Jan 20 2016

Neuwagen Nervosa – the irrational fear of damage to your new car

Neuwagen Nervosa – The (not entirely) irrational fear that your brand new car will be damaged.

It has been 340,000 kms since the last case in our family.

However, today one of us has come down with an acute attack of Neuwagen Nervosa.

Symptoms include

• parking at least 1km from the shops, where the lot is most empty
• parking only next to other new cars. Old or damaged cars must have irresponsible owners who fling their doors open willy nilly.
• hesitating before giving the keys to a most trustworthy husband, and then giving the same list of warnings that a son might receive (“Don’t text, don’t drive too fast, don’t…”)
• choosing a  petrol station based on the width of the driveway
• visiting the hitherto unexplored aisle at the supermarket where car cleaning products are sold
• determining that no one aged either under 50 or over 60 will be allowed to drive the new vehicle
• repeatedly checking the weather radar for possible hail storms

German scientists have speculated that Neuwagen Nervosa may be a side effect of the ‘new car smell’ (‘Kraftfahrzeugsinnenausstattungsneugeruchsgenuss‘ )

Luckily, Neuwagen Nervosa is a self limiting condition. It resolves soon after the first dent or scratch.

Then we can relax and get back to owning the car that no-one else is game to park next to.

 

 

One Response to “Neuwagen Nervosa – the irrational fear of damage to your new car”

1. Miguel Fitzgeraldo says:

   January 22, 2016 at 8:18 am

   You need to transition from ” newcarsmell” to “familycarsmell” by taking the kids to Macs and driving home on the long and winding road.

   Reply