REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 12, 2002 — The MSN® Carpoint® online automotive service, a leading car-buying and car-ownership site visited by more than 10 million consumers monthly, today announced the key findings of its February 2002 Valentines Day Fast Facts survey. The survey revealed that 30 percent of respondents judge their date by the type of car they drive. Twenty-five percent have borrowed someone elses car to impress a date, and 86 percent have washed or prepared their vehicle in some way before picking up a date. In addition, the survey found that 62 percent of respondents have flirted while they were driving and that 31 percent of those flirtations resulted in a date. Twenty-six percent of those surveyed have followed another car in hopes of securing a date.
The survey also showed that 77 percent of respondents open and close doors for their dates but only 25 percent expect this when they are a passenger. The survey also investigated the excuses drivers have used to get their dates alone in the car. The most popular excuse, at 21 percent, was
“getting lost,”
followed by
“engine trouble,” “running out of gas,” “flat tire”
and
“dead battery.”
The survey found that 14 percent of respondents have received or made marriage proposals in an automobile.
Here are other findings from the survey:
-
Forty-eight percent of those surveyed were picked up in a sedan for their first date.
-
When asked to specify their ideal car on a date, 37 percent preferred a sports car, followed by a luxury car (27 percent) and a limousine (17 percent).
-
Twenty percent said that talking is their favorite car date activity.
MSN Carpoint.com Fast Facts is a monthly online survey conducted via Carpoint.com that provides consumers with information on car-related topics. The February 2002 survey was derived from a sample of more than 1,100 Carpoint.com users.
About Carpoint
Launched in October 1995, Carpoint ( http://www.carpoint.com/ ) is the leading online automotive marketplace. From product reviews and surround video features to new- and used-car pricing, Carpoint helps consumers find the car they love, at a price they can afford. With details on more than 10,000 car models and 100,000 used vehicles, visitors can research and compare cars of virtually every make and model, identify local dealers, and receive instructions for post-purchase service and maintenance. With a network of more than 5,000 affiliated dealers nationwide, Carpoint generates more than $8 billion in auto sales each year and is exclusively endorsed by the American International Automobile Dealers Association.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft, MSN and Carpoint are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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