A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Although some of you dislike the idea, its going to happen. Here is where I need your help.
I need to print a addendum for my rental agreement that explains all the quirks of the car and what NOT to do. I have a few ideas but need some SERIOUS input from those of you who are much more familiar with the car.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
A:
Originally Posted by zen garage
Although some of you dislike the idea, its going to happen. Here is where I need your help.
I need to print a addendum for my rental agreement that explains all the quirks of the car and what NOT to do. I have a few ideas but need some SERIOUS input from those of you who are much more familiar with the car.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
IDEALLY, you need to do a pre rental ECU dump before someone signs out the car, then a post rental ECU dump.
Your agreement should spell out financial penalties for readouts outside parameters within which you want them to stay...revs, sustained engine speed, standing starts.
Explicity forbid using the car in timed events such as autocross, or use at HPDE's.
You may even want a bond up front.
All this is only partially tongue in cheek, and I know you want serious input. The point is that if you're putting these cars in your rental fleet, people are going to beat the death out of them, they will be speed shifted, they will be revved to the max. Some kind of way of doing ECU dumps would mitigate that, but I'd imagine the equipment you'd need to do that would be prohibitively expensive if Lotus would let you have it at all.
In the agreement should be some description of drop-throttle oversteer and how to avoid it. I'm imagining a lot of these cars being wrecked on exit ramps as people believe they're driving slot cars, lift when realizing they're a bit hot, and spin into the curb or guard rail.
Warnings about driving the car in the rain. EXTREME care is needed when driving on even moderately wet roadways.
No grabbing of the windshield with the top off during ingress/egress.
Make sure they understand how the locks work, and that manually locking the car renders the remote useless for that, and vice versa.
Remind them of the ground clearance for when they pull into a parking place.
Suggest they do not pull fully into a parking place, line the back up with the cars next to them. Pulling all the way in may make the car less visible to somebody slinging into the spot thinking it is empty.
No parallel parking.
I suggest you get the toe link brace installed in all your rental cars.
If I were you, I'd replace the horns on all your rental cars to much louder units. Demonstrate the horn button operation, it's not like normal cars.
Remind them that the passenger air bag cannot be disabled. NO CHILD SEATS!
Remind them about the prop in the trunk lid. It's often bent by people just trying to slam the lid shut.
Remind them there is no spare tire. Show them where the fix a flat is. Give them explicit instructions to follow vis a vis calling a tow truck and how the car must be loaded onto a truck in the event they break down. Make sure they know what the tow hook is and where it can be found. Be clear as to what must NOT be done when pulling the car onto the roll back and fastening it down.
I'd suggest not having the Touring soft tops, even if the cars are equipped with touring. Taking the top on and off often, especially by folks who do not have ownership investment, will have you replacing the liner in the touring top frequently as it detaches itself.
Put starshield around the gas filler, OR provide explicit instructions while filling to hold the handle up and away from the body. You may wish to do the locking gas cap conversion for your cars, as well.
Put heavy mil starshield or equivalent on the headlight lens.
Be sure they understand that until warm up the engine cutoff kicks in around 6K.
Remind them the passenger seat does not move.
Remind them to have items in the trunk stowed in such a way as to not fly around, thereby damaging the body from within. You may want to put Sector 111 booties in all your cars.
Oh yeah, show them where the emergency release handle is in the trunk in case they find themselves locked in there.
You should see what gyrations Hertz is putting people through to rent the 'Shelby' Hertz Mustangs.
A:
Go to Hertz and rent a Shelby for a day. Sure, it's an overpriced piece of crap, but you can write off the expense and you'll end up with a copy of the waiver/check list they use.
A:
Remind them to not store anything valuable in the trunk. Do not go through an automatic car wash if they are trying to bring in back clean. Let them know the AC knobs are for decorative purposes only. Show them how to get in and out, how to start it, how to work the immobilizer, the range of the alarm. Remind them that the light must be in the down position or the alarm is screwy. Show them how to turn the lights on so they aren't just driving with parking lights. Tell them about the maximum load in the trunk, A trunk bootie would probably be an excellent idea and cheap insurance for the tail light wiring and sides of the car.
Maybe you can also do narrow shoe rental with the car like a bowling alley does too! lol.
A:
You're asking us? It's so much legalize...a good three hours with an attorney should clear up the mess somewhat.
Good luck!
A:
Remember this? I was serious...
Dear Hertz renter:
Congratulations! You are renting a Lotus Elise, one of the most incredible sports cars in the world!
Just a few things to look out for:
Your trunk will hold one (1) overnight bag. That's it. Sorry. Be sure the bag is totally secure or it will ram a hole in the tender skin of the Elise. Damage could run as high as $1000.
If you know what's good for you you will exit driveways and enter driveways at no more than 2 mph. Any faster and extreme damage can occur to the front of the car, known as the front clam. Damage could run as high as $2700
Do not exceed the rpm limit in any gear. Over revving the engine will cause the rev limiter to cut in, but you may have already done EXTREME DAMAGE to the engine. Damage could run as high as $2000.
Check oil and water levels yourself. DO NOT trust this to the rental guy, as he has no idea how to service a Lotus and could care less if the engine explodes from misuse. Damage could run as high as $3500.
Do not attempt to remove the top yourself as you have no idea what you are doing. Failure to do this correctly could result in tremendous damage to the car or the interior. Damage could run as high as $2500.
If the top is off and it starts to rain do not attempt to put the soft top on. You have no idea what you are doing. Get the car into a garage area and WAIT for the rain to stop. Damage from rain could destroy the interior and run as high as $2000.
