My Life So Far – A story told through Cars…. – Dreams, cars and dreams about cars

1. In the beginning….. My first car, and in my head an Astra GTE….great fun and NOT a mini (which was important at the time)

2. The university years…. – My dad bought me a sensible car for my commute to college, it was fun and reliable and most importantly cheap!

3. Nine points + young driver = cheaper car – I forget the year I think it was a 1976 but I’m sure my brother could tell me… I panicked about car insurance after getting 6 points on my licence, but actually they made a mistake on the quote and I went back to the Escort and the Mini was left to Rust in Piece at the family Mini graveyard (aka my brothers house)

4. First job and my first great car…. – Two amazing years of fun. It’s a car that you can throw into a bend and come out smiling on dry roads, wet roads and even in snow. Predictable and flexible. Always a blast.

5 Time to act like a grown up…

6. Economising in style… – same engine as the Golf – what a great torquey, flexible lump!

7. Wheeler Dealer… – remember the car that a blew up? well this was it!

First car in the US –

8. Move to the USA part 1…

9. Life in New Jersey (and a dog named Barney)

10. Dreams can come true… – I promise to write more about this one later!

Back to the UK –

11. Who says you can’t go home?

12. The good life in the UK and time for another car….

13. Saabs don’t float

14. A Mid-life crisis at 35 – A great car, one of the best I have owned

15. An easy decision

16. Anaphylactic Shock in Finland

17. Time to be sensible…ish – remapped, awesomely quick for a diesel.

18. Inspiration from Down Under – I always love a Golf! always more fun than the numbers say

Back to the US –

19. Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair

20. Football’s coming home….(I really don’t like silver cars, but I seem to have owned a lot of them)

21. My darkest hour – I got married and sold the Jag. Technically this wasn’t my car but I did drive it for 4 months…. right up to the day I crashed it (sorry P!)

22. And Finally…. – sound familiar? yeah I said I liked Golfs. There really aren’t many affordable cars that are fun to drive, seat four, quiet at speed, reliable and easy to park in the city (and that my wife would approve)