28 Jan 09
MGB Roadster
MGB roadster, 1962-1980
For those of you who like donning a pair of rose-tinted spectacles and dreaming of the golden days of motoring, go for an MG.
MGBs, in particular, are terrible cars. They weren't even particularly good when new, so it's no great surprise how rotten they are 50 years down the line.
Not that their misguided owners will ever admit as much. Buy one of these and you will spend your life fighting electrical fires, mountains of rust and a truly average drive.
Normal people will tell you to buy a nice, sensible Mazda MX-5 and admire the MG from a safe distance, but you simply won't listen. This is a guilty pleasure because, like chocolate, it's bad for you but just so good at the same time.
DeLorean DMC-12
DeLorean DMC-12, 1980-1982
Something strange happens when you become a DeLorean DMC-12 owner. Overnight, you become mortally obsessed with people touching your time machine. Sorry, car.
Since the lithe DeLorean is clothed with stainless steel, it's vulnerable to grubby paws that threaten to ruin its wonderful sheen. If that's not bad enough, there's the paralysing fear that one day it might be scratched. With bare metal there's no quick touch-up remedy - just an everlasting reminder of a careless mistake. Best to leave it tucked away in a dry, heated garage.
On the road the DeLorean is appalling - blame its wheezy old V6, donated by Volvo. When you reach a corner you'll have another problem trying to prevent that rear-mounted engine from overtaking you. Still, if it was good enough for Michael J Fox, then it's good enough for you.
