Owning a sparkling and well-maintained car has been shown to be a source of pride for the majority of vehicle owners across the country.

Research commissioned by IMO Car Wash Group has revealed how 74 per cent of UK motorists gain a sense of pride and feel better about themselves when they have a clean car.

Interestingly, younger people – those aged 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 – were shown to gain the most satisfaction from owning a well-presented vehicle (82 and 85 per cent respectively), while retired drivers were less affected by this phenomena (just 61 per cent).

The majority of students, the unemployed and occasional workers also stated they gain a sense of fulfilment from having a clean car (74 per cent).

However, individuals in professional occupations and higher managerial roles were less inclined to associate a well-maintained vehicle with a sense of satisfaction (65 per cent).

Across all age ranges and economic backgrounds though, the research showed that the majority of vehicle owners do place a high sense of value in keeping their vehicle clean and presentable.

Psychologist Dr Sandra Wheatley responded to the results: "Our cars are very personal spaces. The make or model we choose to drive is generally accepted to imply our personality and vocation. The value of them is very often assumed to reflect our status in society.

"By having a clean car, are we telling the world how conscientious and/or reliable we are – a clean car reflecting a well-ordered mind?"

She argued that the reasons behind different groups demonstrating a stronger response to owning a well-presented vehicle could be more to do with their individual circumstances than anything else.

Dr Wheatley stated her belief that younger drivers and those with a less secure financial footing may be highlighting their own self-worth to others through keeping their vehicle in a presentable state, while older owners and those that are more financially secure may place a greater emphasis on other areas of their life to derive pride and satisfaction.

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Posted by Clare Lafferty, Account Manager, The Fuelcard People.