I first got into Amazons 2 years ago. I juggled my first with a more modern Volvo 340 for a year, but sold this when the 122S proved more reliable than the 1990 car (that damn Renault engine!).

Now my 1967 2 -door 132 is my daily driver. It has taught me how to drive properly and how to look after the car that gets you around every day, not just expecting everything to be brilliant without any personal input. So I'd say they make us better human-beings. We're a tolerant bunch, I think, what with misting up windows, intermittant headlights (a Lucas first), fire, flood and the occasional moment of famine when you get peckish on the freeway.

I like the attention you get from all walks of life - younger folk realising there's more to life than supermini-clones, older folk trying to remember what the damn things are called, cool-dudes wondering if you can get hydraulics underneath, and wehicle-widows thinking, "just let my Bill even try to get one of those...".

Roll on.

TomTom