The original Nissan Primera was rated as a decent car to drive, so despite its bland appearance, it won a legion of followers.

It was facelifted in 1999, then replaced by a radical looking new model in 2002.

My first encounter with the later model was in May 2001. It was the only example in the UK, and Nissan had agreed to bring it to the Fleet Show, a major event organized by my employer.

The Vectra. Thanks to a now notorious debut on television in 1995, the car had become a joke before it arrived in showrooms.

A more modern-looking replacement for the Cavalier, its problems ran deeper than just being ‘boring’.

Many criticisms were addressed with a facelift in 1999, but it wasn’t until it was replaced in 2002, with the ‘New Vectra, New Rules’ advertising campaign was it able to lay to rest the ghosts of the original. Except that it didn’t.

This is the section where I'm forced to admit liking cars that perhaps weren't as good as they made out, or fell foul of a drubbing by the mainstream motoring media.

It isn't that I disagree with the opinions of others, it's just in spite of the overwhelming weight of opinion, for some reason, I still like the car.

First subject is the Toyota Camry. It's a car that hasn't been on sale in the UK since 2004. I was present on the last media launch the UK was invited to, just outside Monaco in 2001.