I’ve often been asked – what do I look for in a car? It’s difficult for me to single out the perfect car for me, but I do have a list of characteristics that I look out for when choosing a car for myself. In that process of thinking, it then hit me… that what I want in a car is actually pretty similar to what I want in a man! So, in no order of priority, here are the seven traits that I want in my car and my man:
1) Physical attraction
Let’s admit it – a car (likewise a man) that takes your breath away from you each time you see it (him) is likely to keep your heart racing for a long time to come. The truth is, we all need some level of physical attraction in our partners. We see our cars every day, like how we see our partners every day (more so for married couples), so there has to be form of attraction between both. Of course, not everything is about looks, but surely there must be something that catches your eye.
2) Performance
I’m a person who likes fast and high-powered cars (though there are times when I just want a long, slow drive), just like how I like a man who is motivated, driven and always on the go. I’m not after crazy performance figures of the supercar league (just like how I’m not after men of high profile); decent performance with a steady pace would suffice.
3) Charming personality
As I mentioned earlier, looks aren’t everything. A car can be really stylish but drives like crap, just like how a really good-looking guy can be a total douchebag. More importantly, the car (man) needs to have a charming personality – simply because beauty doesn’t last forever but a charming personality does.
That six-pack is not going to last, that full head of hair may turn white and fall off; like how the best looking of cars suffer wear and tear as the years go by. However, if the car has a strong suite of features such as keyless entry, engine start-stop, cruise control and more; these are things that will still remain useful to you no matter how old the car gets.
4) Safety and security
Of course. Who doesn’t want to feel secure with their partners? Exactly how I want to feel safe in my car – that’s a matter of life and death you know.
5) Reliability
Making me feel safe is one thing, but making me feel safe for long is another thing. I want to be able to know that I can count on my man for anything in life, just like how I trust my car and not want it to die on me somewhere out there while I’m driving.
6) Comfort
Having a pretty car will make people envious, but if the car is not comfortable, you will be the one suffering instead, especially when you take long journeys in it. Similarly, I want to be comfortable around my man, knowing that I can trust him with my secrets and not feeling shy around him.
7) Excitement
After a while, the novelty wears off and suddenly your car is dull like how a relationship can grow a little stale. Thus, the car must be able to pull off some excitement; for example, I won’t be driving my car to its limits on everyday roads, but if and when I take it up to the racing track, I know that it has what it takes to provide me with the excitement I need! Likewise, we want our partners to be reliable, honest and faithful, but that can become a little boring sometimes. However, there are ways to inject thrill into a couple’s life! *winks* Hey, I meant taking a holiday and going bungee jumping! What were you thinking?
*This was first published in Wheels Asia magazine.