Fickle females choose fast lane fun

A new survey has revealed that women are three times more likely than men to turn down a potential suitor if their date arrives in a rust bucket rather than a gleaming love machine.

New research by motors.co.uk, which polled 1,660 drivers on their affections towards their cars, found that one in three women (34 per cent) admitted they would reverse out of a relationship if a partner’s wheels weren’t up to scratch, with one in five of all drivers (19 per cent) admitting to paying more attention to their cars than their partners.

Around a quarter of drivers (23 per cent) have lied about their car to enhance their pulling power in the love stakes.

When it comes to ensuring the perfect motoring match, one in twenty Britons say they spend more time ensuring they are the right fit for their car than a new partner and one in fifty say they hold more affection for their wheels than their other halves.

The notion of car care has also taken on a new meaning for Pablo the Prius, Connie the Corsa and Sexo the Saxo, with a quarter of drivers (26 per cent) admitting to having a pet name for their motor and only one in five (21 per cent) saying they have a similar term of endearment for their nearest and dearest.

However, true love doesn’t run deep for most women drivers, with less than one per cent saying they spend time tinkering under the bonnet at weekends, against ten percent of men.

As a result of the findings motors.co.uk has launched the UK’s first Car Compatibility Calculator – which alongside over 200,000 cars listed on the website, is designed to help drivers sort the duds from the diamonds and find the perfect match for them.

Katie Armitage, Marketing Manager for motors.co.uk said:

“We are truly a nation in love with our wheels and our findings show how many drivers have a special place in their hearts for their motors. The car compatibility calculator is a fun way to find if you have a match made in heaven or hell and alongside the thousands of cars we have listed, we’re confident visitors will be just a few clicks away from their perfect motoring match.”

The motors.co.uk network, which launched in January 2007, is now visited by over 2.9 million car buyers every month. It features nearly 200,000 used cars for sale from car retailers and private sellers across the UK and provides free history checks, advice and guidance covering every part of the car buying process to help motorists make informed choices about their next car.