You've Just Gotten Your Elio What Do You Do First?

[Jayne Shelby]

I plan on a long drive as the first thing. I will do some minor customization with the replacement of the factory radio and perhaps lighting and striping. Crutchfield has a nice selection of radios and shouldn't be too much of a problem changing them out. I just want to experience driving the Elio. We have all been waiting a long time and I remain optimistic that soon we will all have our dreams come true.

 

[AriLea]

Rear Windows?

More exactly the passenger windows. (picky! :-) )

 

[AriLea]

I plan on a long drive as the first thing. ... I just want to experience driving the Elio. ....

You know the view of scenery for the Elio driver should be better than most private vehicles. A few day-trips in the hills and mountains are a good place to get some 'road-feel' in. One of the best short trips around here is the drive out Usery Road past 'GoldBar' out to Suraro Lake, then past Tortilla Flats and on to Canyon and Apache Lakes. Also nice, Payson to Strawberry and on to Cottonwood. Another is Devil's Canyon to the Salt River Canyon. Anything up to the Grand Canyon or Zions or Brice Canyon requires over-night stays.

In Washington, there's at least 15 nice and twisty routes with views just off the top of my head, Mt Rainier has Carbon River, Paradise, Sun Rise, Chinook Pass, then Deception Pass, North Cascade Highway (westbound), the roads to Black Diamond, Capital Peak in Olympia, Snoqualmie Pass, White Pass, Mt St Helens, many parts of Highway 101 on the Olympic National Park, Highway 11 Samish to Bellingham (Chuckanut), Highway 401 Longview to Long Beach, 109 Aberdeen to Ocean Shores and Highway 2 Leavenworth to GoldBar (and on to Everett). And all that is just in Western Washington.

Look 'em up!

 

[Muzhik]

In the spirit of the gracious, forgiving and magnanimous person I am, I'll wait til some of my smug, doubting, "friends" and relatives drop by, take them out to the garage to see the Elio, look at them with a &$%& eating grin and say "F--- You!".

Apologies, but I don't think it will have the effect you think it will have.

I'm reminded of my favorite card we got when my (now ex) wife and I got when we got married. On the front it said something like, "You finally got married! Finally, an end to all you friends and relatives asking you over and over again, When are you going to get married?" When you open the card it said, "So. When are you going to start having children?"

After you show all of them your new machine, you'll see some appreciative nods (everyone appreciates good design), and then the questions will start:

"So. how long do you think it will be before you have to take it in to be fixed, and how much do you think it will cost?"
(see: FIAT -- Fix It Again Tony)

 

[Muzhik]

SELL IT
(just kidding)

Actually, I've seen a few cars around here ("unusual cars", such as the Smart or the Fiat models) sporting those "auto ad" wraps. I might try to find a company that still offers that and work out a deal that will pay for at least part of the car.

And as for those who are debating "flying there" vs. home delivery, why isn't anyone considering the third option: taking the bus to Shreveport?

 

[Coss]

You know the view of scenery for the Elio driver should be better than most private vehicles. A few day-trips in the hills and mountains are a good place to get some 'road-feel' in. One of the best short trips around here is the drive out Usery Road past 'GoldBar' out to Suraro Lake, then past Tortilla Flats and on to Canyon and Apache Lakes. Also nice, Payson to Strawberry and on to Cottonwood. Another is Devil's Canyon to the Salt River Canyon. Anything up to the Grand Canyon or Zions or Brice Canyon requires over-night stays.

In Washington, there's at least 15 nice and twisty routes with views just off the top of my head, Mt Rainier has Carbon River, Paradise, Sun Rise, Chinook Pass, then Deception Pass, North Cascade Highway (westbound), the roads to Black Diamond, Capital Peak in Olympia, Snoqualmie Pass, White Pass, Mt St Helens, many parts of Highway 101 on the Olympic National Park, Highway 11 Samish to Bellingham (Chuckanut), Highway 401 Longview to Long Beach, 109 Aberdeen to Ocean Shores and Highway 2 Leavenworth to GoldBar (and on to Everett). And all that is just in Western Washington.

Look 'em up!

Don't have to; I've driven all of them. I'm in Battle Ground, 503 North bound through Yacolt and into the back of Woodlawn is a short (40 min) cruise, 90% of which is twists and turns and all wooded. Battle Ground is in the foothills of the south Cascades.
My favorite is North Cascades Hwy, East bound all the way to Grand Coulee; stay overnight in Electric City, go south to Lake Chelan, then to Leavenworth and back over Hwy 2 East bound, fantastic trip.

 

[Coss]

And as for those who are debating "flying there" vs. home delivery, why isn't anyone considering the third option: taking the bus to Shreveport?

Take the Bus ?????

 

[Mel]

And as for those who are debating "flying there" vs. home delivery, why isn't anyone considering the third option: taking the bus to Shreveport?

Well, Let's see. Flying my own airplane for less than an hour vs. driving to the bus station and sitting in a bus for several hours.
Boy, Hard decision!

 

[Marshall]

You know the view of scenery for the Elio driver should be better than most private vehicles. A few day-trips in the hills and mountains are a good place to get some 'road-feel' in. One of the best short trips around here is the drive out Usery Road past 'GoldBar' out to Suraro Lake, then past Tortilla Flats and on to Canyon and Apache Lakes. Also nice, Payson to Strawberry and on to Cottonwood. Another is Devil's Canyon to the Salt River Canyon. Anything up to the Grand Canyon or Zions or Brice Canyon requires over-night stays.

In Washington, there's at least 15 nice and twisty routes with views just off the top of my head, Mt Rainier has Carbon River, Paradise, Sun Rise, Chinook Pass, then Deception Pass, North Cascade Highway (westbound), the roads to Black Diamond, Capital Peak in Olympia, Snoqualmie Pass, White Pass, Mt St Helens, many parts of Highway 101 on the Olympic National Park, Highway 11 Samish to Bellingham (Chuckanut), Highway 401 Longview to Long Beach, 109 Aberdeen to Ocean Shores and Highway 2 Leavenworth to GoldBar (and on to Everett). And all that is just in Western Washington.

Look 'em up!

I'm envious. All we have around here is swampland and the overpasses are the only terrain within 100 miles.

 

[WilliamH]

I'm envious. All we have around here is swampland and the overpasses are the only terrain within 100 miles.

You'd probably enjoy Junction to Uvalde on Rt. 83.
Only about 100 miles, but not a bad ride.