It’s a Friday night. It seems like everybody you know is paired off and has a date night planned with their significant other, so why are you sitting on the sofa with Netflix and a bucket of Häagen-Dazs?
Surprisingly, it might actually be a case of “It’s not you, it’s your car”. Research from a variety of sources claims that the vehicles we drive can have a surprisingly massive impact on the love lives of their owners and not necessarily in a good way.
For instance, did you know that your choice of gearbox could be having an effect on how successful you are with your love life? That comes according to data from Hunch.com, anyway, which analysed data and traits from thousands of visitors to its website.
Amazingly, the results showed that drivers who prefer manual gearboxes are 39 per cent more likely to be married or in a long-term relationship, while almost half of those who would rather have an automatic gearbox were single.
Nearly half of the manual drivers surveyed were more likely to live in a small town and be parents, whereas those who favour automatics are more likely to live in the city, with only a quarter of them having a family.
There’s even more bad news for automatic drivers, as the findings claimed that they’re significantly less optimistic, more introverted and even less educated compared with people who prefer a good old stick and clutch.
From there, things only seem to get worse, as research from the RAC has shown that British drivers of both sexes get more excited about their first car than they do about their first relationship.
According to the stats, while 55 per cent of men and 60 per cent of women still have fond memories of their first partner, 57 per cent and 66 per cent are more excited by their first cars.
Interestingly, and somewhat hilariously, men think about cars more often than women think about sex, with men thinking about cars on average once every 55 seconds, if the RAC’s study is to be believed.
Nearly 40 per cent of people chose their car as the place to have their first kiss, but more than half said that their first car was reliable, compared to the mere 27 per cent who said the same about their first significant other.
Pete Williams, RAC spokesman, said: “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.”
He did note that the cars we drive could in turn be driving a wedge down the middle of some relationships, though, having said: “The time we spend on our cherished vehicles can be a source of marital tension… You'd be forgiven for thinking men would prefer to spend more time with their cars than their partners.”
But here’s the real kicker: as if that wasn’t unfortunate enough, it turns out that it could indeed be true what they say – owners of fast, flashy cars may actually have smaller manhoods.
Popular opinion states that men who drive expensive, sporty cars are overcompensating for certain, er, ‘deficiencies’ in the trouser department, and research from rental firm Flexed shows that it could be more than just a rumour.
More than 500 luxury and sports car owners were quizzed on whether they considered their credentials to be large, small or average in size. Results showed that nearly a third said they were well-endowed, while 63 per cent said average and only seven per cent reported that they were lacking in that particular department.
In a stroke of genius, and in the interest of impartiality, the researchers then decided to corroborate the evidence by asking the owners’ spouses.
The results turned out to be quite different. Data from the drivers’ partners showed that only 12 per cent were considered large, 46 per cent were average and a massive 42 per cent were, ironically, anything but massive.
“These results are all rather telling. Does this prove that the ‘fast car, small manhood’ thing has a grain of truth to it?” asked Mark Hall, a spokesman for the survey. “The partners’ results certainly shows that something’s afoot.”
With all that in mind, suddenly that battered old Corolla that’s sitting in your driveway doesn’t look quite so bad after all…
So what’s a lovelorn soul to do? Well, apparently not driving an estate car could be a key factor, as a study from rental company Europcar found that estates are the most likely type of vehicle to turn a potential date off.
Unsurprisingly, a third of drivers would opt for a prestigious car as the best vehicle to show up in to make a great first impression, compared to a terrible one per cent who could choose an estate.
Women in particular are put off by the idea of an estate car, but sports cars and coupes top the list of the best cars to drive if you’re looking for a date, with Mercedes being the most-desirable manufacturer.
Younger motorists in particular are the most fussy when it comes to choosing the right car to make the right impression, with almost a quarter of 25-34 year olds saying that the car a person drives is crucial to becoming a potential partner.
A spokesperson for Europcar said: “Although we make judgements about people every day, this is magnified on a first date' said a spokesperson for Europcar UK Group, who commissioned the research.
“But our research suggests that a winning smile and a prestige car with wow factor could make sure there's a good chance of a second date.”
Whether it’s the best car to make an impression in on a first date, or the right car to take your kids to school, if you’re in the market for a new set of wheels why get in touch with Car Keys today to see how we can help find the right car for you!
