Just realised whats wrong with my BMW - everything works, and every bit of the car screams durability, which in a normal persons head is exactly what you want. Sadly in my head that means its not right for me and needs to be replaced with something mad and broken that i can fix every couple of weeks (days).

Think thats why i like my Fiats

So come on, am i mad, or is this something that afflicts other drivers?

My 5 series was a huge pile of shit that wasn't worth the £250 I paid for it. Nothing worked on it and eventually I struggled getting £50 for it. I've only had one 2cv as bad as that was.

£250! And broken......how about £30k on a c class merc that threw 2 cylinder liners at 16,000 miles then blew the engine up completely at 60,000 and has just had new injectors, high pressure pipework and new ECU - all courtesy of MB!

Whereas both my mercs worked faultlessly and cost me less than a grand for the pair!

Okay, let me rephrase it - who prefers cars with loads of 'character'

I do!!! Although a little break in the "character", some period of reliability every now and then is very nice, too. Makes me think there is some sense in this after all

I do too, although just occasionally when you're having to go to work on the bus and cadge a lift home at 5am with one of the sub contractors' lorries, all because one car has no engine and the other needs its brake pipes replacing and you won't have the time to fix either of them for another two weeks, it'd be nice to just own a normal car. But then when you drive a modern reliable car you realise very quickly just how boring they are.

My C5 had plenty of character -it was vindictive and bloody minded with a neurotic ECU that craved attention. I swapped it in March for a w124 mercedes coupé which so far I like a lot.

I was only talking to a new client yesterday about the same thing. He asked why on earth I took the Dyane to Belgium and Germany when I have a euro box sitting on my drive. My answer - In the euro box its a drive in the Dyane its an adventure...

My dad had a 328 with a squillion miles on it and it was, despite looking absolutely shite, still driving and going like it left the factory. The front bumper was held on with velcro for some reason though. He had it for a few weeks then got a C15 and as his next car wants a Fiat Panda 4x4, so I can only assume that you're right.