We Bet You Didn’t Know This About Cars

So how do you recognise a car enthusiast? That’s easy. Car enthusiasts love talking about all things to do with cars. They also love talking about their vehicles – and sometimes even to their vehicles when no one is watching. They tell their cars that they love them very much, so much, in fact, that they’ve upgraded their insurance policy from third party to comprehensive. They also tell everyone who’ll listen, interesting things they’ve read about other cars.

Does this sound like you or someone you know? Well then it’s time to ‘upgrade’ your car stories using these fun facts. Here are a couple of interesting facts about cars you can share with anyone who cares to listen:

1. They stopped bringing out cars with cassette players a long time ago. Right?Most people even consider cars that come out with CD Players passé and what’s hot now are smartphone-integrated infotainment systems. What’s interesting to note though is that there were new cars that came standard with cassette players as late as 2011. The very last car to come out with a cassette player was the Ford Crown Vic. It didn’t sell too badly either, meaning that a lot of people must have been very sentimental about their mix-tapes.

2. The 82 year relationship.The longest anyone has ever owned a car is an astonishing 82 years. This long term relationship was between Allen Swift and a beautiful Rolls-Royce Piccadilly-P1 Roadster. Swift received the car from his father as a graduation gift in 1928 and held onto it until his death at the ripe old age of 102. Now isn’t that real life relationship goal?
3. The first talking car.The first talking car was the Austin MG Maestro in 1983. Alright, so maybe you couldn’t have a conversation with it, but it did tell you when your oil pressure was low, when your brakes needed servicing and a couple of other things that most ordinary cars would not be able to tell you. The voice used for the car was that of actress Nicolette Mackenzie, although a male voice was recorded for the cars that went on sale in Spain and Germany because the company believed that Germans and Spaniards didn’t like taking orders from women.
4. If you wanted a free picnic table then all you had to do was buy a Honda CR-V between 1997 and 2006. A flip-out picnic table was not the only ‘get one free’ item that came with this smart car. A shower kit was also optional when purchasing the car. How’s that for freebie!
5. South Africa is home to many cool inventions, like the BMW Blaster. If you were fascinated by cars in 1998 then you should have heard the reviews about the BMW Blaster (flamethrower) that was invented to curb carjacking in the country. The flames, activated by the driver through flipping a switch if he was confronted by armed robbers, reached a length of 2 – 5 metres In 2001. The Blaster was retracted due to its exorbitant price.

Cars are like babies – amazing and life-changing to have but at the same time, quite expensive to maintain. Cars also carry high value which is why it is important to ensure you are covered with car insurance in case of an accident that may cause damage to your ‘baby’.