[Nick]

Saw this article today on the BBC Motoring site about a man and his beautifully restored 1969 Ford Capri - and how he sees the car almost as a part of the family now!

Have you ever felt attached to a car you've owned?
Any names for your cars over the years?

I had a convertible Ford Escort as my first car that was lovingly named J-Woo, playing on the registration number.

My 56-year-old Ford Capri is part of the family!: (Source: BBC Motoring)

[Drivingforfun]

I think I definitely do, but I kind of think if I didn't sell them when I did, it might've tainted them. Like I have fond memories of my first car but if I kept it much longer I think the fond experiences would have gradually been replaced by experiences of breaking down and having to empty my wallet every other month 😆

There is the option of keeping it for sentimental value and not running it, but again if you can't commit to the maintenance I think the sentiment would be tainted by seeing it slowly rot on your drive - better to let someone else get use out of it maybe?

[Rolebama]

My wife does. She gives every one a name, and speaks of them that way. Personally I was not aware of doing it until I had one stolen. My Humber Sceptre. I bought it as my wedding car, and used it ti bring my wife home a smidge over fifty years ago.

[olduser]

Yes, less so these days but in the days when I tuned, and maintained my car we sort of understood each other.

The children would give each one a name, and we would use that name.

I always thought we worked together to complete a journey, even with a hire car I got to, 'know' it, and work with it.
I suppose the idea was to get what I wanted from it without going beyond it's capabilities.

Used sympathetically, most cars will tell you if you are asking too much before you are in real trouble.
So even though a car is an inanimate object, there is (or should be?) a dialogue between driver and it.

[Drivingforfun]

@olduser Maybe not in the same vein, but I find myself - seemingly unlike lots of people - not feeling able to drive cars "badly" even if they're hire cars. Like you say they're inanimate objects and you're not hurting them by abusing them but it just feels wrong to 🤔 I guess part of the pleasure of driving is knowing you did it well*

*I know "well" is subjective, for some driving "well" may mean getting there as quickly as possible with no thought to mechanical sympathy; for me it's just balancing everything - smoothness, economy, sympathy but not driving unnecessarily slowly either

[NMNeil]

I gave all my cars names, none of which can be repeated in public. 😉
But no, I always treated them like a tool which got me from one place to another, and if they did'nt the naming came into play.
I also never named any of my spanners or my kitchen stove either, as they are just tools.

[Rolebama]

@NMNeil I know exactly what you mean. The biggest culprit for name calling was an Austin Maxi I once bought. Guranteed to break down anytime I went for any drive more than three miles from home, and always needed recovery home. Crankshaft oil seal failed dumping all the oil, hose burst, a peculiar one only fitted to the Maxi, brake pad separated from the metal backing plate etc, etc. When anyone ever mentions Stephen King's Christine I think of that car as all these events happened on motorways.

[NMNeil]

@Rolebama Amazing you made it a whole 3 miles. 😎
Back when they were first introduced I made good money with the Maxi. Gear shifter cable adjustments and pumping up the hydrolastic suspension were regular warranty work.

[olduser]

Originally Posted by NMNeil

I gave all my cars names, none of which can be repeated in public. 😉
But no, I always treated them like a tool which got me from one place to another, and if they did'nt the naming came into play.
I also never named any of my spanners or my kitchen stove either, as they are just tools.

I never named tools in my toolbox but they were friends, and after a job they would be cleaned and returned to my box in the relevant shelf.
There were spanners that were better fit than others, spanners I had shaped to get into awkward places, screwdrivers that were better used on tight screws, and of course sockets.
I saved for ages to buy a socket set, I was sure the world would be saved if I had one but whilst it helped in some places it was not the universal panacea I was expecting.
I never got any ratchet spanners but they look to be handy!

Why look after them and put them into specific positions in my tool box?
Well first they were part of the means earning a living, and when called out to troubles in the factory at night, half asleep, I had enough on, working out what was wrong, and the best fix, without having to rummage around looking for the tool for the job.
So we spent many hours working together, to the same end, so we became real friends.

When we sold up, to move into the care home, it was not easy having to say goodbye, yet I hadn't used them for years, perhaps I am sentimental.

[Rolebama]

On the subject of tools, I could not understand why people would pay Snap-On prices for a particular bit of kit they would only use maybe once a year.

[olduser]

Apart from a socket set, I did buy one special tool to solve a problem.

Tuned 850 Minis had were sensitive to valve clearance but I found when I set them up (with feeler gauges) but I found it very difficult to keep the setting while tightening the locknut, I asked a mechanic how he did it, he told me it's easy, don't check again after you have tightened the locknut.

Of course every time I decided to check valve clearance it was out.

In the end I bought a tool for the job, (Rip Speed I think) the screw driver and socket were combined in one tool and the screwdriver part clicked for every (I think every 0.001") and the screwdriver had a big handle.
To use, put in place, push down hard on screwdriver part (throughout), unlock locking nut, screw driver down until resistance, count clicks back up for valve clearance, hold screwdriver and tighten locknut, job done.

I found I only needed to use it once a year! 😏