Why Breaking Up With Your Car Is Hard To Do

highway

Categories :

To some people, a car is just a means of transport. It is a material object, made of metal, plastic and rubber. Those people don’t see their cars as anything more than mechanical and have no issue with selling them when the need arises.

Of course, not everyone has the same views on their cars. As many as 72% of all car owners have an emotional attachment to their vehicles. A lot of them will even give their cars names, and talk to them as if they were people!

As the years progress, the bond between car and owner grows. When something happens to the car, its owner will feel sad and upset. Many will do whatever it takes to make their cars “feel” better again, even if it makes no financial sense.

opel

Flickr: FotoSleuth

When the time comes to sell or scrap their cars, owners find “breaking up” with their cars hard to do. The emotional attachment with their cars makes it feel as painful as ending a relationship with another person. It can even feel like a loved one has just passed away!

I must admit; I might be one of those 72% of people that treat their cars more like people. I feel a sense of guilt whenever I have to say goodbye to a “faithful” old car. But I cheer myself up with the fact that I’ll be behind the wheel of a new car soon.

In today’s blog post, I explore some of the reasons why breaking up with a car is hard to do. And if you’re one of those people that can’t let go, I give you some reasons why it’s for the best.

Cars are like people’s best friends

It’s no secret that we all spend a lot of our lives in our cars. We use our cars to go shopping, and we commute to work in them. We also take our cars for road trips within the UK and beyond.

Cars are a bit like people’s homes in some way. They offer us solace and refuge from the world around us. And, in some cases, they help us to safety. Is your wife going into labour? You can count on your old buddy to get you both to the hospital as fast and safe as possible.

Have you forgotten to buy Christmas presents and are now panicking because it’s the 24th December? No problem, your car will transport you to the shopping mall and bring you home again with your cargo of presents.

But what happens if you reach a low point in your life? Some folks find solace by having conversations with their cars when they drive. I know that the car won’t talk back to you – unless you’re driving KITT, of course!

Being able to get certain troubles or thoughts out in the open is good for people. Some folks will do that by talking to other people. Others prefer to talk to their cars.

People associate memories with cars

It’s not a bad thing that people associate certain memories with their cars. After all, they are a big part of a person’s life, just like with other people and pets, for example.

I always remember the cars that I had owned and driven when significant events happened in my life. I remember the car that I owned when my wife and I went out on our first date. It was a Vauxhall Calibra V6. She remembers it because of its “curious” electrical problems and throaty induction note.

Going back further in time, I also remember my first car. It was a rather tired-looking mk1 Volkswagen Golf in silver. I think it had driven around the universe twice. The bodywork and its mechanical condition did not seem to suggest otherwise.

I can guarantee that you will associate certain memories from your own life with certain cars!

Letting go of a car is hard for many owners

There comes a time in a person’s life when they have to say goodbye to their faithful friends. As I might have mentioned earlier, it’s akin to breaking up with someone.

I remember reading an article about this subject in a car magazine at the Sandles car supermarket showroom once.

highway

Flickr: fireatwillrva

The article stated that 65% feel they have to go on a long road trip in their cars before saying goodbye to them. And 57% of people surveyed found it hard to let go because of the fond memories they’ve had with their cars.

But one has to be practical about things as well when owning a car. The non-emotional side of a person has to consider things like ongoing maintenance. As cars age, they develop age-related problems like worn parts.

Most people don’t own cars that are more than ten to fifteen years old for that specific reason. Another thing that people must consider is their own lifestyle. That sexy coupe you’ve owned since you were an eligible bachelor isn’t useful when you’ve got a young family in tow!

And it’s no secret that car tax isn’t cheap these days. Cars built after March 2001 get taxed according to their emissions rather than engine size. If you own a gas-guzzler, such as a V8 Range Rover, car tax will cost a small fortune each year. Lest we forget that the cost of car tax rises almost every year!

Why it makes sense to move on

Are you one of those poor souls that find it hard to move on from your current car? Here are some reasons why it makes sense to say goodbye:

  • Car makers include the latest safety technology with each new model they bring to market. Side airbags and stability control are just some of the things standard in today’s cars. If you’ve got an old car, it’s likely your car won’t have such safety features;
  • Let’s face it; people will always get attracted to the styling of newer models;
  • Your motoring expenses will decrease a lot when you trade up for a newer car.

I hope you have enjoyed reading today’s article. See you soon!