If you are going to park the car overnight DO NOT let anyone else drive it or park it. We are sorry for the inconvenience. You and you alone are the only one who can drive the car and be responsible for it. Believe us, you do not want anyone else driving/wrecking this car. Damage could run as high as TOTALED.
Do not take this car into a car wash. If you want it clean, stop and buy rags and borrow a hose and wash it yourself. The car will be extremely damaged in an automatic car wash. Damage to the finish could run as high as $2000.
Please read over 100 areas of the car that could be instantaneously damaged by a simple mistake. And don't forget the small print that states that you are responsible for any SUV's that plow into the back of the car. Oh yes, and remember, if anyone eggs the car -- YOU pay to get the car repainted.
Thank you and enjoy your Lotus rental experience.
A:
Anyway, I wish you luck. Sounds like you really do care about these cars.
A:
Originally Posted by kyohan03
Some kind of way of doing ECU dumps would mitigate that, but I'd imagine the equipment you'd need to do that would be prohibitively expensive if Lotus would let you have it at all.
Lotus should have no problem selling you their diagnostic hardware/software. In fact, I believe that they have to sell it to the public (it will probably cost in the $2-3K range. Having it in stock may be another matter...
But if you have the Lotus tool, you can make money on the side doing re-flashes and data dumps for local Elise owners. You could even do the ABS tweaks while bleeding/flushing the brakes...
But if you are buying several Elises for rental, you should be able to add that to the list.
I would enforce something about no standing starts, and no over-revs (missed downshifts) to be checked with the ECU dump. The rest of it you would pretty much have to leave alone - you can't limit revs, etc. (and the rev limiter should do that job anyway).
I would include some simple instructions - things like DO NOT USE THE WINDSHIELD FOR SUPPORT WHILE ENTERING AND EXITING THE ELISE (it will crack the windshield).
Include warnings about snap oversteer while letting off the gas if too hot in a corner; although I don't really think this is going to be a problem - it takes a lot to get the Elise up to the limits in a corner to provoke this behavior, and in reality, most people won't be driving it that hard.
I agree with the warning about driving the car in the rain/snow. But this shouldn't be that much of a problem with base tires - they are actually pretty good in the rain and you said you were going to park the cars for the winter.
Most of the other suggestions are good ones.
I suggest you get the toe link brace installed in all your rental cars.
Do not do this. The toe-link brace has some disadvantages that tend to be ignored by many people. One, they wear faster than the OEM ball joint. But more importantly, the OEM ball joint will bend and break if the rear tire slides into a curb. With the "Heim jointed" toe-link brace, a curb hit impact will be directly transmitted to the chassis, which could easily result in a totaled car instead of the cost of a new ball joint.
Remind them to have items in the trunk stowed in such a way as to not fly around, thereby damaging the body from within. You may want to Sector 111 booties in all your cars.
I was going to suggest the booties my self. Otherwise things in the boot will slide around and damage the fiberglass clam.
A:
Wow - some great replies here; not much to add.
I would suggest you check out the headlights when you get the cars; they're notorious for coming with the headlights poorly aimed, to the point where in someo cases its downright impossible to see at night. Aiming is relatively easy.
Not sure if I missed it, but you might want to tell people that the speedo is set 8-10% off, to the low side. (60 mph = ~55 mph)
Keep both hands on the wheel. Where most cars can be steered with a "knee," this car is prone to snap away if it hits a decent sized pebble.
A:
Originally Posted by Serebo1
Not sure if I missed it, but you might want to tell people that the speedo is set 8-10% off, to the low side. (60 mph = ~55 mph)
I wouldn't tell them this. Let them think they are going faster than they actually are. It would be safer that way, and I've never heard of anyone getting in trouble for going slower than they were allowed...
A:
Originally Posted by TimMullen
I wouldn't tell them this. Let them think they are going faster than they actually are. It would be safer that way, and I've never heard of anyone getting in trouble for going slower than they were allowed...
Good point. Nevermind.
A:
I guess that this is already in the contract but you may want to put it in bold.
DO NOT TAKE THE CAR TO A RACE TRACK OR AUTO CROSS. IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT BUY YOUR OWN
A:
I read that in order to rent a new GT-H you have to produce plane tickets and can only get/return them at an airport.
A:
Originally Posted by Patricko
I guess that this is already in the contract but you may want to put it in bold.
DO NOT TAKE THE CAR TO A RACE TRACK OR AUTO CROSS. IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT BUY YOUR OWN
Why didn't Kyohan03 think of that!?
A:
Originally Posted by Serebo1
Why didn't Kyohan03 think of that!?
I guess he does not have caps lock
A:
Originally Posted by Patricko
I guess he does not have caps lock
Yes, not having caps lock comes with having taste.
A:
Originally Posted by Serebo1
Yes, not having caps lock comes with having taste.
Your wit is only surpassed by your good looks and charm
A:
Originally Posted by Patricko
Your wit is only surpassed by your good looks and charm
And yours only by the girth of your waist.
A:
Don't really on an addendum to protect the car from damage. All that will do is support your position in court when you try to get damages. You’d need to mention those points in the addendum when you do the pre-rental walk through.
My main concern is the short wheelbase and mid engine position would cause snap oversteer. That would be my bigger concern than the cracks to the calm shell.
A:
I'm not so sure. I'll bet most people that can afford these rental fees (that don't already own an Elise) will be buying it to pose in, and not to drive ridiculously hard. I would be most concerned about parallel parking, pulling it to a parking spot too far and hitting the clam on the parking stop, or entering a (even moderately) steep driveway and cracking the front clam.