(iStock)
If you're a guy -- especially a single guy -- your hot rod may be the center of your world. On weekends, you tell friends you're busy, just so you can stay home to buff and polish it. And whenever possible, you love showing it off to the ladies.
That's a problem.
According to a new study conducted by marketing research firm Harris Poll, most women think that men with fast or exotic cars are arrogant -- or worse, that they're insecure and compensating for their shortcomings. If you're looking for attention from the opposite sex, you should probably re-think your game plan.
FAST-CAR FINDINGS
Harris' study was conducted online in March, fielding answers from 2,167 American men and women 18 and older. The survey didn't uncover anything especially interesting about men's opinions, although 38 percent said that women who drove fast cars were likely show-offs, and a small number -- six percent -- suspected those women were "emotional" (whatever that means).
Among women, however, the findings were far clearer:
- 56 percent of women say that men who own exotic or fast cars are arrogant, and 17 percent see them as insecure.
- 48 percent say that a car is a reflection of a man's economic status.
- 46 percent say that a car reflects a man's image of himself.
- 32 percent say that a car can reveal what kind of family man a guy will be. In other words, among women looking for long-term relationships, a Lexus sedan may score you more points than a Lotus roadster.
According to Lawrence Cervantes at AnastasiaDate (the site that commissioned the study), "It's no surprise that men fantasize about driving an exotic car with a beautiful woman in the passenger seat, but this new data proves that fantasy is better left for a weekend with the guys. When it comes to dating, women want a grounded man, and his car is a clear reflection of this."
This shouldn't be terribly shocking. Several previous studies have shown that women tend to prefer frugal cars and that they're not drawn to high-end rides (except Porsches, for some reason).
A SLIM SILVER LINING
That said, we know that old habits die hard, and for some of you, giving up the hod rod simply isn't an option. If you insist on being "that guy", Harris offers a sliver of hope, because there are a handful of women who will be turned on by your car. According to the poll:
- 21 percent of women say that they've found a man more attractive once they've seen the kind of car that he drives.
- 10 percent say that they would date an unattractive guy if he had an exotic car.
Those small numbers mean that the pickings will be slim, though, and the competition may be fierce. You'd best start buffing now.