So im 16... Im lowering my car.

Long story short

My dad thinks lowering cars is stupid bc hes had lowered trucks and problems wwith them (totally different thing). When i called him stupid we went into an all out brawl. Seriously.

I have no phone or keys to my car (which i pay for.) But atleast i have a computer. lol....

I never thought things got so crazy over springs. like rly its a 1" drop.

Pray for me?

 

Wow, take it easy bro. I know it's harmless to lower your car but if he's against it there's still plenty of time and plenty of cars since you're so young. You'll have many cars in your day but only one dad, hang in there.

 

QFT.

IME, lowering is the gateway mod. When you're 16, you really need to crash a few before you get to really tearing into a car.

 

OK, first of all, some advise:

1. Never call your father stupid! I know, your 16, and you think you've got it all figured out, right?

2. At 16, any money you should spend right now should be on learning how to drive it properly (I know, you probably think your a pretty good driver already...).

 

Sounds like you both need to chill...
lowering a car, even a mini can have effects...
Looks nice, but unless exta $$ is spent on rear links to adjust the camber, tire wear can be pretty bad....and compare a car lowered with springs, coilovers, and stock....the car loweref with srings comes in last with handling....just doing springs is a bit of a hack, but does what some folks want.
Sounds like you both have valid points...just having trouble communicating with more than your fists....

 

I hope he punched you in your belly!

 

You called your dad stupid to his face? Wow. Lotsa respect there, I'd have punched you too.

 

Believe me, I had a crappy childhood and only wish I'd had some kind of repoir with my dad prior to him passing away. It's been said above, you'll have many cars but only one dad. Take it easy and roll with it, LIFE IS TOO SHORT! Best to both of you.

 

I wonder who feeds you?

I wonder who is worried about the resale value of the car you are driving?

I wonder whose name the car is in?

Yep, I'm sure going to Pray for you because with the way you disrespect your father that seems to care for you, You really need the prayers.

Like ZippNH say's

 

Wow!!! This is an interesting thread. Here's some advice, take it for what it's worth....

First of all, I guess both of you need to chill. Which I'm assuming you guys have by now. Hopefully you guys are on talking terms.

Sixteen years old? When I was 16, I thought I knew it all and I was invincible. But looking back, I didn't know S***! But I think that's part of growing up. I think the only people I listened to at that age was my friends from school, everybody else were idiots.

Go tell your dad that you're sorry. And you shouldn't have call him stupid or any other names. That's a bigggg diss!

About the lowering of your car. You mentioned that you paid for the car with your own money, that's a good thing. While I don't know the details of your situation, but I think the reason why your dad doesn't want you to lower the car is because you really haven't gain enough driving experience and knowledge about cars. And if you run into problems, it could be difficult or costly to fix. Plus, he may not want you to spend so much time working on your car, as opposed to studying. And maybe he doesn't want you to go thru the problems he has been through. I'm just guessing all of this in the last 30 seconds from reading this thread. What I'm trying to say is that there maybe other things that he's thinking about, which he's trying to protect you. That's all I'm saying. My dad is a man of very few words. I never know what he was thinking. But now that I'm 36, I'm grateful for whatever he's done. The journey of getting to here may not be ideal, but that's the way it is.

Good luck!!

 

WOW ! How disrespectful on your part.You don't need a car at your age, especially a MINI. No sympathy from me..

 

So if you are willing to get physical with your dad over this, what are you willing to do to a driver that you think has cut you off or honks at you? Sounds like it is a good thing you are not behind the wheel.

 

Ok, first of all. When your Dad tell you to do something you do it. If he says don't lower your car. Don't do it. At least while your under his roof. It might be your car, but i bet he pays for something. Maybe insurance? Also lowering a car can cause you to scrape on many different things. My friend had a super low civic Si and he scraped on just about everything. It might look cool, but lowering your first car shouldn't be your primary goal. If i was you i would go apologize to my Dad. If you want to spend that kind of money, do what other people said spend it on classes to drive better. To understand your car. When i was 15 i took a defensive driving class at a race track. It was very helpful and fun. Worth my time and money. Anyways, best of luck to you and whatever you choose to do.

 

Unless lowering the car for perormance gains at a local event, or have money for an alignment and proper parts as one of the other members said, it's not worth it. Also at 16, being very new to driving, I would keep the car bone stock, and drive it for a year or two, and at local events to understand the car on a personal level, then when A. you're old enough to move out, and B. you would like to go further with upgrading the suspension, only then should you touch the suspension. I'm sure look wise it would be awesome, but between crappy American roads, speed bumps, steep inclines, and parking lot curbs, your front/bottom of the car is going to get munched up. I love the look of my Camaro lowered ( only 1 inch) but that one inch was enough to have anything thicker then a base ball bat rub underneath the car.

As for punching your dad, being young you're easily irritated, and feel that you must show some form of dominance, and I've had a few temper arguements with my father ( nothing car related,) but we went to our corners, and calmed down, never resorted to a fist fight.

