My 14 year old son is 5'8", and 165 lbs. (daddy's little offensive lineman)
He loves to take the Mazda when we go anywhere and has a misguided belief that he will be driving it in a couple years, but back to my point.
I hate passengers! The car behaves differently with an extra 160 lbs and it's annoying. God forbid he's in the back seat and the wife comes along. I've gotten to the point that I'll take my Bonneville if anyone besides me is going somewhere.

"Why can't we take the 8 Dad"? "It's out of gas. . .!"

 

Lol, I tend to agree. I'm usually alone in my car and I've grown used to how it handles that way. Everything is different when someone else is there with me - the handling, my speed, the way I take turns, where I put my purse and iPod, the way the seat sits... And I tend to be more cautious when I have passengers, for their own safety. So then not only do I worry about my pretty baby getting damaged by another crazy loon on the road, but I worry about them getting hurt too.

 

when he turns 16, tell him to go buy his own, then he can drive one

 

A bit self centered of me / us but I agree,

It behaves differently when "others" are in the car.

When I drive alone, I prefer to be by myself...

 

I feel it too. I had to learn the stick shift on my '8, and I'm confident about it now. But the other day I let the whole family in, and I was a little disappointed with my driving; it just wasn't smooth and I could feel the weight. Later went out with friends and my shifting wasnt perfect. I think it's the occupation of the back seats in particular, I don't feel the difference when someone is in the passenger seat.

 

Man, you are baaad to the bone!

 

I don't like having an extra passenger either, the weight transfer feels different, braking feels different, not the same.

 

Well i wouldn't mind if it was a few Hooters girls

 

I hate driving with a full car. Usually when I drive with other people it's just my GF, who weighs as much as a feather. :p

 

Well, I agree as well. But, what's even worse is letting someone else drive it. Occassionally the BF whines around and wants to drive and I'll give in and let him and I grind my teeth the entire time. He lugs it and won't shift down (he has it in 6th when I wouldn't be outta 4th), tries to race people when he's got the rpms down to 2500 (embarrassing!!), and lays on the brakes instead of just gently gearing it down. He's used to driving a big honkin' duramax, auto tranny, and you can drive like that in that big ugly thing - The 8 takes some finesse. Plus, when he's just a passenger, he wants to use the A/C (i'm windows down regardless of the temp) and I HATE driving it with the compressor running!! I'm thinking about dumping him for someone a little more sensitive to my 8's needs!!!!!!!!!!

 

since our car is relative light weight, adding 160lbs is a big difference. I drove my dad's 5 series, and no sig difference with or without people...

Mostly, I don't like sitting people because of speed bumps.

 

Also agree the car behaves differently with more weight. It is like it shifts from sports car to family coupe.
I also have to behave differently, because I can't drive as spirited with other passengers, because they say I'm freaking them out.

 

Time to seriously re-think your boyfriend situation.

Or teach him how to drive... :D

 

[QUOTE=jefferrari]since our car is relative light weight, adding 160lbs is a big difference. I drove my dad's 5 series, and no sig difference with or without people... QUOTE]


IMO, its not so much the weight 150lbs is only a 5% increase in weight, its the lack of TQ....cars with big engines and lots of tq/power, esp at low rev and off idle, deal much better with pulling weight, hence why any car/truck that towes anything will have GOBS of TQ.

Cars like a 5 series and such have a great tune on the engine, the new 05 545i that I drove felt the same with just me as it did with me and the girlfriend, and really didnt fell that differnt with 4 people in it. Pretty nice.

I agree the car does feel differnt and is much more slugish with more than 1 person in it. What i really hate is when a friend asks me about the car and wants to go for a ride, i jump in to drive them around, with them riding shotgun...they say "lets she what she can do" and I know what she can do, but with them in the car.....it doesnt feel as lively. oh well.

 

First option is probably the best since if they haven't learned by now, they probably won't. And they won't listen either.

 

Good thread. I've often thought that my car underperformed with a passenger. I wonder what an extra 160lbs does to straight-line acceleration.

 

It certainly doesn't help, unless the 160lbs is somehow adding boost to the intake :D

 

don't you hate it when 3 friends ride along and the 8's performance just doesn't meet their expectations while they're in the car?
when my car's full, i find the need to keep the revs a lot higher. we may not have torque, but we have extra revs!

 

The reason I sold my FD was because I couldn't enjoy it with the family. I guess I'm backwards.