Gotta new motor? The shine will soon rub off

IT’S the moment motoring enthusiasts dream of – first slipping into the driving seat of their shiny new car.

But for many British drivers the thrill of getting behind the wheel barely lasts longer than the first tank of petrol – with one in five bored after 30 days.

Meanwhile, one in seven have lost that revved-up feeling within just ten days, according to a study that reveals we are a nation of car-mitment phobes.

Two-fifths of drivers – that’s 15 million motorists – said they were fed up with their car, because they liked other models better (53 per cent), their car was all they could afford (40 per cent) or it was hard to maintain (32 per cent).

But while a quarter of the 1,500 drivers surveyed said they were keen to switch to a vehicle better suited to their lifestyle, it seems the pain of buying another car puts many off ever clinching a deal.

One-fifth said buying a new motor was more stressful than going to the dentist, while 14 per cent said it made them more anxious than supporting their favourite team.

Drover, the online car subscription service that commissioned the survey, said owners spent an average of £2,895 changing cars. They complained they had not liked their old car as much as they thought they would – or had rushed into buying to get the stress over and done with.

Felix Leuschner, Drover’s chief executive, said ‘feelings of boredom and regret often follow’ soon after buying a car.

‘On top of that, a driver’s circumstances change very quickly, meaning they are stuck with a car that no longer suits.’