Hooniverse Asks: What's the best car to drive when you're sick?


The cold lasted for a week. That’s a bit longer than they typically last but my head was beginning to lift out of the fog. This is good news because I have a supremely busy week ahead. There’s a bit of travel, some track driving, some off-track fun, and even a race to watch this upcoming weekend. But as the cold moves out, a brain squeezing sinus infection has been left behind. My head hurts and it’s constant. I can’t get anything out of my right nostril but I know that side of my face is positively packed with nasty. Hopefully some antibiotics and nasal spray right this issue sooner rather than later.
While sitting in my bed, with an aging dog happy to have my laid up most of the week, I started pondering the appropriate vehicle that one should drive when one is under the weather. Now, ideally, you can drive nothing and just sit at home. But if duty cools and you need to hop behind the wheel, what vehicle would make for an ideal machine?
To tell you which ones are not on the list, here’s my upcoming week:

  • Makellos Classics 1978 Porsche 911SC Safari (We drove their ’73 RS-style earlier and it was great. I was supposed to drive this a week prior but had to push back, assuming my cold would move on.
  •  Fly to Sacramento to drive the Hyundai Veloster N on track at Thunderhill.
  • Come home from that Thursday, then fly back north to the Bay Area to link up with Bentley for the Pirelli World Challenge at Laguna Seca.

Now, to be clear, none of that is being said to make you feel sorry for me. All of that makes for an awesome week. But imagine that the right side of your face is filled to the brim with snot and you can’t get it out. Your head feels likes it’s about to pop from the pressure. There’s no fever, but you still feel hot for no reason.
I hope this clear up soon… or that flight to Sacramento might have just enough pressure to force it all out mid flight. My apologies to the others on that Southwest plane.
Back to the question. What would you hope to drive if you were sick and had to drive?

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18 responses to “Hooniverse Asks: What's the best car to drive when you're sick?”

  1. outback_ute Avatar
    outback_ute

    A pickup, as they are more tolerant if you, ahem, accidentally drive over a traffic island at 40 mph…

    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      I *may* have cleared a curb in a strip mall while driving a Raptor some years back…

    2. P161911 Avatar
      P161911

      I have taken all of one ambulance ride in my 45 years. It was when I had an extremely sever stomach virus (half a step from “You have died of dysentery”). My wife was taking care of our 3 month old daughter. I decided the best way to get to the emergency room was via ambulance. After I got the bill, I decided if I ever needed to go again, I was to be thrown in the bed of my truck and driven to the emergency room. The truck bed could be easily hosed out.

      1. Vairship Avatar
        Vairship

        Isn’t that why they invented Uber? The clean-up fee can’t be THAT high…

        1. P161911 Avatar
          P161911

          This was pre-Uber.

  2. Zentropy Avatar
    Zentropy

    For me, it was my ’66 Mercury Monterey. Big, comfortable, floaty, surprisingly fast when I wanted to liven things up, but generally just an easy cruiser. The effortless 3-speed automatic required zero input. Excellent heat from the big block to take the chill off. Plus, the faint whiff of gasoline from the slightly rich 4bbl helped clear the sinuses.
    What was not a good “sick” drive: my ’77 Jeep CJ-7 Renegade with heavy-duty suspension and a lightweight fiberglass tub (which made the springs ride even more stiffly). Removing the doors on a cool morning drive would chill achey, already-cold bones. Removing the top would make puffy eyes water even more. The V8 roar from the barely-muffled pipes didn’t bother fluid-plugged ears so much, but didn’t comfort them, either. But man, on a good day, that truck was fun as hell.

    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      “Plus, the faint whiff of gasoline from the slightly rich 4bbl helped clear the sinuses.”
      Ah man that sounds perfect right now

  3. 0A5599 Avatar
    0A5599

    Something with somewhat floaty suspension so your head doesn’t take a pounding, easy to handle, so you don’t have to concentrate too hard, and hose-clean interior in case you toss your cookies before you get to the destination.
    P71 Panther.

    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      Excellent choice

  4. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    Take your pick of Toyota, so that others won’t be shocked when you’re driving in a bit of a haze.

  5. Supernaturallyaspirated Avatar
    Supernaturallyaspirated

    My newly acquired winter beater, a 94 Buick roadmaster sedan. The overstuffed leather benches, floaty suspension, and vaguest steering imaginable guarantee you won’t face any sudden jolts. The LT1 v8 gives you all the power you need while the 4L60e leisurely shifts through gears when needed.

  6. Alff Avatar
  7. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    When one side of the face is clogged up, it’s often advisable to engage gravity’s help. Also, Renaults are supposedly comfy:
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pobOY1g0QBI

  8. crank_case Avatar
    crank_case

    Based on stuff I’ve driven: Volvo S80 – THE most orthopedically correct and comfortable seats in any car ever. Comfortable airy cabin, takes no real effort drive, has a comfortable ride, however despite its comfort focus, it’s not a totally sloppy barge, there is still an accuracy about how it handles, not entertaining handling, just goes where you need it to go with no drama. It is meant to be driven through Swedish winters after all.
    Also, if you pass out at the wheel, safety is pretty good. The S90 is probably better as it probably stops you mowing down pedestrians, but I’ve not driven one.
    https://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2009/04/03/12/39/2001_volvo_s80_t6-pic-31842-640×480.jpeg

  9. Vairship Avatar
    Vairship

    Whatever it is, I’m going to guess it’s not this: https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7337/9707748629_f47e5d95f6_b.jpg

  10. Rover 1 Avatar
    Rover 1

    One of these. With the long wheelbase the ride would be amazing. If you’re sick you need an ambulance.
    https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7651/16789979749_d6d3863820_b.jpg