Cars, the anthropomorphic dilemma.

I know many guys consider their cars feminine, but some cars frankly don’t seem very feminine - like the Dodge Ram 3500.  I just can’t picture that beast with a name like “Nina,” or something more call girl-like, as a lot of guys seem to opt for.  My old Saab seemed very masculine and I gave it a man’s name.  I’m in between calling my WRX the inspired “Wrxy” or the “Uberu.”  Sounds asexual but I think of it as a “he.”

But I don’t have a well laid-out rationale for naming my car.  I enjoy driving it and share a lot of my time with it, so it just naturally ends up seeming a tad more human than just a machine.  And I think that no matter how well you maintain your car, it will have its quirks.  Generally those quirks should be similar to other cars of the same make and model, but despite one’s best efforts, I believe a car can act in its own individual way, and hence have a character to itself.

I think a car has character and you spend a lot of time with it, you watch it grow up, you watch it get sick, and get well.  Sometimes it’s moody, sometimes there’s strut clunk!  Kids and animals are similar, but not much else.  If you own a drill, it just drills.  You use it when it’s needed, otherwise you don’t think about it.  Your house has similar qualities, but it doesn’t move. 

A living thing moves, and a car has bodily fluids too!  My car is asexual, I just refer to it as “The Cowbell.”  Somewhere along the line, I decided any car made in it’s country of design, is the genuine article, and thus “has more cowbell”.  My Subaru has a VIN starting with ‘J’, and therefore is the cowbell.

Blix - I sometimes pronounce WRX - “Rex”, like the king of dinosaurs.  That’s certainly masculine yea?

Rex is a good suggestion.  Love the “cowbell” reference

for most, its not really a thing to be taken literally - its merely an affectionate label. that certain people refer to favoured vehicles as female, doesn’t necessarily mean they view them as they view women (although some references may relate, they’re often made in jest or as analogy, so not to be taken literally). when such people say they love things such as cars and boats, its typically not in relation to romance - it’s more along the lines of a particular fondness or appreciation of a thing

i think the concept can be more accurately described by referring to it as a pathetic (with relation to empathy) fallacy rather than anthropomorphism

i see my cars as having personality (i have many), its something i look for in other cars and i certainly appreciate it. personality can relate to any quality a car might have, from how it looks (various styles, from boso to vintage, retro to restored, le mans to drift), how it sounds (twin s/u’s on a 4, ITB’s on a high engineered 8, a highly boosted 6), its history or pedigree (ferrari F40, the original M cars), its purpose (road legal racecar, built for the sake of doing things others said was impossible), and to engineering accomplishment (the sheer finesse in honda NA engines, the incredibly well built and inherent strength of some of toyota’s creations, building a 1000hp engine suitable for everyday use and abuse). there’s always something to appreciate in a car, irrespective of what it might be. just takes the right mind to see it

to an extent its also reassuring and supportive to have an imaginary relationship with a car, think of it as the presence of a person you enjoy being around - just feels like life is better when you’ve got friends around you. generally, things are better when you’re around the people and the things you love; cars, friends, your children, your garden, your lover, etc

I don’t think that car may have to be more slickier look in terms of it’s appearance. I, for myself would only care more on the interior and mechanical parts of it. I would tend to buy stuffs at Car Parts Los Angeles and would really focus on those parts. But it may be different with each and every person’s personality. But at the end, it is still your car and you have the choice for that one!