Jiffy Lube and Car Relationships {$35 Gift Card Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, susan1215!}

As is typical, I've had any number of relationships that have had their ups and downs over the years. Whether a significant other from my younger days that I parted ways with (thank goodness) or a friendship that faded away because of distance or our lives moving in different directions, I think we all have those people that are now just a part of our past.

However, one relationship that has started to outlast many of the rest? The one that we have with our cars.

Yes, our cars.

And what better expert in knowing everything that there is to know about our vehicles and how much we put into them than Jiffy Lube? As well as their 2,000+ service centers in North America and 24 million customers served each year, Jiffy Lube even has a community on Facebook, Keeping My Ride Alive, devoted to drivers who are passionate about their ride and the stories, photos, and more that go along with them.

So when it comes to finding out just what we think about our cars, Jiffy Lube is there with the answers. A recent survey of theirs revealed that when it comes to cars, Americans are in love - whether love at first sight or a relationship that developed over time and many miles.

In fact, Jiffy Lube even found that drivers are increasingly admitting to displays of affection for their vehicles... something that I have done at least a time or two...

This cute graph breaks down into these statistics:

• 39% Verbally encourage it
• 30% Begging or pleading with it
• 21% Rubbing the dashboard, steering wheel or another part
• 17% Bribing it with something like premium gas, a car wash, etc

Overall, Jiffy Lube's survey found that nearly 60% of consumers have "car courted" and humanized the relationship that they have with their car by providing encouragement to it when it is being uncooperative. Which makes me wonder, What do the rest of you 40% do?

Drivers have grown even more attached to their vehicles as well, as Jiffy Lube compared their findings to a similar study from 2007 and discovered that people are 30% more likely to encourage their vehicles to perform by using either physical or verbal gestures. Yep, guilty of this one, too.

But I mentioned that some of us have relationships with our cars longer than with other people sometimes, right? That's because Jiffy Lube found that 13% of drivers have been with their current vehicle through a break-up with a significant other or spouse and still held strong!

Not only that, nearly 90% of drivers report that they plan to keep their vehicles as long as possible and more than 75% of drivers have experienced a major life milestone while owning or driving their current vehicles – be it having a baby, getting a new job, or acquiring a new pet.

Our cars are beginning to become members of the family! I think it's great that people are putting more time and care and, okay, love, into their vehicle. Just think of all that it does for you! Is it time for you to return the favor? Thanks to the generosity of Jiffy Lube, one person will be able to do just that, because...

One lucky person will win a $35 gift card redeemable towards goods and services at the Jiffy Lube near you*!

*Check out their list of locations to find a Jiffy Lube in your area.

To enter to win: Tell me about the relationship that you have with your vehicle. For instance, is it long-term? A new romance? One where you talk and encourage it when needed?

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

WIN a $35 Jiffy Lube gift card and get your car an oil change or tune-up today! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/gS6KCf #giveaway #win

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me publicly with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on April 1st at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Jiffy Lube for providing information as well as a $35 gift card for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.