[Mean TT]

Well it is sad, but true. I am driving the rental untill the Elise arrives. However, the funniest part of it all is that when I went to rent the "car" all they had was a new Ford F-150 truck. I have had it a little while now, and althogh it is close to 180 dollars a week to rent it, it is a nice truck. I have always hated pickups, I think that most of the components are cheap and that they are unsophisticated. I also have always hated driving them around and corner that is not perfectly flat because the back end always wants to step out a little bit.


Well let me tell you, the truck I am driving is pretty darn good. Although it was the cheapest version of the truck available, it does have four doors and a standard sized bed. It is the complete opposite of the Elise in every way. I have owned a Land Rover Discovery before, and you sit up a lot hight in the F-150. The interior has the best fit and finish of any truck I have ever seen, and for once it actually looks modern and mildly sophisticated. The seats are even slightly bolstered, a nice change from the old benches of yesteryear. Although it is plesent to drive, and exceptionally quiet, I do feel like I am driving a Blue Whale. There is no such thing as a 3 point turn, it is more like a 5 or 7 point. There is also the delight of the annoying FORD invention of the pinging alarm when you aren't wearing your seatbelt. That doesn't bother me as I alyaws wear mine. But the truck has the added feature on the PASSENGER seat. Apparently it can sense if someone is in the seat, and gives you like 20 seconds to have them put their seatbelt on or else! While I find the fact that driving a truck has not been as bad as I would have though, the way some manufacturers engineer annoyances is increadible. I have yet to get groceries in the truck yet, but when I do, I will put something heavy in the passenger seat and see if it triggers the pinging alarm.

The good news is that after driving the truck for a while, I will be good at avoiding cars in a car 1/3 the size of this one. Also, I will be estatic for the time where no computerized saftey interventions spend their time trying to annoy me into something I have little physical control over (buckeling the seatbelt of a passenger). The alarm is so loud that it is frightening, and after having it go off twice on the highway for the passenger seatbelt, I think I trust myself to be responsible more than I trust any company to watch out on my behalf. :no: :no:

Thought some of you might find this interesting. If you are in the market for a truck, take a look at the new Ford, it was plesently suprising. However, be aware that it is designed to scare and annoy you......for saftey purposes.

 

[ivan1]

some people will try anything to get others to drop off the elise waiting list.... You would have had more success if you said how great the S2000 or Porsche you were renting was

 

[khamai]

However, the funniest part of it all is that when I went to rent the "car" all they had was a new Ford F-150 truck.

If gotta drive a truck, then is THE truck to drive.

The Dodge SRT10 maybe faster, but it can't tow. Any REAL truck has to be able to tow your toys - race cars etc.

The Lightning tows 5000 lbs. Enough for any of my Lotus'.

 

[Allan Gibbs]

some people will try anything to get others to drop off the elise waiting list.... You would have had more success if you said how great the S2000 or Porsche you were renting was

How about this. Porsche is great and it's getting better! In August the new 997 will be here, which will have all the technology of any modern car, but the retro (ie: old) looks of the 993 (1993 to 1996). Also, the new Boxster will be out shortly will have a striking resemblance to the Carrera GT (power's still down, but who needs power anyway?).

So, if your number 1 to 14 on Scottsdale Lotus' list, please take a short drive to Scottsdale Porsche and take a look. Oh, did I mention you can get a $6 to $10 discount on a 2004 Porsche? Go now. Hurry!

 

[NMRJock]

A friend (an engineer for Ford working on the new Mustang) and I had to run down to Alabama to pick up a project car. His Exploder was out of commision getting its new clutch, so we borrowed a brand new extended cab F150 lariat (top of the line). It was an incredibly nice truck. Drove great. Plenty of power and nice ride. People would walk over and look at it while we were buying gas (which we had to do a lot).

~Paul

 

[Tintin]

Also, I will be estatic for the time where no computerized saftey interventions spend their time trying to annoy me into something I have little physical control over (buckeling the seatbelt of a passenger).

You may not have any direct physical control over getting your passenger to buckle up, but you have a lot of indirect control.
When I used to have my Renault 5 turbo back in England I'd always ask my passenger to put on their seat belt. If they refused then I would hit the accelerator and then the brakes. After they struck the dashboard they would either put on the belt or get out and not drive with me again Interestingly, anybody had ever been a passenger with me before would always put on their belt, even in the rear seats

 

[Evl]

Not to mention, don't many states have laws that give the _driver_ a ticket if the passenger isn't buckled in?

 

[TimMullen]

I have little physical control over (buckling the seatbelt of a passenger).

Hmmmm...

Back in '73 my Vega had this new feature. I loved it. If the passenger wouldn't buckle up, the buzzer went off. I would simply tell them that I wasn't going to move the car until they buckled up. Many would complain and not buckle up. But a few minutes of sitting there and listening to the buzzer and they would. They would usually make comments that I should rip out the buzzer, but I would just tell them that I liked it...

As the driver of the car, you do have physical control over the passenger. As a matter of fact you have the responsibility for the passenger...

Tim Mullen