Mary Kennedy/Broadcaster
What was your first car and why did you buy it?
Ford Fiesta - red - nice bright colour.
Was the car new or secondhand?
Brand-new. I'd been teaching in France and saved for it. Bought it on my return to Ireland.
Did you know how to drive when you bought it, or did you learn to drive in it?
Had been given driving lessons for my 21st, so I learned to drive in a Volkswagen Beetle.
What did you know about cars when you bought it?
Not a lot. But I took a car maintenance course in Clondalkin to learn what was under the bonnet.
What advice did you get when you were looking for a car?
Buy a new car - start as you mean to continue. I haven't been able to always have a new car since, but I'm happy so long as it gets me from A to B.
What did you pay for it and what impact did running a car have on your pocket?
Can't remember that far back as to how much I paid for it. It had a very negative impact on my pocket!!
Was it hard to get insurance?
Hard, no - expensive, yes.
How reliable was it?
Excellent. It was new!
How did it change your life?
It made me independent. I think it's the single most important purchase I've ever made.
What was the longest trip you ever took in the car?
Around Ireland. Didn't drive abroad until much later. And when driving abroad now I hire a car - don't like steering to be on "the wrong side".
What was your best memory or most memorable moment in the car?
Can't remember back that far.
What was your worst memory associated with the car?
Sliding on a greasy road surface into the back of a van on the Canal.
How long did you keep your first car and why did you decide to get rid of it for another?
Traded it in for a new blue version of same car two years after I bought it.
Did you sell it on for a better deal?
I don't know - better than what?