Driving the lemon

Following the path that life has set out for you, without taking control.

1)
"Have you heard about Karen? She hit rock bottom!"
"Yeah, she sure drove her lemon hard."

2)
"What are you going to do with your life, son?"
"Well, I don't have anything going on these days, so I'll be driving the lemon for now!"
"I'm going to disinherit you."

Driving over that lemon

Continually hitting an obstacle or problem.

"I have been driving over that lemon over and over again