- Your car changes sex through its life cycle
- Old bangers more likely to be male
- Cars in London are more masculine than in Wales

A survey of over 500 people has found that in the eyes of motorists a car changes its sex as it gets older.

The survey, conducted by the Bosch Car Service network of independent garages found that although a car starts its life as a female, as the years pass by, the majority of drivers see their motor become a man. It also found that men are more likely to identify with their cars, considering them to be the same sex as themselves. Likewise, the majority of women thought their cars were female.

The survey also highlighted significant regional variations on how motorists view their cars. In London, for example, 35% of motorists think their car’s a bloke, compared to 18% who think it’s a woman. However, down in the valleys, the people of Wales think the opposite to be true, with only 15% of motorists viewing their cars as male and over 42% as female. A sensitive lot, 55% of Welsh people also admitted to feeling sad or shedding a tear when getting rid of their wheels. 46% even gave their car a name!

It seems Southerners are less soft, with only 35% admitting to feeling glum or crying when it was time to say goodbye!

Commenting on the survey findings, Jan Walsh, journalist and author of the report said: “We found the results very interesting. It perhaps suggests that when a car is at its newest, sexiest and looking its best, owners relate it to being female. It’s like a woman who’s spent time on herself to look good and is out on the street attracting attention. As the car gets older we consider a car to be male – it’s reliable, solid and gets the job done, much like your dad or granddad.”
The survey, to better understand the relationship between motorists and their cars, was conducted by the Bosch Car Service network, which offers consumers a quality alternative for all their servicing needs.

Regional differences:
Percentage of each region who consider their car to be male or female:
London 35% male 18% female
South East 14% 30%
South West 14% 41%
East Anglia 16% 23%
East Midlands 25% 14%
West Midlands 30% 23%
Wales 15% 42%
Yorkshire and Humberside 14% 25%
North East 25% 25%
North West 15% 18%
Scotland 17% 28%

Percentage of each region who have felt sad or cried when getting rid of a car:
London 35%
South East 30%
South West 42%
East Anglia 34%
East Midlands 30%
West Midlands 42%
Wales 55%
Yorkshire and Humberside 41%
North East 44%
North West 50%
Scotland 31%


Percentage of people who think their car is male or female by age of car:
1-3 years 4-5years 6-10years 11+years
Male 18% 17% 23% 31%
Female 28% 26% 21% 25%