Do you have fond memories of your first car? Do you find it hard to get rid of a car even if it’s obviously on its last leg? Do you name your vehicles? (It’s OK, this is a judgement-free zone!) If the answer to any of these is yes, you understand that a car is so much more than a hunk of metal. While we humans have a tendency to anthropomorphize anything—seeing faces in electrical outlets, houses, and yes, even the headlights of cars—our automobiles hold a special place in our hearts.
Why is it hard to let go of a car?
There are many reasons you might feel attached to your car, but these are some of the most common ones.
It’s a home away from home.
Especially here in Atlanta, we spend a lot of time in our cars. In fact, we have some of the worst traffic in the country, with an average driving commute time of 35 minutes one way. We listen to music and podcasts and audiobooks in our cars, we eat in our cars, we have conversations with friends and relatives and significant others in our cars. In short, we treat our cars like mobile rooms of our homes.
You think of your car as a friend.
Researchers in one study found that it’s fairly common for people to feel personally attached to their cars, with over 70% of respondents saying they felt “very attached” or “somewhat attached” to their cars, and 36% of respondents describing their vehicles as “an old friend.” Unsurprisingly, people who named their vehicles were more attached to them, as the act of naming in itself anthropomorphizes the object.
In addition to spending a substantial amount of time in our cars, as mentioned above, we also experience memorable and important life events in them. Dates, roadtrips, moves, bringing a baby home from the hospital—all of these memories are tied to driving your car.
You think getting rid of it will be a hassle.
Maybe you don’t think of your car as a reliable old friend or a home away from home, or you do, but you realize that you’re spending more than it’s worth to keep it running due to an emotional attachment. In that case, you may think that getting rid of your car will be too much of a hassle. It’s easy to stick with what’s familiar.
If this is the case for you, you need U Wrench It! We make it easy to sell your car, and we pay the most for junk cars in Atlanta. Give us a call at 404-805-0900 for a quote, or fill out our contact form.
Just not ready to let your buddy go? That’s OK too—we can help you keep your trusty companion on the road with used auto parts for affordable DIY car maintenance.
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