[MadisonArt]

So my GreenLotusWife mentioned that she wanted to take the car from central IL down to Mizzou for mom's weekend in Columbia to visit my son. I want to say sure, enjoy, but....

Would you let the wife take your car on long road trip for 3-4 days?

 

[enderw88]

Four words: "Happy Wife, Happy Life."

 

[David Craig]

I don't think my wife would want to go without me, so the question would not arise.

That said, I would be a bit nervous if she took it for a few days. I wouldn't be worried about her driving. What would worry me is that I don't think she'd be as careful as me with:

- Avoiding road debris.
- Going slowly up sharp ramps.
- Parking far from other cars.

 

[Zen Dude]

My wife probably wouldn't want to, but if she did ... I wouldn't care. I wouldn't deny her the fun of driving the Lotus. :evil:

Plus, she would drive as responsibly as she always does (and probably more) and if something happened to the car, my wife are in 'the circumstances of life and living' together so I would understand.

 

[ulao]

At the rate my wife complains about seats that hurt for long trips? She would never make it in an Elise.

 

[SwingLo]

I'm want to say 'sure no problem' since your wife is cool and I know her

That being said, I'd be nervous:

- does she truly understand the nuances of the car - particularly curb heights/approaches.

- is she somewhat mechanical? Our cars are funky and funky stuff can happen - she prepared for that?

- Weather could still pop up and cause a problem. Snow/freezing rain, but can she handle driving the Elise in the rain? Hell, that's scary for me.

I'd tell her to take the family truckster and not give you a heart attack!

 

[Niral_Xige06]

My wife doesn't know about the Lotus yet. She's a car girl, but my guess is she wouldn't want to go without me... guess I'll find out. She's careful and a good driver, so my main concern would her driving near unsafe areas and I wouldn't want to drive the A048s I have now through the rain, and would want more of an all season tires for a multi day trip :shift:

 

[sturgeongeneral]

I let my wife take whenever she wants. I think that totals 3 times around the block by herself and 3 times with me as a passenger. She's afraid of it. But regarding your wife on the long trip just tell her she couldn't fit enough luggage in the boot.

 

[emlise]

In addition to all of the above mentioned points (knowledge and understanding of car, possible weather/rain, etc), you have to consider the destination. Four days of parking and driving on a college campus...

As the (soon-to-be) wife, I know the answer I would get is no, and I wouldn't hold it against him because he wouldn't take it himself on that type of trip, either.

Still, very cool that she digs the car and wants to enjoy it just like you do!! And most of us are giving our two cents without knowing all the circumstances. If she drives it all the time around town on a regular basis and has a solid familiarity with the car and the special considerations to be taken when driving it, the weather forecast is really stellar, there's a safe/sheltered place to park it while she's there and your son has a car they can use when on campus, maybe you make her day and let her do it :up:

 

[4380r]

I trust my wife with everything I own...WE own.

I'd had no qualms at all her driving the Esprit, the Elises or Exiges when we owned them. Any time, any where.

My current Europa? I'd have qualms, largely because the 5 speeds are so hard to use. That's not peculiar to my car, read period articles about the 5 speed Europa Specials or anyone who had driven one, and you find that they came from the factory nearly impossible to find gears. Once you've got 'it' down it's not so bad, but the learning period is maddening.

And she's not used to driving such a small car. The Elise is about 500 lbs+ heavier, and a lot taller than the Europa. I don't know that I'll ever get used to driving it on a highway. Other drivers just don't see it.

Frankly I doubt she'd WANT to drive the Europa. But if she did, or if she had to, she is an excellent driver.

As for the OP...I'd be more worried about her letting his SON drive the car once she gets there!

 

[MotoGeek]

I like the part where you imply that you have any say in the matter.

 

[doug_porsche]

Yep, I would let her.
Yep, she would scrape the nose worse than I do.
Yep, she would comment on an automatic being easier to drive.
Yep, she would comment on the radio being tuned to my stations, not hers.
Yep, it was easier/better to buy her a Corvette and side step the question.

 

[Rza.I]

You know your wife's driving ability and experience with the car better than any of us. If she can manage the car sure why not just advise her to make sure she never valets and always parks in a paid lot where its safe and NEVER ON THE STREET.

 

[MadisonArt]

I trust her driving it, I just don't trust the road net down to Columbia MO. I don't trust the douche drivers she will be mixed with.

I am not sure she is aware of driving the car like I do: offset at stop lights, full cars length back, parking like a protective Nazi, avoiding ramps, holes and all the other crap we have to do to as Lotus drivers.

There is not a paid lot, she would end up in one of the Mizzou parking garages, hopefully on a corner spot I guess.

If something went wrong, I'd have to go down myself and help, there would be no way she would be comfortable in a situation like that. I have R888's on the car and I don't think I've been in much rain at highway speeds in them so I honestly don't know how they will hold up. My rears need to be replaced soon, I think I have 1/4 to 1/3 inch left on them.

If something happened, she would not want to call me... that I know. I'm thinking that all of you have 'right' answers and I think the safe play is to give her the option to drive it, but bring up all the considerations she may not have thought out. She may opt not to want to take it. :shrug:

 

[Lckitty]

Be sure!

Um.... I'm going with .....NO!

(Just showed up on ebay as a "project car")

 

[Niral_Xige06]

agree...you both own it equally (my wife co-owns our lotus too...she just doesn't know is all). that said ideally you both are on the same page about all the concerns, but sometimes not everyone realizes all the concerns until they are mentioned. and then some people just take more risks than others on top of that.

so whatever you decide, it would probably be good to at least communicate the concerns...

sometimes things are more risk than it's worth... and there is no shortage of "douche drivers"

 

[Motard]

I would point out all the above when driving. I.E yes it is a car and yes it is not like other cars.

My wife has to learn how to drive a manual first and then other skill-sets. I really wish she would. It would be great and maybe this is the season she learns.


Niral_Xige06

Did you say your wife does not know about the Lotus that she co-owns ? I would'nt know, but I'd say that would be harder than hiding a mistress !

I could imagine it now...
Wife : " Suzie says she saw you in a flashy car. I told her no that wasn't possible and that you didn't buy one since it was such a silly idea"

 

[jefrac]

I made sure my wife understands that I trust her implicitly and that she can drive the car any time she feels the desire to drive it.....

right after I installed fixed seat rails and harnesses so she cannot reach the pedals.

 

[Niral_Xige06]

@Motard...not that I would know anything about mistresses, but I would imagine hiding a Lotus to be much easier... the Lotus doesn't don't talk too much. from the news it seems mistresses all talk eventually... in other words, they dont simplify, then add lightness.

we got married in malaysia, and she isn't due here for a few more months. I did tell her once casually about the Lotus but she just laughed at me and said "yeah..right". So now it's just a running joke--now the blame is on her for not believing me. Their government taxes the heck out of imports to promote domestic brands like Perodua and Proton (which is what she drives). For instance I know a mercedes C300 (or maybe lower E class, i forget now) would cost somewhere around the tune of $100k USD..and their currency is around 3:1 (but the salaries are somewhere between 1:1 and 3:1). So it's like us paying OVER $100k in our buying power for that car .. Can't imagine what a lotus costs them...so that's why she didn't believe it, but she completely loves Lotus and probably never could imagine driving one yet ironically she doesn't even know she has one....

 

[qu1Z]

Bottoming out... roasting the clutch... curbing the wheels...

These are things that worry me the most about anyone driving the car.