Have you ever felt sad selling or trading in a car? Perhaps you’ve named your car, or assigned it a gender. Survey results indicate that more than 70% of drivers feel attached to their car, with 36% even describing their vehicle as an ‘old friend’.

So why is this? Why do we feel so emotionally connected to steel and rubber? There could actually be a number of reasons at play here.

Youthful freedom and independence

Getting a driver’s licence is still considered a rite of passage for plenty of young Aussies, symbolising that launch into independence and freedom. This feels particularly meaningful in Australia, where there are a lot of places that public transport doesn’t reach. In fact, we have around 7.7 million square kilometres we could explore without ever having to get on a plane!

So perhaps on some level, we feel deeply attached to that youthful feeling of having open-ended possibilities ahead of us.

Time together

If you’re one of the 50 to 60% of Aussies who drive to work, you’ll no doubt spend a decent chunk of time in your car every week. Perhaps you do the hectic school run every day, or go on long country road trips on weekends. With all this time spent on the road, it’s really no surprise we start to see our cars as extensions of our living rooms (and even our wardrobes). In between the destinations, our cars are often where we connect, catch up, decompress and make memories together.

Design

Design undeniably plays a role in our emotional connections to cars. Consider any decade since autos became mainstream, and you can see how car designs reflect and inspire our wider culture. Think expansive and curvaceous in the 50s; boxy and sporty in the 80s, and complex and multifaceted today.

And it’s not just the exterior design that bonds us to our cars. Ergonomics engineers put a whole lot of thought into designing the perfect interior surroundings that help us feel safe and cosy in our cars, right down to the size and shape of buttons and cup holders. Just like exteriors, those car interiors also evolve over time to meet what we need and want.

Identity

Just like with choosing clothes, our cars broadcast our personalities and values to the wider world. Are you an A-to-B type person who’s all about the practical sedan – or a hedonist who pours all your spare time and cash into maintaining the perfect precision drive?

While a lot of us are probably somewhere in between, the sheer number of bumper stickers out on the road means that we love showing who we are through what we drive!

Technology

Car tech is evolving at a rate of knots, and it’s exciting to be part of that change. For those journeys where we can’t take a bike or a bus, we can enjoy cars that are more efficient, economical and safer than ever. And with infotainment systems that sync seamlessly with our phones, we now spend those journeys completely connected to our favourite music, routes and phone contacts. It’s really not surprising that with all this tech we might start to see our cars as companions!

The experience

Some of us delight in the flow of the open road. Some love tinkering under the hood on weekends, while others relish the almost-meditative process of washing and waxing their car to a fine polish every Saturday like it’s a religion. A car is an experience – whether it’s your first car full of dents and quirks, or the pride and joy you’ve been saving for over many years. At its simplest, we often love cars because they bring us joy and delight.

Got a car you love?

How much do you love your own set of wheels? If the time’s come to find a new used car to adore, here’s a tip. Search Carma today and you’ll see all you need to find a great car, minus the car-yard trudging.

Carma only lists cars that have already met a detailed checklist of criteria, and you can choose to have your car delivered for free anywhere within the Greater Sydney area. There are a bunch of unique reasons to find a pre-owned car in Sydney through Carma, including a 3-month warranty and a 7-day return window.. We reckon you’ll love the experience, just as many already have.