Survey: Consumers Unwilling to ‘Break Up’ With Their Cars

Similar to relationships with pets, some people seem to prefer their cars over people. And there may be something to learn for dealers from studying how drivers relate to their vehicles.

A new survey from AutoTrader.com explores the reasons why people’s "relationships with their cars are longer than ever before."

The responses show that relationships with cars "mimic" relationships with people, determining why "it now takes longer than ever before for consumers to break up with their cars," the site reported.

"The emotional attachment people feel for their cars is interesting, but not completely surprising," said life coach and relationship expert Michelle Callahan. "In addition to the large financial investment, a car can become a significant emotional investment — it's there with them for major milestones in their lives like weddings, new babies and graduations, and it's literally the 'vehicle' that makes being physically present in these moments possible."

According to survey results, more than 70 percent of respondents feel "very attached" or "somewhat attached" to their cars, with 36 percent describing their vehicle as an "old friend" and more than a quarter saying they feel sad when they think about parting ways with it, the site reported.

What factors lead to vehicle attachment?

Dependability (65 percent) and comfort (52 percent) were the primary reasons behind attachment, according to the survey.

And according to survey results, the relationship between driver and vehicle differs when gender and age are taken into account.

"More women than men said they were attached to their cars because of the way it looks (48 percent of women versus 29 percent of men), while more men than women bond with their cars because of fond memories of the adventures they shared together (57 percent of men versus 20 percent of women)," the site shared.

As for generational differences, survey respondents ages 18 to 24 were most likely to be attached to their car for its looks (50 percent), while respondents ages 55 to 64 were most likely to be attached to their car because of the way it drives (60 percent).

Interestingly, drivers are also concerned with finding their car "a good home," when they finally decide to look for a new ride. More than a third (36 percent) of survey respondents expressed this sentiment.

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