When I was younger, just got my licence, I played in a band. No amount of wanting, however, made the MR2 a practical car for a teen that needed to get a drum set to and from gigs.
So I bought an 88 Camry Wagon.
...and loved it.
It was like driving a lived in lounge suite. Roomy, economical, comfortable, with a heater that barely worked, and aircon that was always a little too cold.
Working on it created a passion for cars that I didn't realise I had.
I was a dumb driver, smashing the automatic gearbox as a clutchless manual, but the Camry didn't mind, it kept running as smoothly as ever, no slips, no crunch, no grinds.
After replacing almost every single interior and exterior part, and after increasing the odo from 320,000 to 415,000 (I drove it from Melbourne to Woodend twice), the suspension finally gave up the ghost and it was too expensive to justify.
8 years later, and two career changes since, I now drive a VERY practical, VERY average, FINE Kia Cerato hatch, which looks and drives VERY well and has 4 more years of factory warranty.
...and is dull as dull can be.
I can do nothing with it. Warranty covers the interior, my fastidiousness covers the outside so I'm left wanting.
I can't even get rid of it. It's too good a value sentiment to part with, yet just too boring to be my only car.
It's just fine.
So here I am, now 25 years since I first saw, and noticed, the 2seater mid-ship runabout.
I still want that MR2.