[OneFastLotus]

Ok, lets hear it.

Scenario....you just left your dealership, you've signed the paperwork, the keys are in your hand and your Elise is sitting across the parking lot full of gas and ready to go.

What happens next?

Your first week with the love of your life....got any plans?


Personally Ive got to drive it home from Georgia, even though its a long boring drive I'll probably enjoy it. After that I'll probably stop in and show it to my parents and every friend Ive ever had since high school. Then I'll probably take it on some backroad drives just to enjoy the car in its element...then I'll cruise thru town down our "dealership row" and stick my tongue out as they wish they had a car this cool to sell.

 

[Rigel]

I'm thinking about an immediate road trip.. Perhaps heading straight out to the Colorado rockies in the summer for some twisties with great scenery in the background.

I was in Evergreen, CO two weeks ago and couldn't help but notice all the convertible 911s, Miatas, etc. Drove the highest highway in North America to Summit Lake on Mt. Evans with brilliant saffron yellow aspens set on a background of british racing green pines and a chrome orange sunset.

 

[ace3]

- Buying it in Austin, TX (i live in Omaha, NE).

- Pick it up with a buddy of mine that lives down there
- Drive it around for 4-5 days down there
- Road trip back to NE.
- Pray for no bug/rock chips

 

[MikeAR303]

I'll probably take it easy on the car for the first week (or longer, depending on the manufacturer suggested break-in period...). All my friends are naturally going to want to see it, so I imagine I'll have to take it around and show it to them first... possibly hit a few local backroads with my one friend who is actually interested in the Elise for what it is capable of and not how it looks. I'll definitely have to make an effort to drive past the hummer dealership with my middle finger out the window at some point in time.

After all that, I'll likely wash + wax it, take some pictures of it to show to my friends from other states/countries as well as some of my clients who are dying to see my car, admire it until I can't keep my eyes open anymore, then put it in the garage for the night

 

[adamant]

Well, friends and I have done these trips in the past
http://www.business.utah.edu/~mgtjwb/Drives/archive02/utahdrives.htm
I fully intend to do a lot more when the car arrives. Utah, Idaho,Montana and Coloradod have some great roads to drive where no-one else goes!
If there is some interest, I am sure I can arrange something for us. Checkout the Redrock run, that is one of my favourites

 

[adamant]

For the above link, click on drive pictures and archive on the left.

 

[Randy Chase]

Hmmm...

On one hand, I would like to find some twisty sections. On the other.. I need to break in the engine right?

It's always fun to drive a new flashy car around other people, to see the reaction you get.

Pick up the car at Symbolic. Drive around La Jolla village, and then through some of the twisty roads at Torrey Pines, up through Del Mar and along the coast. Then head south to show my folks. Then home.

First road trip? Probably out I-8 to Highway 78 and up into the mountains. Out to Julian for some fine apple pie, then back along highway 76 into town, with a stop at Dudley's bakery for bread. Just have to go shopping for a loaf, even if it's 80 miles out of my way.

 

[Randy Chase]

A bit later, the plan is a trip on Highway 49, the gold road in California. A great driver's road with a lot of scenery.

Maybe a trip from San Francisco down to Carmel/Monterey and then into Big Sur along 1..down the coast to Hearst Castle and Solvang.

A trip to Las Vegas using the desert back roads out of Palm Springs.

But I am getting ahead of myself.... and then Yosemite. And Kings Canyon. And Route 66... and.....

 

[smura]

I'll drive it down from Seattle to Las Vegas and run in the silverstateclassic.com.

That's IF I get the car before September of next year.

Keeping fingers crossed........

 

[LarryB]

Randy, don't get me started on CA roads... not with winter coming on. MattG has a GSR (Golden State Rally) for the MR2 folks. Went on my first one this yr, lots of great roads in the Central Coast, a few right in the back yard of the Bay Area and lot of great scenic ones in the high country... looking forward to it.

 

[Modern Wedgie]

Hmmm, I'm with Randy.

Cruise La Jolla, getting admired for the first time in my life by ferrari drivers (in case people arent already aware, la Jolla is the Modena Spider capitol of America).

Then break in the baby hard...up to Julian and Palomar Mountain (amuse my fellow sport bike riders).

Then pick a good weekend, drive up the coast to San Francisco and Monterey, and if I work it out right, hit Sears Point or Laguna Seca for a day and see how the baby can handle stock That way, when I totally set up the car for the track, I'll know the difference between the street and track set-up (so I feel like the ridiculous sum of money that I will put into the car will be worth it).

