Regular readers of my blog will notice that I devote many of my posts to motoring issues, and motorcycling in particular. I must confess that I am a complete petrol head. The car is a great invention, and it is here to stay, regardless of what the moronic bureaucrats try to do to stop it.

I have been driving for 13 years and have easily covered a quarter of a million miles in that time. I have only had two accidents, and neither was my fault. I consider myself to be a good, safe and well experienced driver. I have quite a car history, in chronological order (some company cars, some my own). I’ve put the number plates in for vehicles I don’t own any more, where I can remember. Might be interesting to see what happens on Google and who finds this page:

• 1992 Nissan Micra 1.0 (K426KYB) - company car during 1996
  This was a brilliant first car. Fun to drive and nippy 16v engine. The one I had was an ex-driving school car and it still had the dual control pedals on the passenger side (disconnected though). I call it a company car, but I was actually charged £50 per week for it by the company.
• 1995  Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 (N73FUR) - first car I bought 1996 - 1997
  This was a reasonable enough motor. I bit dull really, but it was almost new when I bought it, so it was very tidy. I installed a really good stereo system in it (not a chavvy system, a quality system for high fidelity not booming bass), which I missed more than the car when I sold it.
• 1990 Volvo 440 1.7 - 1997-1998
  A friend of mine had a Volvo 440 which I really liked. His was a the newer fuel injected model, and this one didn’t quite match up. A pretty good car though, that I would have kept much longer had I not spotted the Sierra.
• 1990 Ford Sierra GLSi 2.0 (H915JWL) - 1998-2000
  This car was awesome. 130BHP doesn’t seem like much these days, but at the time it was a lot, and the Sierra went like stink. Rear wheel drive fun. Comfortable, and it looked great too. My two mishaps were in this car, within two weeks of each other - neither my fault - and it was never quite the same after the repairs and the withdrawal of 4star fuel.
• 2000 Renault Clio 1.1 (W738RKH) - company car during 2000
  Nice little motor that was given to me brand new, and handed back 3 months later with 12,000 miles on it. Totally inappropriate vehicle for the job I was doing, but the company was pretty stingy.
• 1996 Fiat Brava 1.6 - company car during 2000
  This was the pool car at the aforementioned company, which I nabbed instead of having another weedy Clio. Great car, with lovely styling that had a really lively motor. Had to give it back when I left unfortunately.
• 1990 Renault 19 1.4 - 2000-2001
  I had stupidly sold my Sierra after leaving the job above because it was sat idle. I bought this car for £400 and it already had nearly 180,000 on the clock. One of the best cars I have ever owned, and I still see it driving about.
• 1988 BMW 316 - 2001-2002
  Internally, this car was immaculate (rare for a BMW), but externally it had the usual BMW rust beetles attacking it from all fronts. Drove nice, but ultimately had to make way.
• 1995 Volvo 440 1.8 (M56DHS) - 2002-2003
  I finally got the Volvo I wanted, and it was pretty good. Loved the heated seats, high dash and driving position. This car is basically a Renault underneath, and it had a few troubles. When it started to wear out, it seemed to deteriorate very quickly.
• 2000 Vauxhall Vectra 1.8 (X854GAX) - 2003-2007
  The longest I have ever owned a car! I know these get slated all the time by the Top Gear boys, but it was extremely economical, very quick, very comfortable, spacious, practical. A good car really. Should have kept it.
• 1992 Saab 9000 CSE 2.0 Auto - 2006
  I’d always fancied a Saab and I picked this one up for £800. It was immaculate and lovely to drive. So comfortable, plenty of power, and not too bad on fuel. Unfortunately the transmission failed and rather than spend out to fix it (which I should have done) I sold it for £50 on eBay. Still makes me angry now to think about it.
• 1995 Saab 900 S 2.0 - 2006-2007
  This car replaced the 9000. It was also utterly brilliant. Nothing wrong with it, but idiot here sold it. The lady that bought it got a real bargain, and she knew it.
• 1998 Fiat Coupe 20VT 2.0 (T642WEU) - 2007-2008
  My Fiat adventures are documented elsewhere on this website. Suffice it to say, this car was incredible. 220 turbocharged Italian horses in a Pininfarina Ferrari-esque body. Still, none of the hot hatches can keep up with one of these.
• 1998 Honda Accord S 1.8 Auto (S481AYA) - 2008
  Honda build quality may be great but this car was rubbish. It averaged 23mpg and so had to go.
• 2008 Fiat Grande Punto Dynamic 1.3 Diesel - 2008-
  I leased this car after driving a couple of these in Spain. Brilliant little motor. Well built, comfortable car with fabulous looks and lots of extras inside. Engine can do more than 60mpg, and despite having only 75bhp, is extremely nippy. Feels more like a 1.6 to drive. Love it!
• 1998 Rover 75 2.0 V6 - 2008-2009
  This was a bit of a tank. I always wanted one of these, but it didn’t really suit me. Not a drivers car at all.
• 2000 Ford Cougar 2.5 V6 - 2009-
  The latest addition… a nice Ford Cougar with the Duratec 2.5 V6, leather and X pack. Haven’t had it for long, but it’s a pretty good motor, despite the dodgy Ford build quality. The boot is enormous - brilliant!

