Do you let your wife drive your Pagoda ?

[ashley]

I guess I'm taking a survey of sorts, as we get into the top down season here in New England, my wife keeps dropping hints about using my 280 SL to run errands or to have lunch with friends etc.. Now that the bugs have been mostly ironed out my excuses are starting to sound feable. Frankly the idea makes me nauseous, but then shes never been in an accident and I trust her in all other matters, but I can't quite be enthusiastic about it. As men we know our driving skills are far superior, and I've told her as much, but it didn't seem to go over so well.  I'm sure others have been faced with such a dilemma. Do you or don't you?

[twistedtree]

Mine keeps asking which car is going to be hers, but since only one is roadworthy, I still have a long list of excuses.

And don't worry, mum's the word. What's discussed about Pagoda's, stays with Pagoda's.

Oh, and hasn't your car been overheating unexpectedly now that it's warming up?

[thelews]

My wife's welcome to drive mine, but has no desire.  She doesn't want to be responsible for any negative things that may happen to it.  She mostly drives it when I ask her to take it somewhere.

[ctm14]

   I would let my wife drive mine, at least I think would.  If only she could drive a standard shift. I don't think a pagoda 5 speed is the best place to hone her skills. 

[Peter h]

It would please me, but my wife is afraid something would go wrong when she is driving. She says, its an old car.....

Peter

[Larry & Norma]

Similar to the last three situations I have no problem with Norma driving but she just does not want to

[badali]

My wife doesn't want to drive it.  Last year I finally got her to drive my 4.5 to a car cruise while I drove the 230.  It was over 20 miles and it rained on the way but I was happy she finally went with me.  My profile picture is from that day...  She is afraid something will happen to it. 

[Cees Klumper]

As my wife allowed me to buy it, she's very welcome to drive it. Plus I think that if she also gets some pleasure from this hobby, it's better for both of us. So she has driven it and, now that summer is coming, she's looking forward to taking it to pick up our son from school, going to see friends etc. The Pagoda is easier to drive than our modern Volvos, has a smaller turning circle, has plenty pick up and go, great brakes and I could go on. And in Holland we say: a pleasure shared is a pleasure doubled!

[ashley]

I like your generous spirit, does it extend to the El Camino? The difference is that europeans take driving more seriously, unlike Americans they wisely are not drinking coffee, eating donuts, putting on make-up, talking on thier phones or, god forbid, texting. I've seen my wife do all of the above, paying attention to the road is a distraction for her. I think I will just tell her the cars are known for electrical fires and I fear for her saftey, oh but wait, I have an E-Type and that excuse my sound redundant. I know, gas leaks onto hot exhaust and explodes, thats it.

[49er]

I had my SL a few years before I met my wife and on our second date I asked if she would like to drive the car. She had a VW bug at the time and was proficient in the use of a clutch and manual gear box. That sealed the deal and we were married soon afterwards:-) In those early years we drove the car frequently up and down the California coastline, alternating driving duties, until other priorities (new house and raising two children) relegated the car to be stored away. Since getting the car back on the road we have shared driving a bit but she is very content to be a passenger for the most part and has never turned down an offer to go out for a spin in our Pagoda. We do have about 15 miles of private roads in our community with almost zero traffic so she comfortably buzzes around on those roads.
 A few weeks ago I realized that I had never added my wife's name to the car's title and upon the advise of our estate attorney, her name as well as mine are now on the pink slip so now it is truly "our" car:-)

John  

[Benz Dr.]

Let my wife drive the Red Rocket?   I don't even know where to begin.............

[Cees Klumper]

I like your generous spirit, does it extend to the El Camino?

That's too funny, I just now posted this on the very same topic 'there' - look at post #26 (and while there, you might enjoy reading some of the others; not too different from here):

http://www.elcaminocentral.com/showthread.php?t=49207&page=2

[gugel]

My situation is the same as several other posters.  I would be happy to let my wife drive the Pagoda but she doesn't want to take the risk of damaging it or having something go wrong.  She has long driven my stick shift BMW 3.0CS without difficulty, so I expect she will try the Pagoda one of these days.

[Benz Dr.]

I've been trying to get my wife to learn how to drive a standard. After 15 years I've all but given up. I guess someone yelled at her 30 years ago and that's all it took.

 Come to think of it, I taught my first wife how to drive a standard and she took off with my car when she left.

   Never mind. I changed my mind..........

[J. Huber]

In my case, the question might need to be: Do you let your daughter drive your Pagoda?



The oldest one will be 16 in a few months...    

As for the wife -- she has driven it maybe twice -- but is pretty uncomfortable about it. Maybe its a wife meets mistress thing.

[Peter h]

but in the old days the pagoda was called a woman car  , i dont know.
Peter

[Peter van Es]

Of course... and when my kids get their driving license, they can drive it too... But not when going out of course...

[georgem]

Well guys, I`ll give you another point of view - we have been married 38 years and from our courting days I remembered my wife commenting how great she thought the Pagodas were. Several years ago, I bought her one as an anniversary present. Its her car, but of course I get to service wash maintain etc.
About 18 months ago she was driving it and had a major argument with a telegraph pole and came a bad second. The car was written off - she was lucky with only a bit of whip lash. The insurance company paid me out and as per the contract, gave me the wreck. After a long search for parts and an extended stay at the panel beater I put the engine back in last weekend and hope to have it back on the road in a month - guess who I plan to be the first driver: my wife; guess who cant wait for that day; my wife. We both get a lot of pleaseure from the car - nothing is cooler than cruisinig down for coffee on a Saturday morning - it lifts the spirits.

Perhaps Im lucky to be married to a bit of a petrol head who enjoys driving older cars - (todate we have owned an MGA, MG TF, Austin Healey and Jaguar 150) and she drove them all with relish and panache. So, I`m  all for the "little woman" driving a Pagoda

[ashley]

I'm glad your wife wasn't badly hurt in her tangle with the pole, its just the sort of thing I am concerned about. I just don't get a warm and comfortable feeling about my wife driving my Pagoda. Maybe if I ran it into a pole first I would be more forgiving.....

[pj]

My wife lived in Germany with her family for 6 years when she was a little girl. Her Dad was in the Canadian military, and the family drove a 190D all over Europe. So my wife has always been a Mercedes fanatic. After all this history, you can bet she drives the Pagoda. She absolutely loves it. She was driving when the engine blew last fall and, now that Dan has rebuilt just about everything and it runs like a brand new car but even better because it has 1960s German engineering, she enjoys it even more.

The only thing. . . what is it about backing up that women find so difficult? Don't tell her I said this :-)

[cbenz1]

My wife prefers an automatic, but can drive a 4 speed.  The clutch is very light and it is easy to shift.  No reason she would not drive it, just hasn't.