Oh, and just once, I want to go to the fanciest club in LA, have my vehicle parked in front where everyone can druel, and walk in without waiting. Now, I know this might be difficult, but I thought if my best girl friend and I step out of that car, dressed like money, then it might work.

 

[jml1952]

As I understand it, we need to put the first 1000 miles on the car without exceeding 3000 rpm; they download the on-board computer to make sure you haven't invalidated your warranty, change the oil, and turn you loose for the real fun. So I hope to reach that mileage target pretty fast.

I will be picking up the car in Beverly Hills at Symbolic. My wife will be along, since she needs to sign the paperwork so that we can "own" it through her business. First destination - drive up and down Rodeo Drive (just a "symbolic" gesture, if you will).

Tempted to drive along Sunset Blvd, pull up in front of the Bel-Air Hotel to show off the car (my wife and I were married there). Continue down Sunset to the ocean, drive towards home along Pacific Coast Highway and enjoy the scenery, once past Malibu, cut through the mountains along one of the canyon roads (probably Malibu Canyon Road - not the twistiest, but the one my wife likely would prefer).

That will only be good for 50 miles or so. First weekend, time for a road trip. Perhaps up to Santa Barbara or Santa Ynez/Solvang. If we can get away for the weekend, perhaps go all the way up to Cambria (north of San Luis Obispo, a little south of Hearst Castle).

 

[Modern Wedgie]

As I understand it, we need to put the first 1000 miles on the car without exceeding 3000 rpm; they download the on-board computer to make sure you haven't invalidated your warranty, change the oil, and turn you loose for the real fun. So I hope to reach that mileage target pretty fast.

3000rpm. That's not right. There's no torque below 3000rpm (there's really not much torque below 6000rpm). I can understand not hitting the came the first 1000miles, but I definetly do not agree with that break-in strategy.

On newer engines, a lot of people argue that a hard break-in is necesary to seat the rings and valves properly...especially if you will be hard on the engine in the future. The WORST thing you could do to a new engine is keep it at idle, or at the same rpm. Variation and high reves are good. Otherwise, the cylinder walls wont wear in right.

My $.02.

 

[zvezdah1]

When I pick up my car at Lotus of Atlanta,
headed straight over to LCU and give several bottles of good champagne to Arnie, Clyde and the rest of the gang for getting the car here!!!!!!!!!!

Chris

 

[L8BRAKR]

jml,

For a second I thought you were gonna start talking about your wife getting dressed up and re-creating Pretty Woman

MW, I feel 3000 is pretty low too, maybe 3500-4000 would be reasonable. And having them pull the black box to see if you've exceeded 3000 rpm and voiding the warranty if you have would be a crock! What if you got pinned on the road and had to make a evasive manuever by accelerating or something. I would assume they could also track the amount of time spent above 3000 or at WOT but who makes the call on that?

As far as break in goes I will go by whats recommended but there's always the argument "'How are you supposed to break-in the motor while only using half of the valve gear".

For you PC (Politically Correct not Windows vs. Mac) folks:
"Don't discriminate against them just because they're taller"

 

[jml1952]

Where's Clyde when you need him? I believe that I read about the break-in procedure on one forum or another. I thought it came from someone in the know, but can't remember if it was Clyde.

 

[MikeAR303]

There was word of the break-in procedure, but it was for the K-Series in the euro model... not the Toyota that we are getting.

Fingers crossed that our break-in procedure isn't as harsh (or is more harsh, depending how you look at it)

 

[MickOpalak]

I'll be taking it by a couple of my car-nut friend's houses to show it off, then on the first available weekend go up to the North Georgia Mountains or the Blue Ridge Parkway to get the break-in miles over with. Once it's broken in, I'll be heading for Road Atlanta or Barber Motorsport Park in Alabama.

 

[agent.5]

Are you guys going to use protection? You know safety first. This day and age, you never know what may hit you. I mean the stoneguard, invisishield, etc. So, maybe the first stop should be to a protection installation specialist.

 

[Robert Puertas]

First weekend, time for a road trip. Perhaps up to Santa Barbara or Santa Ynez/Solvang. If we can get away for the weekend, perhaps go all the way up to Cambria (north of San Luis Obispo, a little south of Hearst Castle).

Hey, sounds like we'll need to organize a Santa Ynez valley Wine Tour on the board!