Hugh Tinney concert pianist and artistic director of Music in Great Irish Houses which ends its current season this Saturday remembers his first car.
What was your first car? A Citroën Visa GTi.
Was it new or second-hand? New.
Did you know how to drive when you bought it? Yes, I could drive already - for over 10 years.
What did you know about cars when you bought it? I bought all The Observer's books on cars - and airplanes! - as a child, I knew the CCs, the 0-60s and, above all, the max speeds!
What advice did you get when you were looking for a car? None. I picked up a What Car special on so called Hot Hatches - this was 1987 - and I fell in love with the idea of them. I took a test drive in a Fiat Uno Turbo (great acceleration) but the Visa felt much better globally - comfort, feel and performance.
What did you pay for it? £6,427 sterling.
What impact did running a car have on your pocket? Not too much . . . I was "in the money" at the time.
Was it hard to get insurance? Hard enough - as a 28-year-old musician in London with a GTi car it wasn't fun then and has not been since then either. No accidents though - touch wood.
How reliable was it? Excellent. Virtually no problems at all.
How did it change your life? A lot. It was a great London car and, though my mileage was small overall (60,000 in 12 years, 1987 to 1999), it facilitated life enormously.
What was the longest trip you ever took in it? London to Islay in the Hebrides via Glasgow and Kintyre and back some days later.
What was your best memory in the car? I just loved it - I formed a personal attachment. The more so as it was a rarity. There were very few Visa GTis in London or Dublin.
. . . and your worst memory? None, really.
How long did you keep the car? 12 years. I knew it was worth a lot more to me in the latter years than I'd have got by selling it or trading it.
Why did you decide to get rid of it? Eventually it "died" - lots of bits gave up at the same time, which was ideal!