...lusting after dull cars

Okay, I admit it. I have a problem. I'm not alcoholic, I'm not on crack (though some might wonder by the time they've reached the end of my post) and I don't have an embarassing illness.

My problem is that I like crap cars. Boring ones too. I have disturbing thoughts about buying Skoda Felicias and beige Kias and 90s Suzuki Altos and I can't hide it any longer.

I mean, take the Toyota Corolla. Not just any Corolla either, but the saloon. The bug-eyed one, that nobody in the UK actually bought. Well, I really want one. For reasons only known to my subconscious, I like the idea of the dreary saloon with a goofy face, anemic engines and no pretensions of excitement. I've only started to think about that one recently, actually. I'm currently in Dubai, and indeed stuck here thanks to the near-omnipresent ash cloud, and there are loads of the things about.

I mean, look at it. You'd struggle to call it attractive from any angle, though it's not quite ugly either, but it's certainly devoid of any soul. It's a car at it's most basic, a means of transport and nothing more. And I think that's why I like even the shoddiest of cars. At the end of the day, they're still cars and therefore still the best method of transport out there. Even awful cars can be fun, because on a basic level there's still a thrill to be had taking a car to it's limits, no matter how low or badly signposted those limits are.

I'm sure the Corolla saloon is great in that respect, not offering any feedback to speak of, but offering at least a basic connection between yourself and the road, never going quickly enough to get you into trouble, and being soft and wallowy enough for your spine to thank you even on the worst roads. Of which there are a lot around here - perhaps that's one reason they're so popular.

Many car enthusiasts hate cars like that Corolla. They can never offer you the thrills of a sports car or the luxury of a... well, a luxury car. But they're still cars.

Come join me. Embrace the crap cars. Because even a bad car is better than no car.

Image: Wikipedia