If you think that pulling up in her driveway in a vintage '70s Maserati will be enough to win her over, then you’ve got a lot to learn about what women find impressive about men and their machines. In fact, it’s not so much about the car you drive, but how you drive the car, that matters to the opposite sex. AskMen talked to Jordana Brewster, star of Fast Five, the latest installment from The Fast and the Furious series, available October 4th on Blu-ray, about what women think are the biggest turn-ons and the biggest turn-offs when it comes to men and their cars.
No.5 You'll get the most mileage out of your manners
It’s pretty common-sense to make the effort to get out of your car and make the short walk to her door when picking a woman up for a date, but good manners don’t end there. Just because automatic unlock exists that doesn’t make the gesture of opening the car door for her any less significant. And if you really want to impress her, continue your display of chivalry on the way back to the car after dinner.
As Brewster says, “I can always tell a gentleman when, walking toward the car, they’re on the side of the street. It’s so old-school, and that’s pretty important.”
As Brewster says, “I can always tell a gentleman when, walking toward the car, they’re on the side of the street. It’s so old-school, and that’s pretty important.”
No.4 Women like a little speed
Even in driving school, they teach you that it’s actually safer to go with the flow than follow the speed limit. Keeping that in mind, it’s OK to show a woman a little of what your car can do without going overboard. If she’s holding onto her seat belt like she’s dangling from a helicopter then you’ve gone too far; if she relaxes her arm on the window and seems to like the wind in her hair then she’s enjoying the adrenaline rush as much as you.“If it’s done with confidence, speed can be pretty hot,” says Brewster. “I appreciate speed because of my involvement with The Fast and the Furious."
No.3 Suppress your road rage at all costs
Sure, it’s embarrassing to be cut off by another dude, but you’re not really defending your date's honor or restoring your manhood when you’re screaming through soundproof glass and honking your horn. Most women are looking for a man who’s level-headed, so think of any mishaps with jerks on the road as an opportunity to show your date just how cool and collected you can be. Nothing’s more attractive to a woman than a man who makes the other guys around him look like uncivilized meatheads.
“Raging on someone is not a good thing,” explains Brewster. “It tells me that they’ve got some unresolved issues. Also, backseat driving – if I’m driving and you tell me what to do, that’s not OK."
“Raging on someone is not a good thing,” explains Brewster. “It tells me that they’ve got some unresolved issues. Also, backseat driving – if I’m driving and you tell me what to do, that’s not OK."
No.2 Every guy should drive stick
Just because you can’t afford a nice car doesn’t mean you can’t impress her with the type of car you drive. Driving stick is ALWAYS hotter than driving automatic. It shows her that you’re the kind of guy who is not easily distracted, and that you’re capable of doing more than one thing at a time, presuming you’re also engaging her in witty conversation.
“I think driving automatic is pretty easy, but when you drive stick, there’s so much to do,” says Brewster. “When someone makes it seem seamless, it’s pretty hot.”
…but if you can afford a nice car, a woman will always be impressed by a classic, no matter how much or how little she knows about cars.
"I drive a Ranger Rover, and I love that car," says Brewster. "I also love the Aston Martin. It’s so sleek and beautiful, same thing with the Maserati -- I love the lines on it; it’s sleek and sporty without being cheesy. I really like classic James Bond-esque cars."
“I think driving automatic is pretty easy, but when you drive stick, there’s so much to do,” says Brewster. “When someone makes it seem seamless, it’s pretty hot.”
…but if you can afford a nice car, a woman will always be impressed by a classic, no matter how much or how little she knows about cars.
"I drive a Ranger Rover, and I love that car," says Brewster. "I also love the Aston Martin. It’s so sleek and beautiful, same thing with the Maserati -- I love the lines on it; it’s sleek and sporty without being cheesy. I really like classic James Bond-esque cars."
No.1 Don't go to the garage or the gas station for things every guy should know how to do
There are certain luxuries in life that every guy should indulge in: going to the barber for a shave, for instance. But paying the extra few bucks to have a high school kid pump your gas for you isn't one of them, ditto for changing your oil. There are certain things men should just know how to do, and they should take pride in doing them. Women are impressed by a man who, even at a very basic level, understands the machine he's driving."[Every guy should know how] to change a tire. And when a red light comes on, he should know what that red light is and what to do without going straight to the garage," insists Brewster. "And if the car’s overheating – and this is something Paul Walker did in Brazil that was so impressive – the car broke down and there was smoke coming out and the engine was in the front. He knew exactly what to do, and where to pour the water. That I thought was pretty cool."
