Toronto, Ontario — A new poll conducted by PEMCO Mutual Insurance shows just how much pride Pacific Northwesterners put in their rides, as the west coast-based insurer published the results of a survey delving into car cleanliness.
PEMCO reached out to its exclusively Washington and Oregon-centred customer base to find out what sort of standard of cleanliness the average driver keeps their vehicle in.
Between the Seattle and Portland metropolitan areas, an average of 63 percent of drivers claimed they keep their vehicle in “mostly clean or spotless” condition. The more Frasier Crane-esque crowd in Seattle boasted a high standard of cleanliness at 67 percent to Portland’s 58 percent.
Contrary to the common trope of a man and his strained relationship with cleanliness in general, the study found that men in both cities are three times more likely to clean the exterior of their vehicles once a week than female drivers are. In Seattle, the comparison comes down to 22 percent of men and seven percent of women, and 14 percent to 5 percent, men to women, in Portland.
Even when it comes to the junk found on car floors, the study found that 31 percent of men clean out their vehicle’s interior on a weekly basis, compared to 15 percent of women.
“Cars are a significant investment for most drivers, so it makes sense that we take pride in keeping them clean. And, studies show that we keep our cars for a while, too— usually about eight to 11 years—so choosing to keep your car clean is another way to protect that long-term investment,” said PEMCO spokesperson Derek Wing.
“Still, I was surprised to see just how confident people are about the cleanliness of their cars—from my perspective, it’s tough to keep a car completely spotless when you’re dealing with rainy weather, carpooling and kids’ activities, sometimes all at once!”
The full results of PEMCO’s poll can be found here.
