4 years engaged and 38 years married and I am still trying to teach her the "right" way to drive. It still doesn't work. Being in CA you probably can get away with parking with the E-brake. Here in snow country that's a no-no as your pads or linings will freeze, but certainly not now in July. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

Just get her her own ride. My wife doesn't even drive my truck, especially because it's on stands right now so I guess I don't either. I bitched at her so much about how she drives my truck, she doesn't even want to drive it. That worked pretty well didn't it?

 

I was the one that made the comment about loving my wife to death, but my truck hating her. Of course, my situation is a little different, as what I am trying to do is convince my wife to let me get gauges so I dont blow up my truck while pulling our new 14,000lb 5th wheel.

With regards to your situation, I like what Brendan said. If I told my wife that she was just going to make it easier for me to get that bulletproof tranny I have been salivating over, you better believe she would do whatever it takes to keep that from happening.

My wife never drives my truck without me in it though, so I always watch how she treats it. I also agree that most women, present company excluded, Lisa, don't think about these sort of things. They see preventive maintenance as a waste of money and generally just don't worry themselves with how their behavior behind the wheel effects the life of the vehicle.....that is, until they are stuck on the side of the road and are calling you to come get them. Whereas we prefer to keep from ever putting ourselves, or more importantly them, in that dangerous situation.I swear, my wife would drive her SUV until it seized up instead of getting her oil changed, if I didn't drive it every now and then and take care of it for her. I guess I will never understand, and the arguments will never end.

 

Oh well my wife totally understands the importance of treating vehicles correctly, especially since she has over 100,000 trouble free miles on her Explorer. But I get no credit for the maintenance and upkeep, she says that's what she keeps me around for.

She also doesn't like my truck, refuses to drive it. That is until it's time to go camping and we can fill up the bed, pull the camper, and ride comfortable in the CC; then she likes it, but won't admit it. What she doesn't go for is me buying things for it and calling it preventive measures.

 

I have a female friend looking to go up from her F150 to an F250/F350 but REFUSES to consider a diesel because "I don't want to have to search around for the right pump. Gas is at all of them." She's stepping up to pull a bigger horse trailer.....

How about this: Relationships are about compromise & understanding. There are, I'm sure, a thing or two your wife does that she will never change. Lots of shoes, makeup, how certain things are organized, etc. You need to be the same with your truck. Seriously, brand new these are $40,000+ machines! If she bought something of that value and you didn't treat it the way she wanted, how much of your *** would you have left? Ask most women if they want an equal/fair relationship. Then try and get them to live it.... Sisyphus will be done before you.

 

OMG you have your hands full on this one. but in reading thru the replies and post, I really like the idea of a wheel chock or something in the driveway for her to drive over and let the truck rest on the chock, or something along those means...

Good luck on training your wife... the problem I see is that she has no mechanical knowledge and no matter how much you hit her over the head with a stick it still wont matter,,, but I can tell you one thing when your tranny breaks and she sees dollars going down the drain she will then tell you that the truck was a piece of junk and need to get rid of it and buy another one (laughing)

 

Perhaps this doesn't really help you, but I'll toss my own couple of pennies in the pot...

I personally believe it can be boiled down to a matter of trust. If you have always demonstrated being trustworthy and responsible not only with purchases (i.e. sometimes settling for less than ideal), but also with overall financial management and balancing competing objectives (i.e. optional truck upgrade versus paying off that credit card this month), then your decisions and goals in terms of vehicle maintenance should carry enough credibility to stand on their own. In that case, you might only need to point her attention in that direction and with that perspective.

However, if you're like a lot of the rest of us and have not always surpassed the wife's idea of being responsible and trustworthy with those issues (even if her perspective is not based on truth)... it's going to be a tough row to hoe. It will be even tougher if you really have NOT maintained integrity in those areas (again, like a lot of us, I suspect). After all, us big boys really love playing around with our big toys and we sometimes overlook the more basic issues (and I'm including me in that group as well).

 

And then there was the voice of reason. Way to keep us grounded, Pete.

 

you guys and gal took my approach. dont wanna do it my way! thats fine, let me get BTS on the phone! that way she thinks its HER fault for my new badass trans!

mine is August 25th! nah nah!

thats the spirit!

 

My Dad always told me, "Hard heads make for soft butts". Add to that being married to MY wife for nearly 23 years now, and you probably don't have to wonder very much how I've landed where I am on the issue! Please don't ask, either, because I can't even remember all the turns in the path that has brought me to this point, and I probably won't admit remembering the ones I do.

 

The most common phrase to a successful marriage is: "Yes, dear".
.
And that is not just spoken by the men.
It works both ways!!!
.
I love my wife.

 

Well said Kwik. Also, I'm a fan of "What she doesn't know... can't hurt me." (usually in reference to my parts budget - although, she's pretty good about letting me have my way with "preventative maintenance" *grin*. )

Ex: "Whatcha doin to the truck?"
"Changing the turb.... oil."

 

When you change the turbo, because of the lubrication, some oil gets changed.

 

To the OP. Why not go to some ghetto and buy the Date Rape Drug GHB, give it to the wife, get her to sign an agreement that lets you do what you want? If she raises a ruckus, you can say "You even agreed to it. See the letter you signed?"

 

Well that's a fast track to a quick divorce.

And you're married right? And she's a real girl, with feelings? Not one of those ones that are full of air and her mouth stuck open?