Exotic Car Owners' Most Hated Q: How much? How much?

I was driving around my 360 this weekend, beautiful weather in the Northern NJ and must have gotten the "How much did you pay for your car?" question four times. It's a pet-peeve/buzz kill of mine and I'm sure a lot of you can relate especially when on a date, with a friend, or just don't feel like disclosing this info to a complete stranger. Feels like a catch 22, if you don't respond, the person asking thinks you're a jerk, if you do, you just answered a question you didn't want to. Whatever happened to "it's rude to ask someone the price"?

Don't get me wrong. I don't mind telling someone interested in buying a F or a fellow F-chatter this info. It's the local kids, security guards, parking and gas attendants, people parked near you or simply put, complete random strangers that gets me...

How do you guys field this annoying f-ing question???

 

Always an embarassing moment. Like you said no good way to handle it. I always answer way too much

 

Same question I have found many times at gas stations!

 

I either tell them it was over 100, but less than 200. Or I just say it was something that I saved up my money for, for a long time and I've worked really hard for. I feel like too many people out the in the real world just think somehow you get lucky and have money. They forget that most of us get it through a lot of hard work, taking tons of risks and making the best of opportunities.

Hunter

 

I just laugh and say "Too much!"

If they understood about being passionate about cars/driving, they'd never ask in the first place so I don't hang about to chat.

 

"$1 less than a divorce"

 

Never bothers me.They want to know if there is ever a way they might possibly afford it because it looks so nice.
God bless them.
Eric

 

I always tell them it costs about 80 dollars per pound

 

I say with a smile on my face "Did I mention that?". People either resent it or don't care.

 

I was asked that question this weekend. I looked at the guy and said, "Way too much, but you only go around once." He pushed the issue, so I looked at him and said, "It was a staggeringly stupid amount of money." He didn't ask again.

A nice thing happened this weekend. A neighbor had a dishwasher delivered and installed, and the installation guy brought his teenage son with him. The neighbor brought the kid over to look at my car. I walked him around the car, explained everything, let him sit in it and start it...he loved it. As they were walking down the driveway back to her house, I heard my neighbor say to him, "Now you see...if you stay in school and get good grades, and go to college and get a good job, then you can have a car like that too when you get older." Made me smile. We should start a public service campaign!

 

$88,000

It's not like they can't jump on the internet, look up the prices and get a pretty accurate idea of what you paid and if you're trying to be humble go buy a Kia.

 

I would get the, "How much did it cost?", question most times when I stopped somewhere, and I didn't really mind letting enquiring minds know that or other questions someone might have about the car. Keep in mind that those of us who are the keepers of these cars are very fortunate to have them. Regardless of the work we put in, the luck of good business decisions, or however we were able to obtained our Ferrari's. Most of these individuals look to us as the utimate success stories in the land(s) of opportunities. Being a, "goodwill ambassador", to the marque is far greater than being a detractor by being snide, talking down to someone, or just plain being unfriendly. Remember, one kind gesture, no matter how small you think it may seem, could mean the world to someone. I'm sure most of us have that one story we've told over and over about how we saw that first important car and how someone took the time to either show us the car, answers questions about it, or both. You never know when you just might change someone's life for the better due to a kind act on your behalf.

 

I always say 1.4 Million nickels. People get the idea after that.

 

same here. i don't think people want to know if they can afford it, per se. if they are asking the question they pretty much know it is unreachable for them. but they do want to know if they can afford to dream about it.

to the OP (and others), why is it such an uncomfortable question? it's not like they're asking how much money do you have in your wallet.

what if another f-car pulls up next to you and the drivers asks, how much did you pay for yours? would you feel as uncomfortable?

 

As I said in my original post, of course I don't mind fielding the question to someone interested in buying one, a fellow f-chatter, etc. In that case, the question has a purpose and I am happy to help out.

Why is it an awkward question in other cases? Imagine this typical scenario: you're hanging out with one of your friends who's not into cars and therefore has no idea of the value of your car. Some stranger comes up to you and says, "Nice car! How much did you pay for it?" You uncomfortably respond, "$125K." Now your friend turns to you and says, "You paid how much for this thing???" See where I'm going with this?

Whatever happened to some privacy, or better yet, enjoying something for some reason other than the price tag? I mean what if I paid $10g's for the car, would that really change anything? To the person who cares about the vehicle just because it's expensive, I guess it would...

 

You've answered your own question.

 

I like to use " they sell for between $X and $X" you are giving them an idea but not what you paid...

 

I say "It was a gift from my wife!". That generally ends the questions.

 

Joe - great response - might have to borrow it

 

How about...... 11 times as much as I have left.

 

The problem is the way most people go about asking. As if the price is the most important, aluring aspect of the car, not the style, performance, etc etc.. leading me to believe the person probably doesnt know much about it, or care much about it, or understand it. But I usually answer with "one would cost between X and Y" as mentioned. The next question I get after the price question is what I do for a living. Thats even more annoying. Or they just ask that off the bat.

Its not so much the question, but the amount of tact involved and the way its asked.

 

To me it depends on the context of the question.

Last week a kid and his girlfriend in a great looking Honda 2000 stopped next to me at a light. They were both really excited to see my car and the boyfriend said a few really nice things about the car and then asked, "would you mind telling my how much you paid?". In this situation I answered honestly and told him how much the car cost me.

In other situations where the question is clearly asked out of jealousy, distain or some other emotion (but not excitement) I don't respond as there's no real upside in this case, only a downside.

Frank

 

"I have no idea, I just stole it"

 

I get "What do you do?"

I also get "How much?"

I really don't mind either question? I have always taken them as complements. I am cool with people thinking well of me...even if its just b/c of my car....its a start...I still have time to prove them wrong

What do I answer?

I tend to go modest or evade....something like:

"Whatever I do I just try to do it well"

or

to how much?...."Way way too much!"

 

i get ask the question all the time & don't like. it's like asking someone "how much do you make?"
but i will tell them what i paid for it to the penny. i also add in "i worked my a$$ off for it!