The Magic Carpet

White 1987 Toyota Camry sedan. Rides like a Magic Carpet... must get those shocks looked at.

Ok, so now I understand a *lot* more about the second-hand car market. And I’ve been to suburbs of Sydney I never knew existed. And I finally realise just how far it is to drive from Chatswood to Campbelltown to check out a Holden Commodore with severe mechanical problems. I have embraced the spirit of the thing and driven some *real shitboxes* as well as some really nice rides and it’s amazing what going up $500 in your pricepoint actually gets you. It is also amazing, after (say) driving around the block in a mid-80’s Magna with a massive steering wobble and white smoke coming out of the back just how good it feels to get back in the late 00’s CRV. Realistically, if the wife wanted to collect the life insurance she wouldn’t have to cut the brake lines on some of these bangers, the line would do the job all by itself….

So, after nearly three weeks of juggling Carsales, EBay and Gumtree, it came down to an ’87 Toyota Camry sedan with questionable suspension bought for cash and a handshake from an Egyptian bloke down a back alley behind the airport at dusk. What could possibly go wrong?