Men driving flashy cars repel women looking for serious relationships

LONDON: Women perceive men who flaunt their wealth as unsuitable partners for a long-term relationship, a new study suggests.

US researchers from the University of Buffalo have revealed that ostentatious displays, such as driving a flashy car, could be detrimental when it comes to finding a potential partner.

This, they say, is because people who drive extravagant vehicles are viewed as less reliable and more sexually promiscuous.

The study, published in Springer’s journal Evolutionary Psychological Science, asked 375 undergraduate students to complete anonymous online surveys in a bid to investigate how others interpret a man’s display of wealth. The participants first read through the descriptions of two men who were purchasing cars and were asked to rate each character on dating and parenting behaviours, his interest in relationships and his attractiveness to others. Both fictional men spent the same budget but, while one man made a frugal investment, the other opted for a car with new paint, larger wheels and an impressive sound system.