The West Australian travel writer Niall McIlroy talks about how he gets from A to B.

Suzuki Swift

FIRST CAR

A 1982 Commodore that I had to take over the pits. "You can't drive it home," I was told. "There's a crack in the chassis so big you could drop on to the road any moment." It sat in my front yard for years looking sorry for itself while I caught the train.

WORST MOMENT

Besides Everton FC, a silver Suzuki Swift was the love of my life. But it was written off in the big 2010 hailstorm. It's funny, I still miss the Silver Bullet. It was a lovely car.

BETTER MOMENT

I replaced it with a Swift in Everton Blue. Perfect. Mine's a Rally Edition, with a spoiler, alloys and bucket seats. Other cars feel like bricks to drive compared with it. I call it the Toffee Mobile because Everton are called the Toffees, after a 19th century toffee shop near Goodison Park. A woman in a blue apron hands out toffees before every game.

DREAM CAR

I've always wanted to own something Scandinavian, like a Saab or an Audi (sic). Only because they look really clean. It's like Swedish appliances - they're nice pieces of machinery.

TRAVEL TIP

Drive from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park via goldrush towns. I made my offsider drive, though, because they have this rule where you can turn right at red lights. It was confusing and I just wasn't up for it.

REVHEAD RATING (1-5)

One. The Silver Bullet, an auto, was revving too much. After three weeks, I was told I should put it in drive rather than fixed in third. I've also just been told Audi is a German brand.