At this time of the year, I am happy that my kids are off my hands – no spending of thousands on a matric dress, no teenage last-minute angst and, especially, no wondering what vehicle to acquire to make a head-turning entrance. This latter part of the end-of-school silliness has become an expensive “arms race” as parents (because they put up their money) vie to outdo each other with the most awesome ride for their offspring. Truth be told, I have been involved in a bit of that.

ALSO READ: A matric farewell in style: I took my daughter to her dance in a Ford Mustang California Special [VIDEO] For my son’s matric farewell, way back in 2006, I borrowed a Subaru STi – then the poster cars on many boys’ bedroom walls – from Subaru SA. They offered to help tart up the car by putting his name, his blood group and a South African flag on the back window..

. just like a rally car (of course, at that time, Subaru was still a major force in the World Rally Championship). It certainly worked: all the boys dumped their dates to get close to the Scoobie and listen to the offbeat burble from the flat-four turbo engine.

On another occasion, I chauffeured the children of colleagues to matric farewells in exotic supercars such as the Audi R8. Go beyond the luxury cars These days, though, even the awesome Audi would be passe..

. So I was surprised by my colleague Seelan’s account that his borrowed Ford Mustang still managed to turn heads in a car park full of hot BMWs. What I do .