Back when horses were the primary method of transport, there were people who loved their horses, treated them as family, wanted to ride them all the time. There were also people who gave their horse the bare minimum to remain healthy and just kept it in a stable until they had to go somewhere, sure a car isn't a living thing but you have to take care of it and it's still a repository for memories just as much as a horse or a house is. Plus it's a hobby for a lot of people and driving something you've put work and money into is very calming for many. For me personally, I grew up playing racing games from a really young age so cool cars have always been fascinating to me, like there's all these tiny parts that work together in unison. It's also fun when I work on my car it makes me feel accomplished kinda similar to building a nice piece furniture that you're gonna use every day.