MATT Allwright is the star of the BBC consumer programme Watchdog and is known for the no-nonsense way he takes on the nation’s rogue traders. As well as a number of other consumer programmes, Matt is also a regular on The One Show. For more on Matt visit his website at www.mattallwright.com or follow him on Twitter @matt_allwright
What was your first car?
My first car was a white Subaru Rex Combi, a Japanese K car. I lived in Japan in my early 20s and they had a class of cheap, speed-limited cars with low insurance. It was great. I used to drive it over the mountain to see my girlfriend. It had a little bell that went off if you reached the speed limit, which I could only do coming down the other side of the mountain.
How many times did it take to pass your test?
I passed it second time, in the instructor's Nissan Micra. I think the examiner gave it to me out of sympathy. The test was supposed to be half-an-hour long. It lasted 50 minutes because of terrible traffic in Reading town centre. At one point I stopped at the lights and a police woman put cones across the road directly in front of me. I remember wiping away sweat, and being amazed I'd passed.
Who would be your ideal fantasy passenger and where would you go?
Bob Dylan. Wherever he suggested. Nile Rogers would be in the back, with Johnny Marr. Tony Benn would be there too, with Mark Kermode and Kate Bush. It's a seven-seater, and we're having a party.
What is your dream car?
My dream car is a motorcycle. I don't really care about cars that much. People who get excited about cars haven't discovered that bikes operate in all three dimensions, are fundamentally better, and much cheaper. An MV Agusta F4-1000R.
How would you describe your driving style?
Dull, economical, punctuated by lifesaver shoulder checks and loud singing.
Tell me one driving anecdote from your past?
A security guard showed me how to get into a Ford Cortina using a webbing strap. The following weekend my brother locked the keys in our Cortina outside a chip shop where we had taken our girlfriends. I leant down, picked up a webbing strap and opened the car in about ten seconds flat. I believe it was at that moment that my girlfriend decided that I would be an acceptable life partner.
What are you listening to?
Everything, but lots of country music. Ryan Adams. Arcade Fire, above, The Jayhawks, Kate Bush, Chic.
What do you drive now?
Two of the country's dullest cars. A little one for the school run and a big one to go to the tip. But I used to own a Fiat Panda.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here