CAPE TOWN - South African drivers shower their vehicles with just as much affection as they do a close friend or family member, maybe even a touch more, according to a survey by BP Ultimate.
Over two thirds of SA drivers who participated in the BP Ultimate survey admitted to expressing love and affection for their cars, with 59% saying they felt a true connection with their cars. This translates to 4.8 million vehicle-smitten South African drivers.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY... MY CAR?
More than half (57%) of drivers said they complemented their rides or rubbed the dashboard and/or steering wheel to get their car to perform ( to start up or speed up, for example).
Naming a vehicle is a trend amongst drivers with 47% admitting to giving their car a pet name. More bizarre is the 21% of South Africans who celebrate their cars' birthdays.
Glenda Zvenyika, BP’s corporate and external communications manager, said: “We converse with them, name them, adorn them with trinkets and even involve them in some of life’s most significant and personal moments.”
Car habits revealed in the BP survey:
• 85% of SA drivers love to sing in their car
• 74% have made important life decisions in their car
• 61% have regular conversations WITH their car
• 53% had a car play an important role in a special occasion
• 30% decorate the interior or exterior of their cars with trinkets such as fuzzy dice, stickers, steering wheel or seat covers
• 11% got engaged in a car or know someone else who did
Do you have any car quirks? Has your ride played a role in a wedding ceremony? Do you SPEAK to your ride? Email us and we’ll publish your article on Wheels24 or share your thoughts in our Readers' comments section below.
Over two thirds of SA drivers who participated in the BP Ultimate survey admitted to expressing love and affection for their cars, with 59% saying they felt a true connection with their cars. This translates to 4.8 million vehicle-smitten South African drivers.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY... MY CAR?
More than half (57%) of drivers said they complemented their rides or rubbed the dashboard and/or steering wheel to get their car to perform ( to start up or speed up, for example).
Naming a vehicle is a trend amongst drivers with 47% admitting to giving their car a pet name. More bizarre is the 21% of South Africans who celebrate their cars' birthdays.
Glenda Zvenyika, BP’s corporate and external communications manager, said: “We converse with them, name them, adorn them with trinkets and even involve them in some of life’s most significant and personal moments.”
Car habits revealed in the BP survey:
• 85% of SA drivers love to sing in their car
• 74% have made important life decisions in their car
• 61% have regular conversations WITH their car
• 53% had a car play an important role in a special occasion
• 30% decorate the interior or exterior of their cars with trinkets such as fuzzy dice, stickers, steering wheel or seat covers
• 11% got engaged in a car or know someone else who did
Do you have any car quirks? Has your ride played a role in a wedding ceremony? Do you SPEAK to your ride? Email us and we’ll publish your article on Wheels24 or share your thoughts in our Readers' comments section below.