Friends aren’t car lots.
Unless his name is Cal Worthington or his family owns Hertz, your friend probably doesn’t have a ton of cars sitting in his driveway.

Borrowing a pal’s sedan is often unavoidable in emergency situations, but there are some road rules to follow.

First, agree to the amount of time you’ll be borrowing the car and stick to it. If you agree to a week, return the car on time. Don’t stretch five days into a month.

Second, return the car clean, full of gas and undamaged. A full tank of gas and a sparkling windshield lets your friend know you really appreciated her generosity. Leaving the cab full of gum wrappers and dog hair is just plain rude.

If you have an accident while using your friend’s ride, you need to let him know about it as soon as possible. And either your insurance or your own pocketbook must pay for the damage.

Also, pay all citations or parking tickets you got while driving the car. You’re the one who forgot to put more change in the meter!