Ball & Chain

[toyroom]

Sorry, been away for a bit and saved a few up ! When anyone talks to me about THE CAR, one of the first few questions is almost always: "What does your wife think of it ?"
Well, what a good idea for a thread: What does your spouse (or equivalent) think of your car ? How many primary users are male. How old are we ? Why doesn't LEW publish demographics ? Surely that would be fairly easy as the records are likely to be computerised.
To start the ball rolling, my wife HATES my car. In her beautiful eyes, it has NO REDEEMING FEATURES AT ALL. That's right, NRFAA !
Everything I love about it is a reason for her to hate it. In detail, it is:
Too fast
Too low
Too wide
Too loud
Too powerful
Too exclusive
Too flash
Too complicated
Too impractical
Too small (and yet too big)
Hell....she even thinks it's too red !!!
So, what do all the other people in Lotus land get as a reply when the subject of their car comes up ?

>> Edited by toyroom on Sunday 14th May 22:19

[teigan]

all the women in my life insist i get rid of the esprit. i suspect once i did, they'd only move down to the next item on their list.

[lotuseffect]

You missed off: 'Too expensive', 'too unreliable' and, 'it smells'.

at least, I think it was the esprit she was levelling those criticisms at.....

[techspy]

Too uncomfortable, specifically, the seats.

All in all, she doesn't have much bad (or good) to say about my S4. This even goes for the money spent on it for "upgrades" etc. Although, we aren't married, and this subject was brought up early in the relationship.

I guess if it became and issue I would say something to the effect of:

"Honey, just think of the way I feel about my Lotus as the way you think about the next pair of shoes you want to buy"

Errrr, uuum, or maybe I would just not say anything and just go for a ride...alone....

[Paula&Marcus]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh ... boys ... seems to me you got the wrong wifes !

It all depends on where you pick them up. I used to attend only car shows and car meetings and car fairs and car-gatherings and race-weekends and all that when I was young ... thats why my girl/spouse/wife also loves cars and also loves my cars and of course she also loves the Esprit. She even takes the Esprit out for rides ... ALONE ! =:O

But, believe me, it also has downsides if you have a car-addicted wife ... I have to go to the Nurburgring with her regularly ... I also had to go with her to the www.jim-clark-revival.de ... I have to buy all these car-mags and also MG-related stuff (she is heavily MG addicted ... owns a MGF and drives my MGA)

She also is nagging for two or three years now for a Maserati GT3200 (the old one with the boomerang lights) or a Jag XKR ... huchhhh

... maybe its better to have a "normal" wife

Cheers
Marcus

[stals v8]

My other half says my esprits red/black interior looks like its out of a 70"s porno film set!

She also upon hearing the dump valves says it sounds like a whale coming up for air!

When i flash to let another car out i get told to stop popping the eyes open cos its embarrassing!

She also says it keeps going wrong!!...............I KNOW THIS!! But it looks just as good when its not working as when it is. & thats good enough for me!!

[scoule]

Only a positive ... "It's much more stable at high speed than the Griffith 500" ... I selectively block comments about how much it costs!

[wedg1e]

Ah good, it's not just mine then

She doesn't like the TVR much either, but if she absolutely HAS to go in either, the drop-top gets the ... but only as long as I keep the speed down to avoid blowing her hair around too much

[teigan]

"My other half says my esprits red/black interior looks like its out of a 70"s porno film set! "

i wonder if any lotuses ever turned up in a porno film. does anyone recall? someone should compile a definitive list.

[Autocross7]

She hated it at first.... still pretends not to like it... but...

When my daughter is with the grandparents and the wife and I are going out for the night... SHE asks "why are we not taking the Esprit?" if I get the keys to the other cars.

So...
She wants to be a little over the top without admitting it...
She knows that the top (hood for you folks in the UK) is down on the MX-5 and may not want her hair blown...
keep as much fuel in our "family car" as possible (a Mazda 3i)...
...Or some comination of the above depending on the day.

Overall the missus' tolerates the car and sometimes enjoys it for short rides. I figure it is one of those pretty girl vs. pretty girl things? There was an add from Lotus Cars Ltd that had it right I think...

http://espritfactfile.com/indexs.html

(Under Gallery, Videos, Lotus Cars Ltd
Drive topless!!!

