Billy Timmins, Fine Gael's agriculture spokesman on his first car, a Toyota Corolla K20
What was your first car and why did you buy it?
I bought a navy blue Toyota Corolla K20 in 1981. At the time, I was a young cadet in the Army and was just finishing college in Galway, so I bought the car so I could travel home more regularly to Wicklow.
Was it new or second-hand?
The car was three years old when I bought it from a car dealer called Stephen Kelly who was based in Baltinglass.
Did you know how to drive when you bought it?
I knew how to drive, but I wasn't a confident driver. I remember the first journey I took in the car was from Wicklow back to Galway. If I had milk in my stomach when I left Wicklow, it had definitely turned to butter by the time I got to Galway! It was a nerve-wracking experience. I remember coming into Athlone in slow moving traffic and, because I wasn't very good on hill starts at the time, my passenger had to hold the handbrake while I negotiated the hill coming into the town.
What did you know about cars when you bought it?
Very little, apart from putting petrol into them to make them go. Unfortunately, this was something I forgot on many an occasion in the years afterwards and I often had to spend a night sleeping in the car because I'd run out of petrol in the middle of nowhere.
What advice did you get when you were looking for a car?
My late father told me to buy "a big strong car" - he was obviously concerned for my safety. But like many a son, I failed to take his advice.
What did you pay for the car?
About £2,000 which was a lot at the time.
What impact did running a car have on your pocket?
I tended to keep driving until a problem arose and then it usually cost a lot to fix it.
Was it hard to get insurance?
It wasn't too hard - but it wasn't cheap.
How reliable was the car?
Extremely reliable, but I didn't look after it properly. This is an unfortunate trait which has remained with me down the years in relation to cars.
What was the longest trip you ever took in the car?
Travelling across the country between Wicklow and Galway on a regular basis.
Your worst memory?
I remember travelling back to Galway on a very wet, snowy night and the windscreen wipers went. I had to use the age-old trick of tying twine to the wiper. It worked - but I wouldn't recommend it! Not good for the nerves.
How long did you keep the car?
About two years. I traded it in at a garage in Dublin for another Toyota. In retrospect, I should have kept - the second car wasn't as successful as my initial buy. I didn't get my money's worth.