Men are more emotionally involved with the purchase of a car, in comparison to women which are more likely to carefully calculate the overall costs involved.

According to a new survey by Experian, the information services company, said running costs, initial spend, tax bracket, the ability to finance the purchase and future saleability of the car, are all issues that women are more likely to factor into their decision making process. On the other hand, men are more inclined to be swayed by how the car affects their personal image, its make and model, the manufacturer’s brand reputation and reliability.

For women, once they have found the right car, they are more likely to hold onto it for a longer period of time (69% of women hold onto their cars for over three years compared to 60% of men). Meanwhile men are more inclined to go for a change within a three year period (39% compared to 29% of women).

The survey was conducted by Research Plus on behalf of Experian and a total of 1,016 British car owners aged 18 and over were surveyed at the start of July.