Marina - the Good Points

You may think (from reading other of my Marina posts) that I am some kind of automotive masochist. I'm not - I just really enjoy driving old cars. I find it almost a spiritual experience to take on a road or a journey in a car that has very discernible limits in terms of performance, handling, braking etc - because it requires so much more attention, foresight, planning and (dare I say) skill.Especially if (for no real reason) you decide to hustle a bit.

The journey becomes an achievement, in the same way as walking up a mountain does.

Although the Marina was (in engineering terms) a fairly nondescript compilation of leftover Leyland parts, and pretty crude in comparison to many of its peers (but not all, Vauxhall and Chrysler/Hillman produced some equally basic cars at about the same time), it is now, just an 'old car'. Probably no worse than an early MGB to drive, although a lot less glamorous.

My point is, there are much worse 'old cars' to drive than the Marina. They are probably just a lot older and almost certainly much more interesting to look at.

So if you can get past the looks and the plethora of better cars from the same era, it is still just as capable of showing those

• "very discernible limits in terms of performance, handling, braking etc"

... and requiring ...

• "so much more attention, foresight, planning and (dare I say) skill" to get from a to b,
  

that make driving old cars such an interesting and (for me) 'other-world' experience.

It also carries that totally 70s vinyl smell, which transports me back to some of the better aspects being a teenager.

So in the context of all that, stick with me and I will briefly list the other good points in no particular order:

1. No one steals them. There is simply (a) no value and (b) huge potential negative kudos even for a joyrider
2. They are quite comfortable - at least for little old 6'4" me - and the driving position is quite good
   
3. Other drivers are extremely civil - they must either assume I am about 89 years old, or they just feel sorry for me
4. Their handling is extremely predictable (I did not say good, just consistent)
   
5. Mine (1.75 litre manual) is fun to drive in the hills, reasonably responsive and very tactile (as long as the road and the windscreen are dry)
   
6. Not very fast, very ordinary handling, poor headlights and brakes - so you don't tend to go very fast - THEREFORE you are less likely to get caught speeding
   
7. They are extremely simple to work on - 4 cyl, one carbie, plenty of cheap parts
8. Extremely cheap to buy - if you stand still for long enough and look interested, someone might just give you one
9. Most of the petrol stays in the tank on very hot days
10. They are most certainly not dull to drive. Even before you get in, you tend to be gearing up for adventure and uncertainty
    

So - there you have it - bet you thought I would not get to 10. I'm a bit surprised myself.