There is a secret I would like to share with you. I was once considerably younger than I am today. In fact, I was actually what is known as a 'child'. One of my earliest memories is watching my elderly neighbour fixing his clapped-out Vauxhall

Motorists repairing their own vehicles was a common sight in those days. All they needed was a trusty spanner, a reasonable knowledge of mechanics, and a bucket of half decent engine oil. The satisfaction of looking after your own vehicle was immense - and DIY mechanics could save a fortune by minimising trips to the garage.

By contrast, modern vehicles are too complicated to be repaired by mere mortals. Space-age tools and a degree in rocket science are necessary to rectify even the simplest fault. However, despite their complexity, owning a modern car is preferable to relying on elderly machines. The pros clearly out way the cons - but there's still part of me that mourns the simple vehicles we could repair ourselves