The automobile is often the second most expensive personal purchase an individual makes, a house naturally topping the expenditure list. However, with the block and steel (or prefabricated slabs or board) many times being a dream that remains locked behind someone else's gate, the car, in fact, becomes the major spending item.

And cars do not remain in driveways; they cruise the streets and attract attention, especially from impressionable youngsters whose ideas of personal transportation are formed by the 'rides' they see.

Raymond Mair was struck by the Rover 2000 cc in the early 1950s, telling The Sunday Gleaner, "I found it a beautiful, splendid car." The one that came closest to him was driven by Englishman Tim Brookin, who Mair saw in a somewhat dramatic fashion.

"He was with the late Reggie Carter at Jamaica Playhouse. That was his hobby. I would go to rehearsals and he would turn up in the Rover 2000 car," Mair said.

At that time, Jamaica still being a British colony, most of the cars around came from England and Brookin's Rover was not the only one around. Mair says he isn't sure if he even had a car at the time and he went on to own a Triumph and a Morris Oxford.

Now in his mid-30s, Normanhas always had a yen for older cars, naming the MG, VW bug, older Jaguar and Ford Mustang among the lot. "I have never owned any of the cars I have loved," he said.

"Anyone would be good," he said. "Me love the MG bad bad and some of the old Mustangs."

It seems his vintage streak has been given a more recent, Japanese twist, as Norman says "Right now I love my old Corolla. I want to fix it up too." It is a 1993 model and he says, "I think they made a mistake when they made that one, especially that year and design." The 'mistake' is that the car is so durable the owner spends very little money on it and the company, therefore, does not make as much as it could on spare parts.

"They are what you call hot bread. They are always overpriced," Norman said, adding that he is always being made offers for his car, even though there is no 'For Sale' sign on it.

Now in her early 30s, Sharonwas impressed by a Proton (she does not remember the model, but the Saga was the most popular with the Principal being the luxury version) in the mid to late 1980s. "At the time they were really great," she said.

And Sharongot to experience the Proton, as a family friend had one and she rode in it regularly. "It was an upgrade on the regular car that was around," she said, clarifying that it was not an upgrade in the sense that it was stronger.

It was the style that counted. "It was a new thing on the market and for that time it was a criss car."

Looking back now, though, at the mental picture she has of the Proton as she no longer sees them around, Sharon says "they look ugly to me".

Her current love is the Honda Accord, as she likes "the comfort, the design, the size too - not too small, not too big".

"It's not a high-end sort of thing, but at the same time it's not the lowest end. I think it is a sensible-looking car," she said.

Sharon intends to get herself a Honda Accord one day, but most likely not the model which most strikes her fancy now. She likes the 2000 Honda Accord, but not the one that came after. She is sure, though, that when she gets around to buying her Honda Accord "I will see one that I like".

For 32-year-old Craig Richardsthe Toyota Celica was his dream car because of its lights that could flip up and down like Kit on Knight Rider.

"Mi did like from then and when mi si a black one di odder day mi just remember it. Trust mi mi, di really love dem to di point weh car nearly lick mi dung one day cuz mi a gaze pon one and walk out in a di road. Mi really did like dem," he said. "Mi did like the Honda Prelude to and mi could a buy one 1993 one di odder day but change mi mind. Dem jus cool and stylish," he said.

For teenagers, the dream cars are no different. Eighteen-year-old Rory McLeodloves the Honda CRV and plans to buy one any time he is in a position to do so.

"I have always loved Hondas," he said. "I am a Honda person and the CRV is what I love best. Whenever I buy one it will be for that year that I am in. So, if it's 2010 I will be buying a 2010 version."

For 17-year-old Janell Reid, her dream car is anything luxurious because she believes they are stylish and sexy.

"I like BMWs, Range Rovers and Mercedes Benz. They're expensive and stylish and sexy like myself. You need to have a car that suits you and I think those cars suit me. I should know because I have one," she said.

Names changed on request.

1988 Toyota Celica

2000 Honda Accord