For many drivers, buying a car is like searching for a potential mate. CarMax, a leading used car dealer, recently conducted a survey to determine what it was exactly that attracted car owners to their current vehicles. It turns out that price was the number one factor that attracts motorists to the cars they wind up buying, with 49 percent of respondents claiming this to be the crucial quality they look for, but there are other features that spark attraction to a particular vehicle.

Personality was the second-most important quality in a vehicle, and this does not mean the car can hold a conversation or make the buyer laugh. Rather, the horsepower, fuel economy and other features are what make drivers' hearts flutter.

Another aspect of car ownership the survey examined was why drivers love their current vehicles, and 34 percent of respondents indicated that they kept their vehicles around because the cars were reliable and didn't need much servicing. However, this is not true in all cases, and sometimes costly repairs can crop up. The average age of cars on the road is at a record high of nearly 11 years, according to a recent Polk survey, and the chances of an expensive breakdown are likely to increase as a vehicle ages. An extended auto warranty can cover the cost of repairs to keep drivers behind the wheel of their beloved vehicles as long as possible.