We prefer first car to first love

For most of us, our first motor may not have been £100,000 Audi R8 like Harry Styles, or £90,000 Range Rover Evoque like Justin Bieber.

But new research confirms such vehicles still hold a very special place in our heart.

The survey of 1,000 parents, carried out by car website NFDA Trusted Dealers, shows almost three quarters (71 per cent) of us Yorkshire folk look back more fondly on their first car than first kiss (53 per cent).

First loves rate even lower with less than half of people (43 per cent) surveyed in Yorkshire fondly recalling time with first boyfriend or girlfriend.

When asked to describe their first car, 40 per cent in Yorkshire, recall an unreliable old banger they loved, with only four per cent regretting their rust buckets.

When it comes to buying your first car, the research showed the bank of mum and dad to be far more generous today than 20 years ago.

Londoners are the most generous parents in the country, with more than half (55 per cent) saying they had financed a new or used car for their kids.

We lived up to our thrifty reputation, with just 22 per cent contributing to their child’s motor.

Neil Addley, managing director of NFDA Trusted Dealers, said: “Cars play a big part in people’s lives and as we can see, we have a special place in our hearts for our first wheels, whether rusty or racy.

“The figures from the survey illustrate that people emotionally invest in their cars.”

“The rise of PCP deals has opened up far more opportunities for parents to opt for new cars, but our research has shown the vast majority still prefer to buy a used model for their kids. As such it’s vital to ensure the right financial and mechanical checks are undertaken.”