Didn't know you were familiar with this particular transport abomination in the USA Greywolf.
The "hours of fun" were what I got taking the piss out of it. My Wife had a 2001 model, which was very crap. She could always tell when I got in it as it went even slower. It had 25% of the displacement and 20% of the power of my car and I kept reminding her too .... This was her first car, basically to use for three years and get the insurance down, before she switched to a Corolla.
Having said that, from 2004 onwards, this is a much redesigned and much better car.