In 2008 I passed my motorcycle test and I absolutely love it! I currently have two bikes, and am already building up some history, with 10,000 miles ridden and 4 bikes owned:

• 2001 Suzuki SV650S (WU51UKX) - 2008
  The SV650 is an awesome bike. Great for beginners and more experienced riders. Enough power, and a sublime chassis that flies through the bends. Riding position is uncomfortable for bigger people though and it’s not the prettiest of bikes.
• 1992 Suzuki GSX1100F (K342OEU) - 2008
  I found this bike at a dealer and paid £1200 for it. It didn’t even have 6,000 miles on the clock. The engine was incredible. Loads of power. Loads of comfort. A fabulous touring bike, if a bit heavy. The problem was the Suzuki build quality and the British winter. I couldn’t stop the rot setting in, so I sold it. A few weeks later we decided to move to a place that had a garage and I really wished I had held on. I didn’t need the money and I’ll never find another one like it.
  
• 2008 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer S2 ABS (WX58LWM) - 2008-2009
  I bought this bike brand new, and it was largely very good, if a little uninspiring. Loads of power (if you work the gears), great handling, brilliant brakes and comfort. It was an ideal workhorse, but it never excited me like the other bikes. The quality of the finish was extremely poor. The paintwork developed scratches if you so much as looked at it, and the components go furry no matter how much care you take through winter.
• 1998 Suzuki TL1000S - 2009-
  I’ve had this bike for a while now and I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. The motor has spades of torque, and unbelievable performance. It all sounds fabulous through the titanium cans I’ve added. It’s costly in fuel, maintenance and tyres, and is currently gathering dust thanks to a knackered shock. I’ve got the spare parts, I’ve just got to find time (and tools) to fit them.
  
• 1992 Yamaha FZR1000RU EXUP (J525RDH) - 2009
  I wanted a Fireblade, but I couldn’t find a nice one for the money, so I bought this for £1,100 from a chap who hadn’t ridden it in three years. Another £600 bought a new front tyre, battery, chain and sprockets, pads, full service and MoT. It’s in very nice condition for the year, and currently has less than 25k on the clock. Blisteringly fast, with plenty of torque if you want to be lazy. Handling is superb. Unfortunately, the seat is quite low and I find the bike uncomfortable on longer rides, so I decided to sell it. It has gone to a good home!
  
• 2009 Honda CB1300SA - 2009-
  The newest addition to my bike family is a wonderful retro Honda in the best white/red colour with gold wheels and black engine. It looks fabulous! The big motor has loads of torque and plenty of performance when you want it, but the fuelling is a little bit snatchy. The fairing is pointless as it does nothing to deflect the wind, but at least it keeps me within the speed limits… most of the time.