, so we don't have many of those problems in the Subaru -- they're just conferred to one of our other cars she does like. The Ridgeline is "her" truck now and she's taken to keeping it clean, etc. As @packout said, and as Trace Adkins so eloquently recorded some years ago..."you're gonna miss this."

 
#7 ·
You mentioned safety is important early in your post and steering wheel position is part of that. And no, AFAIK, you cannot "lock it down".

We have lived with this relative to our younger daughter from day one after she got her license when we lent her my Ascent (actually the Grand Cherokee that preceded it) or Professor Dr. SWMBO's Subaru. Since we had already provided her with her own Subaru to drive, this wasn't a constant battle...it was only when there was a reason for her to drive one of our vehicles.

So...the real solution here is to get her a Subaru of her own. I'm serious about that. :D

More seriously, just make it a requirement that she makes reasonable effort to return the vehicle settings to what they were when she got in the vehicle to drive it. It can be something that helps govern frequency of use, if you catch my drift... ;)
 
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#15 ·
"Manual transmissions are today's greatest prevention of drive-away auto thefts. The young non-pros immediately abandon manual shifts."

I definitely think there's some truth to that, as most young people today can't drive stick. Unfortunately my '95 Outback was manual and was stolen 3 times in a years span. Sigh... (sadly, whoever stole it the 3rd time pretty much killed it) Apparently old Subarus and old Hondas are super easy to steal, and I guess there's still enough people out there who can drive stick.
 
#17 ·
Having 2 adult daughters and one living at home... you will be crying one day as you wish they were around to mess up your preferred settings and there are far worse problems to have... like a grandbaby named Ascent ;-) Take a deep breath and know that when they are at the helm, they captain the ship.
 
#20 ·
I think the reality is that you'll need your own "pre flight" checklist now. Obviously she is getting in the car and adjusting everything to fit her. It shouldn't annoy you, you should be proud that she understands it all well enough to get herself safe. You will have to do a check and adjust it back to fit you before you start the car.

Luckily my Tesla does everything automatically by driver profile per person (even detecting which phone unlocked it and auto-setting the profile). So all I had to adjust was the rear view mirror.

But in my Subaru, seat position, side mirrors, rear mirrors, wheel.... then go. And I had family in town driving who varied from 4'9" to 6' 3" and I'm smack in the middle at 5' 6".
 
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#22 ·
Can I point out that all the changes (bar the heated seats) is what new drivers are TOLD to change for safety reasons. Steering wheels with airbags are meant to be set to a certain distance from you and angled just so.
I'd just make sure YOU check before driving off. And yes its annoying, I have the same issues with my husband when he drives my car. He too will leave the heater on the seat going as it helps his sore back, and when it's 100 out in Vegas, forgetting to check that it is off DURING the pandemic had me worried a few times. LOL
 
#27 ·
Litmus test for fairness to your teen: Whatever car adjustments that we accept from our spouse, we should accept from our teen driver. Actually, whatever our spouse should accept from us, we should accept from all of them! Doh!
  • Rear view mirror - yes, accept
  • Side mirrors - yes, accept it; although I wish they moved with the seat button but oh well that was a car choice
  • Seat - yes, and moves with the button
  • Radio turned all the way up - no (although this car... is a little weird that way)
  • Sunroof shade not the way you want it - if it's parked outdoors, close the sucker!! So - no!
  • Vents turned this way and that - yes, accept
  • A/C fan not the way you want it - yes
  • Seat heaters not the way you want it - yes
  • Wheels not straight or how you like it - sigh, but yes, accept
  • Dash illumination cranked one way or the other - sigh, hate that, but yes, accept
I think the seat heaters and vent fan / temp setting is resettable if you do a pre-start with Starlink. But mine typically is set for extreme heating or extreme cooling, so it doesn't help me get my "standard" setup back.

All part of sharing cars, I guess!

F.S.

P.S.:
  • Food or drink left open and sticky - NO! (um, unless I do that...)
 
#29 ·
I like your little litmus test list, FirstSubie, it's a good one. And pretty much agree on all counts except for the seat heaters. Maybe if it's the middle of winter or we've moved to Alaska, but when it's May and temps are in the 70's?!?!? I wonder if there's a way to deactivate those until November?
 
#32 ·
Our 2014 Forester is now "my" car. However, my wife always drives it to go do quick errands. So I get back in and my knees are jammed up into my body, seat heater is on, mirror is adjusted to see my crotch, and the vents are cooling the doors. And she wonders why I won't get rid of my 2000 528i. It's a manual, the ac is always set to auto 72 degrees and there's no seat heaters.
 
#33 ·
My wife is 5’2” and I am 6’7” I can’t even get in the car after her without moving the seat back. She refuses to leave the everything where I leave it complaining about not being able to touch the pedals and only seeing the sky in the mirrors. Oh well I do find it worth having her share the driving and letting me sleep in the passenger seat.
 
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