A former co-worker once told me that you better apologize before it's too late. The co worker was in his 50's and argued with his father about some finances. Him and his father got in such a heated fight that his father and him did not speak for almost a year. He was preparing to apologize when he got a call from his sister. His father died from a heart attack. The thing that hurt him the most wasn't the fact that he died, but the fact he went to his grave never getting an apology from his son, the one he raised, put a roof over his head, fed him, and put him through school, and in the end, his gratitued towards him was the fact his last words to him werent full of love ,but of hate.

 

You are lucky to be moving around without any lasting effects. When I was 17 my dad and I had been arguing off and on for 3 days. In an fit of madness, I called my dad a stupid a-hole. As soon as I said it, I know I was in deep doo-doo. My dad was a brawler - he had a history of ruining the day for anyone who crossed him. Never started a fight, only finished them. He hit me once - knocked me off my feet into a wall. He felt very bad about it - but not as bad as I felt. I knew I deserved what I got. Our relationship actually improved and remained good. He died last year at the age of 93. Work on improving your relationship with your dad. Also, when wanting to do something to your car, research it so you can back up what you want to do. Good luck.

Kevin

 

If you were my son, you wouldn't have a computer, either.

If you're getting into fist-fights over springs for your car, then perhaps you need some family counseling...not a lowered MINI.

 

If your 16, consider yourself lucky to have a Cooper in the first place.


Also consider yourself lucky to have a father that is looking out for you.

 

Hope you have your flame suit on , never call your dad stupid. We don't know your situation and your relationship with your pops.
You are lucky you drive a Mini at 16, ten years ago when I was 16 I drove a bucket becaus my dad knew I would crash it or blow it up. Lowering a car makes it look cool but you put more stress and change the geometry of the suspension. If you would start a post on other forums I visit you would of been put on time out for actig like that.

 

I'm praying for you.....

Cause it's clear you don't have a clue about the age group you were posting to here!

got a little verbal spanking, huh?

Hope you take their words to heart tho, cause they're all right in what they told you.

Sum up, don't lower your car till you know what the costs and ramifications are - a lot of people have had expensive problems after lowering their MINIs, and not just with breaking the aluminum pan, there have also been problems with axles.

2nd, respect your dad, even if he treats you badly (in your mind) and realize he's the only Dad you'll ever had. You'll miss him terribly when he's gone.

3rd, realize that even if he doesn't tell you why, he probably has a good reason for telling you anything, and that it's born of his experience, not just to **** you off.

4th You'll understand all of this when you're older - assuming you live that long.

Lastly, welcome to the MINI community, sincerely, and I hope you stay and learn as you do, there's a wealth of knowledge and experience here - it can save you a lot of grief and money if you listen, and you just may learn something!

 

Dude you have some *****! Calling your dad stupid to his face is not the best approach. He may disagree with you and your reasons for lowering your Cooper but he is your dad and you should respect him even if you disagree with him. There are many different ways to tell him you disagree with his assessment without being disrespectful. Hell my 15 year old daughter disagrees with me almost everyday but she does her best not to come off disrespectful. Even though I know she would love to tell me to shut the **** up sometimes it never goes that far.
As far as your Mini goes lowering it is cool. I can see my son and daughter wanting to do the very same thing in a few years (I am currently looking for a Mini for my daughter). But I love doing mods to cars, trucks, lawnmowers and anything else I can get my hands on. You dad may not see the benefit of modifying a car to your taste. So wait until you are on your own to do it. You'll be out of high school in a couple of years. You have time to do all this cool stuff in the future.

Tell you dad you screwed up. Ask him to forgive you. Tell him you respect him and you will try to avoid stupid comments in the future. Trust me it will help!

 

Sounds to me like the 2 of you need help, just an outside observation on my part thats all!
A fight over lowering a car? Calling your dad stupid? I would have to guess this isnt the first argument over something that escalated to that level. I have to admit, when I was 16 I may have THOUGHT my dad was stupid, but never,ever, would have said it,not for fear that he would have punched me, just out of respect. You should save this thread and read it in about 20-30 years, youll understand better then!
Hope you dont take all this bashing the wrong way, but take it from someone who lost 1 parent to cancer, and another one moved far away since then, there will come a day when you understand and need thier advice, hopfully they will be there for you then

 

..since the OP hasn't responded to all the responces....appears as though he might not have the computer access anymore either

also, OP...pics of the bruises, black eyes and scuffed knuckles...or it didn't happen..lol (walk to the library to use the computer)

 

Sorry dude, but NOBODY deserved to get clocked for calling someone stupid. No sympathy for your dad on this score, but for you, absolutely. But, glad you worked it out in the end.

 

I agree... regardless of the situation, no one deserves to be hurt physically or mentally.

Come on guys, too much testosterone flying around now.

I hope you and your father will be able to sort things out in a civil manor from now on.

 

I read your response even before I saw your location, and just knew you had to be from some sissyfied, left-wing city like Boston.

I had a similar incident as firenewt's with my own father growing up, and I'll tell you... I DESERVED it.

And to the OP: You'd better start respecting your father. The asskickin' he gives you now might save you from someone else giving you an asskickin' later.