Why car owners consider their car ‘part of the family’

Half of Americans consider their car to be “part of the family,” according to new research. The survey of 2,000 American car owners, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Meineke, revealed that 51% think of their car as part of the family — and 53% would keep their current car forever if given the option. For some, this is due to an emotional attachment (22%), while others have fond memories with their current cars (24%). There are also more practical reasons for why respondents want to keep their current cars: almost six in 10 said it was because of the reliability (58%) their car has given them and 45% said it’s due to the good gas mileage they’re able to get.