Press release -
Brits get more excited by their first car than their first partner
They say that no three words have greater power than ‘I love you’. But what if the subject of that affection isn’t another person, but a piece of metal on four wheels?
A new study carried out by raccars.co.uk reveals that more people get excited about their first car than meeting their first partner. That’s particularly the case for women as two-thirds (66%) admit they were thrilled by their first motor, but less (60%) enthused by their first man. Similarly, 57% of men were excited about buying their first car, but less (55%) were excited about their first girlfriend.
The figures also show that both sexes admitted to getting a little ‘hot under the bonnet’, as research suggests that women think about sex just as much as men think about cars. The study found that the average man thinks about cars once every 55 seconds, almost as often as a woman thinks about sex – every 64 seconds.
What’s more, the humble motor clearly has an important role to play in helping future partners make the first move as 38% chose it as their ideal location to share their first kiss.
And, when it comes to reliability, you might not expect a cheap first car to come out on top – but remarkably 52% of people rated their first set of wheels as dependable, compared with just half (27%) that said their first partner was someone they could rely on.
It seems those of us wanting to get the full lowdown on a new partner should look no further than asking how many cars they’ve owned – since this appears to be a reliable indicator of how many partners you’ve had, with 15% of the population admitting to having had ten or more both cars and partners.
The raccars.co.uk research also found the site’s slogan ‘We love cars’ is indeed the case, as women think about cars every one and a half minutes (92 seconds) and 40% admit to being ‘impressed’ by a set of wheels.
And, when it comes to love at first sight, the same percentage of men and women claim to have fallen head over heels for a car as soon as they’ve laid eyes on it (31% men v 30% women), but men are clearly driven much more by their eyes, as 41% of blokes say they have fallen in love with a girl the first time they saw her, in contrast to just a third of women (32%).
With boys well and truly conforming to the stereotype of appreciating sleek bodywork, a fancy trim and fewer miles on the clock, it perhaps shouldn’t be a surprise that 58% of men said their first girlfriend was good looking as opposed to 45% of women who say that about their first boyfriends.
RAC Cars spokesman Pete Williams said: “Our research shows that whether male or female, old or young – we all appear to love cars. Both men and women admit to getting hot under the collar when they think about their dream set of wheels and many of us hold more endearing memories of our first motor than our first partner.
“However, the time we spend on our cherished vehicles can be a source of marital tension. And, with 64% of men admitting to cleaning, polishing and tinkering with their car at least once a month, and a further 24% confessing they think about changing their partner just as often, you’d be forgiven for thinking men would prefer to spend more time with their cars than their partners.”
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About RAC Cars
RAC Cars is the RAC’s ‘free to advertise’ online marketplace for new and used cars. The motorist’s champion waived the fees for both private sellers and dealers in response to demands for an alternative to existing used car websites that charge high advertising rates and currently has around 250,000 used cars for sale.
Research from the RAC shows that buyers, too, don’t want to be stung by purchasing a dud – something the new RAC Cars website has been specifically designed to address. More than 7.4 million used cars sold in the UK every year, with around 2.8 million sold privately.
RAC Cars provides easy access to a range of products that can give buyers confidence that their next car won’t turn out to be a ‘lemon’ – from an RAC Car Passport, the UK’s most comprehensive vehicle check that is delivered to a user in seconds, to booking a full vehicle inspection by an experienced RAC engineer. The site also highlights the RAC’s own Approved Dealer network giving total reassurance with a full history check, a thorough preparation to the RAC’s 82-point BuySure standard, three months’ RAC Warranty and a minimum of three months’ Breakdown Cover.
RAC Cars has also partnered with carwowto give new car buyers absolute peace-of-mind removing the need for haggling or hassling phone calls. Buyers simply specify their car – including any options on the carwow portal – and it will liaise with approved dealers nationwide to get the best price on that car.
The site has also been refreshed with the ‘We Love Cars’ marketing campaign giving raccars.co.uk a compelling new look with ‘retro-style’ bight orange neon signs and an eye-catching orange sports car and the call to action: ‘Find your perfect match and sell your car for FREE’.
About RAC
With more than eight million members, the RAC is one of the UK's most progressive motoring organisations, providing services for both private and business motorists. Whether it's roadside assistance, insurance, buying a used car, vehicle inspections and checks, legal services or up-to-the-minute traffic and travel information – the RAC offers a solution for all motoring needs. The RAC is committed to making motoring easier, safer, more affordable and more enjoyable for drivers and road users.
The RAC is the motorist’s champion and campaigns to support the interests of its members and UK motorists at a national level, including advancing levels of road safety, supporting the needs of young drivers and voicing concerns about the increasing cost of motoring. The RAC’s annual Report on Motoring survey, now in its 25th year, provides a clear insight into the concerns and issues facing today’s motorists.
