my love of fords began quite late, was a car nut since i was 5 but never really had an affiliation, i learnt to drive at 17 and had a boring first car, then bought a renault 19 16V at 18 which i was so smitten with. went off to uni there and one of my halls friends had a fiesta van and his dad was in the RSOC, he bought his first RS turbo in 1999 and took me out in that, in 2001 he decided to sell it, i snapped it up off him and the rest is history.
there are better cars sure, but there isnt the same network of people, businesses and enthusiasm for the brand with any other marque (i know the VW scene is big but never been involved with it).