Cameron
Cameron

>> Edited by Autocross7 on Monday 15th May 23:11

[toyroom]

This one could run and run !

[charlescrawley]

Mine calls it my "Toyota"...

She thinks it looks like one...

I do think she likes it really and she only says this because she knows it drives me crazy!

Edited to add: She is French though, so what does she know!

>> Edited by charlescrawley on Wednesday 17th May 13:42

[karluk29]

think i may be a little different LOL

my misses likes it alot but then she just gets in her
veilside supra and err wastes it in a straight line anyway bahahahaha

[feffman]

Toyroom:

I simply remind her I don't play golf, don't smoke any longer (well an occassional cigar) and I don't chase other women. The Esprit and all its antics are the only bad habit I have left. Seems to suffice until the next round of Esprit statements. Good luck!

Feff

[ErnestM]

feffman said:

Toyroom: I simply remind her I don't play golf, don't smoke any longer (well an occassional cigar) and I don't chase other women. The Esprit and all its antics are the only bad habit I have left. Seems to suffice until the next round of Esprit statements. Good luck! Feff

Sounds like I have married your wife's twin, except that she takes it one step further. Recent conversation at the McHousehold:

after showing her the article in car magazine about the new Esprit - you know, the yellow one

Her: So are you going to get that one?

Me: Well that is just concept art. Going to wait and see what the real one is like.

Her: ...and if you don't like it? What's next?

Me: Probably the Aston-Martin.

Her: Oh I don't really like that one. Looks like an old man's car. I really think that you need one with air intakes, spoilers and an engine in the middle. How about a Ferrari?

Me: I don't think so. Too cookie cutter. I mean, should I get one in red?

Her: I get your point. I still think that you should have something more along the lines of the Esprit or the Lamborghini Gallardo. It suits you.

Me: We'll wait and see.

Her: Whatever you get, I don't think that you should sell the Esprit. Just save it.

---

Gotta love her. From the mouth of babes...


ErnestM

[toyroom]

Has she got any good looking sisters ???! I have been absolutely banned from the new Esprit until they are at least 4 years into production !
I also do not play golf, have stopped smoking (that paid for the Esprit-see thread "free Esprit" do nt go to sports events or the pub. And I don't chase other women. I mean, what more do they want. I was recently out for a meal with a male friend and a female company rep. (who was paying for dinner) Upon hearing the deal my wife has (no work, Jag, nice holidays and want for nothing) She said she would marry me depite being 15 years younger. The friend then said: "Hell, I'd marry you for that deal !"

[britten_mark]

Autocross7 said:

When my daughter is with the grandparents and the wife and I are going out for the night... SHE asks "why are we not taking the Esprit?" if I get the keys to the other cars.

haha me too. After all the comments about "the plastic paperweight in the garage" etc she gets huffy if we don't use it when the kids are on sleepovers, even if its just a trip to the supermarket. It's also a nice feeling when it swallows a weeks shop for a family of 5..."see love, we can't sell this, it's practical"

[Autocross7]

I have been telling people that this car is practicle since I bought it! In fact, I bought it when my little girl was a year old... new Family car!!!?

I like to show them the fuel rate for the hwy... 34 plus mpg! One guy at a car show recently replied' "Hey, that is just as good as that highbrid thingy - and a lot more attractive"!


Drive topless!!!
Cameron

[teigan]

fuel prices for california are highest in the country, due to idiot environmentalst residents pushing their ignorance on everyone by way of sin-tax. glad my esprit averages 27mpg combined city/hwy. the hybrids of equal size do 34mpg though, so it still isn't even a contest. if the fuel costs don't relent soon, i'll get one of those flintstones cars.

[toyroom]

Just be glad you live in a country which has some respect for cars as part of freedom and not an evil to be punished. Gas in the UK is nearly a Pound a litre. That means £4.50 or thereabouts for a UK gallon. I'm not sure how much bigger our Gallon is than yours but assuming 1.5 UK Gallons to a US Gallon and 65p to a Dollar, UK gas is nearly 5 Dollars a Gallon.........
Plus $250 road fund licence a year........
Plus the thick end of $1500 insurance......

All without moving ! With a roundabout (traffic circle); traffic lights or crossing every few yards and not a straight road in sight, Better than 18 mpg is rare...... But what a magnificent 18 miles !!!!