As a former public affairs manager with Irish Shell, Noel Tierney, pictured right, was never short of contacts in the motor industry to garner advice on buying a new car. It was a wily mechanic who pointed him to the one he is still driving after 19 years, 180,000 miles, one re-spray and no breakdowns.
The mechanic recognised the likely longevity of the 1987 Toyota Carina and pointed out that a new engine was about to be introduced in the car.
"That meant they had de-bugged the engine in the existing model and had sorted out any problems they had had with it up to then," says Noel, "and he was right."
The Carina was originally a company car - chosen over the familiar standard offerings from Ford, Renault and Honda - and Mr Tierney later bought it from Shell. It has been to races and rallies the length and breadth of Ireland, putting up an average of between 16,000 and 18,000 miles a year.
"It has been a fantastic car and the only problem I can recall is when a drainage hole got blocked by an automatic car wash. All it took to unblock it and save leakage was a cocktail stick. I have only ever replaced two batteries and one exhaust and that was not as a result of corrosion but an encounter with a bump," he says.
He is a motoring enthusiast and meticulous in his record keeping. He gets an average of 30 miles to the gallon on the urban cycle and 39 on the urban/rural cycle.
The car has been serviced between three and four times a year and the tyres last for between 16,000 and 20,000 miles a set, according to his records. The change to unleaded petrol has not been problematic and he will often fill up with the highest grade of unleaded to run it through the engine.
Otherwise it is normal grade fuel.
The car has also made it through the NCT without any major hitches. "They did point out that the rubber on the brake pedal was worn through, but that's understandable, I suppose," he adds.
Mr Tierney is now thinking of changing his car to allow for greater space for transporting his artist wife, Monica's, paintings up and down the country.
In the meantime he would be interested in hearing from anyone who might have a Hayne's repair manual for the '87 Carina.
Not that he is having problems with the car, you understand, but it is getting on. Anyone who can help can contact us at Motors.