The nation's love affair with cars is on the wane

It seems that the current cost of running a vehicle has led to many drivers no longer classing their car as a prized possession.

A survey of 2,000 people conducted by WhipCar.com found that only 8% consider their car one of their most valuable belongings. Instead, more than two-thirds described their car as something to just get them "from A to B", while one in three did not even know their number plate.

High running costs and the rising price of fuel appear to have taken the love out of driving, with a quarter of respondents stating it is now less important to own a car compared to a decade ago.

Since 1992, Government figures show that the number of people under the age of 30 with a driving licence has fallen by 20%. Another poll revealed that 38% of people would give up driving completely if prices at the pumps continued to rise.

A study by Which? magazine also found that the price of many cars in the UK had risen well above the inflation rate over the last four years - contributing to the fading love affair.

It said that based on the difference in pre-tax prices, after adjusting for inflation, the price of a Volkswagen Polo 1.2 70 Match or Renault Megane 1.5dCi (106) Expression had gone up 8.5%.

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