Do you talk to your car?

Does it matter/make a difference?

(To the car, not in the philosophical sense)

I do, and yes.

Totally makes a difference. 

I always tell my truck she's a good truck after we make it through some sketchy E36 M3 

If you've seen the movie, you know the answer.....

Oh yeah. All the time. So much it might have an ego problem. 
 

when we leave the pits I point to the fit in front of me and tell her to go get 'em. 

I do but not typically in a good way!

I used to talk to my old cars, ones that had carburetors and personalities. Cars you used to have to get to know and develop a relationship with to get to work right.

My new cars not so much. The CRV is a bit like a toaster, great toaster, does it's job everyday with comfort but I don't think it wants to talk to me that much. Hell I don't even have to know how many times to pump the pedal or how long to turn the key. I push a button and usually don't even know where the key (FOB) is! It's more of a transactional relationship than a 2 way commitment requiring conversation.

Only in a motherberkeleyer kind of way. 

It's either the car or the voices in my head.  It's fun listening in when they talk to the car 

Always.  Maybe why I get such long life, good fuel mileage, and good service?   
  That or it understands I don't buy cheap or do hack work on them.  
   My MG I've owned now for 60 years. 

I pat it on the dashboard and tell it it's been a good jeep. Or I apologize after climbing a long pass. He's just got so much personality.

I find myself talking to my car as I slave away working her back in to (someday) running shape. 

Things like 'Dang, we need to get this little bit of cancer removed, don't we?' or 'How much boost do you want, baby? All of it? Oh yea...'

The handful of times I drove the car before tearing it apart went like this; 'Please don't kill me, we've only just met.' And 'Goddam you're hot! You're getting me all steamed up!' 

It was definitely overheating and the lack of brakes did almost kill me. 

Worth it

Yup. During good times and bad. It doesn't seem to help, but it can't hurt.

I do. I am affectionate to all my cars except for the Dodge. It's on my E36 M3 list.

Every time I have taken the Cayman across country I say "Good car" and give the steering wheel a hug when I get to either San Diego or when I cross the NH border.

Now that it is a bit hurt I give it a pat and say "you'll be better, no worries" every time I walk by it.

no I prefer physical abuse 

I ignore the Manic Miata for 6 weeks, hop in it at 6:00a with no prep, drive 40 minutes at 75 mph to get to the autocross, where at least 2 and sometimes 3 drivers get 6 runs apiece in it, and then I drive 40 minutes at 75 mph home and ignore it for another 6 weeks.

It always starts right up and it never misses a beat on course.

You bet I thank it personally, every time.

For sure.  It also gets a pat on the fender when the day is done (especially after it's been put through its paces) 

My Yukon gets extra dashboard pats whenever a trailer is hooked up.  That 220k 4L60e needs to know how much I appreciate it.

I noticed if I'm having a really fun track session, I'm saying a lot of "Good car, good car!" after a good corner or passing something theoretically faster.

rustybugkiller said:

I do but not typically in a good way!

Usually when I'm pissed off.

RacetruckRon said:

My Yukon gets extra dashboard pats whenever a trailer is hooked up.  That 220k 4L60e needs to know how much I appreciate it.

The Expedition gets those at the end of a long road trip, especially if towing.

The Boxster has caused me to learn how to curse in German.

The real question is "why don't you talk to your car?".

I have.  Don't tell anyone.

Only when making unreasonable demands...

 "TURN bitch!!!"

I feel bad about myself afterwards.

I have talked to my cars but it seemed to be me talking out loud to myself really. So yes it does make a difference, by saying something out loud it adjusts my attitude about doing something with the car. Like that next rallyX run might be that much safer or faster or I might get that corner right (FINALLY!!!!!!! GRRRR!!!) but tell myself it is better to learn that corner than be faster that run. 

For some reason I don't really know what I am saying but when I setup my in car camera I realized that on track during a race I am talking a LOT. I can't exactly hear everything I am saying on the recording but I seem to be talking to the car and myself about the last corner or the next or strategy.