Wow, on the second read of this it has just shot up to one of my Favourite Stephen Kings. I originally read it after watching the Carpenter Movie and so maybe that affected my first reading.
Or it may be that I now have a different appreciation of what makes a good horror novel.

I am assuming that most people know the basic premise of Christine as the concept of her as being an evil car has infiltrated popular culture.

In this novel, we have approximately 250 pages of character development and scene setting that is, well, it is probably best summed by a quote from the book

“ He was a Loser you know,” I said “Every High School has at least two, It’s like a national law. Everybody's dumping ground. Only sometimes…sometimes they find something to hold onto and they survive. Arnie had me. And then he had Christine…Leigh Cabot came later”

So here we have the basic premise that Arnie (the supposed owner of Christine a 1950’s model Plymouth fury) needs Christine and despite your unease that something is wrong with that car you are almost on his side that he should keep her until things go too far and it is far too late.