How emotionally attached are you to your car?

How emotionally attached are you to your car?

Author
Discussion

ZesPak

Original Poster:

24,421 posts

195 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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Well, I never thought this would happen to me, I've had a number of cars over the past 10 years.

Yesterday I've sold my Alfa 159 2.4 diesel, a car I've used as a daily driver 'till last year for 5 years. The car was sitting there, I drove it occasionally but it didn't make sense to keep it.

It was a heavy diesel burner, nothing spectacular. Looked very nice inside and out, 130k miles now.
I've got what I wanted for it, by a young guy who's in love with it from the moment he saw it, so I know it's in good hands.

Yet...
I'm truly sad to see this car go. It wasn't particularly exciting or fast, but it really hurts me to see this car go. I'm actually convinced I'm going to shed a tear for the first time in years when I hand him the key.

I know I need to MFTU though, but I had to share it.

jhonn

1,556 posts

148 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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Cheer up - you can always buy another. biggrin

I understand how you feel though - I used to be really attached to my motorbikes and Land Rovers - now that I'm a bit older, not so much. Still like them - just not as emotionally attached as I used to be.

You come to realise that they're just inanimate objects that come and go; maybe having a relationship/kids/pets was the catalyst for change.

AH33

2,066 posts

134 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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Nope, its just a tool for the job, ie it goes quite fast and is cheap to run.

My days of owning cars I care about ended when I moved to Edinburgh. If the 20 limits, congestion or idiot tourists don't get you, someone else will drive into your car in a car park. It's happened to me 4 times up here, and if you walk down any street in edinburgh, I guarantee 50% of the cars will have significant dents and scrapes, even the new ones.

I couldn't keep something I loved outside in these conditions.

When I leave, i'll get something I care about again.

Theophany

1,069 posts

129 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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AH33 said:
Nope, its just a tool for the job, ie it goes quite fast and is cheap to run.

My days of owning cars I care about ended when I moved to Edinburgh. If the 20 limits, congestion or idiot tourists don't get you, someone else will drive into your car in a car park. It's happened to me 4 times up here, and if you walk down any street in edinburgh, I guarantee 50% of the cars will have significant dents and scrapes, even the new ones.

I couldn't keep something I loved outside in these conditions.

When I leave, i'll get something I care about again.
Don't close your heart to love, man!

AH33

2,066 posts

134 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
quotequote all
Theophany said:
Don't close your heart to love, man!
I've tried my best but my love is on hold until I leave. Current estimate - 2018. Hope i'm even allowed to buy something interesting then frown

That's not to say I don't enjoy the VXR, I do - but it has zero emotional attachment for me

ZesPak

Original Poster:

24,421 posts

195 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
quotequote all
I've got kids and of course the car pales in comparison. I'm aware it's just an inanimate object and far from rare or perfect.
I was just surprised it hit me as hard as it did. I think it's more the journey I've done with this car, getting self employed, getting married, getting kids, moving to the new house,...

Buff Mchugelarge

3,316 posts

149 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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I still miss my Seicento frown

dlockhart

434 posts

171 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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When I found a woman who I allowed to throw up in my Porsche and I felt sorry for her rather than annoyed at spoiling my car I knew I should keep her.


So in short more than GF but not as much as a Wife.

jhonn

1,556 posts

148 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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ZesPak said:
I was just surprised it hit me as hard as it did. I think it's more the journey I've done with this car, getting self employed, getting married, getting kids, moving to the new house,...
True enough - the more experiences you have with a car and the more significant they are, will have a big effect on how attached you feel to it.

I've found that when I've modified (customised) something, made it my own - a bit bespoke - that's when it can be a wrench passing it on.

Cos18

151 posts

185 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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I miss my last car, a 1999 Subaru Legacy GT-B. It was an imported wagon, 2lt twin turbo, 4wd and ridiculously fast and fun for something so large. Oh, and it was bright gold biggrin. The thing I miss about it most is the sound it makes when you downchange from 3rd to 2nd. It was a nice burbling sound and soon as the the gearbox reengaged

mgv8

1,631 posts

270 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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Still miss my 1978 MGB GT (not the best of cars). Sold it 15 years ago but did about 100K in her.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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Depends on the car and what you've done with/in it I think. Some are just white goods, some I've been sad to see go.

Also depends on why you're selling I think, being forced to sell something by circumstances is a very different experience to selling something because you fancy a change or want to upgrade.

R E S T E C P

660 posts

104 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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Zero. Had it 7 months and I still have to tell myself all the time that it's perfect for my needs and makes economic sense.

ETA: It's not because I'm heartless. I'm still close to tears over a couple of cars I sold 10+ years ago weeping

Edited by R E S T E C P on Thursday 16th June 16:42

NooBish AbbZ

190 posts

119 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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Nil, it is simply a car that does as i need it to and not much more...

my motorbike however, i love it and still after owning it for 3 years have odd moments when i think, 'what a stunning bike'. Will be sad when it goes for a bigger and faster bike

Coatesy351

861 posts

131 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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Very. 15 Years of highs and lows and alot of good memories.

If you have seen love the beast very similar.

IanH755

1,849 posts

119 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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I got attached to my R34 Skyline but no-where near as much as the bangers (Citroen ZX/BX, BMW 740) I've owned which I got attached to in a "Top Gear Road Trip" kind of way (they all had nicknames). However those which where just bland (Peugeot 406, Citroen C5, various Mondeos) I never bonded with.

omgus

7,305 posts

174 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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Way more so than is to be expected for one and not as much as you would think for the other.

S2000, spent year not buying a second car and then finally got it and it is everything i wanted. Fast, a little scary, roofless and superb on the local lanes. Strangely not as liked as my daily driver.

Focus ST170, bought to fill the "fun daily" gap when i got rid of my scooby 5 years ago. I bloody adore it, the engine is a little wheezy but still pulls, the engine warning light has been on for 4 years and no one can figure out why, it's only economical when on the motorway (where it is superb), the exhaust wants to fall off every year, it eats front tires (well that might be me), i have to use two different seating positions as long journeys require my knee straight and changing gear often means i need to drop the seat level so you don't feel like you're in a transit van.

And yet it is my favourite car of the two.
To the point where i will probably spend more than it's bloody worth again this year at MOT time and then claim it owes me nothing and costs pittance if anyone asks me. paperbag

olliete

403 posts

110 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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I really doubt I'd feel attached to a brand new car, unless I had owned it for a significant period of time.

I just love the under-dog in a car, my SL320 is a perfect example - I bought it unloved and have already spent a small fortune bringing it back to life. I will be genuinely sad if / when I sell it; it is so well built and yet has been so unloved!

That's what gets me all emotional, a car that has real character - either through its history or its quirkiness

Bill

52,472 posts

254 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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Far too much. It's noisy and slow, breaks more often than is ideal and uses too much fuel. But it's comfy, has character and goes well enough. Mostly. There's nothing I'd rather have that doesn't cost three times as much, which means it'd be rubbish at all the rough stuff because I'd care about the paint.

DaveGoddard

1,192 posts

144 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
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My old Peugeot did the opposite and attached itself to me. Every time I looked at other cars to replace it or even mentioned in conversation possibly selling it, I could almost guarantee that something would break on it the next day - it was as if it was jealous.

I finally did sell it last year....and the following night I had an epileptic seizure (first one I'd had in my life and me nor my family have any history of epilepsy) and haven't been allowed to drive since. The f**king thing cursed me!