Question about something that's been bugging me

[symblieye]

I have a question about something that has been on my mind for some time and I figured you all would be able to share the most insight on it. I apologize if this has already been discussed in the forum. I did a search, but I may have missed it. I'm sure we all experience this being owners of what we own. The topic of $Cost$.
I could be talking to a complete stranger, a family member, or a friend, or a client for work. About 50% of the time, the question comes up: how much did I pay for it? This could be regarding the D, or any car really. I'll start by saying I'm a pretty private person when it comes to certain things, very open and public when it comes to others. And I feel there are certain items which usually are simply beneficial to just keep private: salary, etc.
But what bothers me is not so much that people are eager to ask, but that they seem to be upset at my reluctance to answer the question. I have found usually there are two main reasons people ask this question:
1. Curiosity. People have no idea what these cars are worth (I've had one person say he thought they were worth about $100,000 and another person, the first time I saw her after I got my Delorean she said literally "you know I wouldn't pay $12 to own that car" - she was a special case and I feel the statement had to mostly with her personality, but an example worth citing nonetheless) so I can understand this curiosity which is why in most cases when people ask how much I paid I simply say that mine was a good deal, and they can range in price anywhere from 6k to 50k
2. The other reason to ask: Sometimes people just want to judge you.
'wow you got ripped off!'
'they may be worth that much but I can't believe you wasted all that money'
'from what you're saying that sounds like a good deal.'
'how can you afford that?'
'oh you must only be able to afford that cause it cost next to nothing'
'so you can afford that, but not this?'
'I can't believe you got it for that little'
The judgements can be good or bad. Now, I already know whether or not I got a good deal, and I know better than 95% of the people I talk to. Also, whenever someone asks how much I spent, they already have some number in their head when they ask, so even after educating them as to the current worth they still just judge you based on the number in their head.

To summarize, I have told a select few ppl what I paid for my car. I told my wife (even though I paid for it, wanted her to be ok with it and we don't keep secrets), I told my mom and dad and brother, and I have told a couple of fellow owners, people who were once owners in the past, and a few owners of other collector cars. My thinking thus far on the matter has been:
1. I already know I got a good deal on my car, I don't feel the need to educate people just so that they can confirm what I already know. And for the flip side, I have no desire to feed potential bad and/or ignorant judgements.
2. If the question comes from a curiosity about value, then telling them what the cars go for in general should be enough. They shouldn't need to know what I paid.

Would you ask a woman if she's pregnant? Would you ask someone what they weigh? How they did on their taxes? If they've ever cheated on their spouse? A car is a large and often personal decision no matter what the car is, if someone clearly doesn't want to say, why would you press them? Or why don't people assume its a personal question and instead say 'you know I have no idea, what do these things go for these days?'
Has anyone had similar thoughts or want to chime in with their thoughts/experiences on the matter?

Sorry for the novel... This has been bugging me for a while. At the least, thanks for letting me get it off my chest.

[vps3922]

+1

I totally understand you and your reasoning. I also go with a range as an answer and tell them that I got a good deal. It is also a case by case judgment for me whom I will tell what I really paid. There are the few people out there, same categories like you have, that know what I paid, and then the rest.

Nobody should ask you for the correct price. Ballpark or range should be sufficient.

[wrkey]

My general answer this with "Well, cars, like anything else, is only worth what someone is willing pay for it. And how much someone is willing to sell it for. In this condition, my car is worth about $##k." That is generally gives them an idea of worth. If they press for more info about my cost, I reply with "Well, less than it's worth so I'm happy with my investment." If they press again, I am more direct, "That's not really something I'd care to divulge."

Mostly I think people just want a validation of the value.... or they think it's worth huge dollars or little dollars. Mostly I get response of "I thought it would be worth more than that." Then I ask them what would they be willing to pay for it. Get's a laugh and eases the conversation.

[Denverdelorean]

I think it's because DeLoreans are generally considered rare and exotic. people don't see them so they assume they must be ferrari level or similar. Most of us that own them are pretty average down to earth guys, so it may seem a little out of whack that we have them. I think it's a funny question and it doesn't bother me in the least. Now, if they ask "how much do you make" they are far out of my comfort zone.

[Kane]

So, what did you pay for yours?

[Michael]

I don't answer the question of "what did you pay?" and I'm very blunt about it when I tell them it's none of their business.

If I get the slightly less personal "So what are these things worth?" my response is "Just with any collector car, price is dependant on a lot of things including condition. They can range anywhere from 1ķ to 100k". I then let them look at my car and make their own assumptions as to what it's worth.

[vwdmc16]

I started a thread about this a few months back and we came up with a few good replies to deflect the answer or answer vaguely.

[Mark D]

From my own experience I feel like the "how much did you pay for it" question comes up because the car is so oddball and most people have no idea what it costs to own one. If someone asks me how much I paid I almost always redirect the question by answering that the typical price for a nice car is somewhere in the mid 20's. I'll usually add that you can find them in running condition for less than 10k and you can spend more than 50k if you want a car that has been completely rebuild with all NOS parts.

For 95% of the people I've encountered that answer is more information than what they were expecting and satisfies what they really wanted to know.

For the other 5% that explanation seems to go in one ear and out the other and I get something along the lines of "Yeah, but what did YOU pay for THIS car" If I'm not too offended by the person at this point I'll say I paid near the average price I just explained.

Of that 5% there is that other 1-2% that feels they are entitled to know exactly what you paid. I have never told anyone a specific number that wasn't a family member, friend, or a fellow DMC owner. For the people that keep pressing me I'll just tell them flat out that they don't need to know exactly what I paid and that it's starting to get rude that they keep asking. I've never had anyone continue beyond that point so I don't know what I'd say after that.... Probably just stop talking to them and walk away.

In my head I imagine that I might ask them an equally as personal/financial question like what their gross income was last year, if they owe the IRS any back taxes, what their social security number/credit score is, etc. I've never actually said anything like that though. Knowing how some people are I'd end up with the guy who has no problem giving all that information to a complete stranger.

[symblieye]

Thank you guys so much, immediately after reading your responses I stated to feel better. It's good to hear from other owners that they get this as well and reassuring to hear that there are other owners that feel the same way as I do.


Thank you vwdmc16 for mentioning the other thread. A lot of good suggestions and advice that made me feel better as well. I think my favorite was nullset:


"
"Most of them cost about 25k, but this one was more expensive because I had to pay someone to take off all the BTTF props they put on it when they made the movies".


Or,


"Most of them cost about 25k, but this one cost more because I had to remove all the gold plating, and that was really time consuming/expensive"
"


Many LOLs for that
I've only really talked to my wife until now about this issue, and I while talking to her a little while back I said "That's a pretty personal question isn't it? I think every time someone asks me how much I paid I'm gonna respond with 'How big are your genitals?' See how they react, and then say 'I'm sorry, since you got personal I thought we were on that level with each other' "


In thinking about the scenario today, I thought of another possible response:
"Well, I'm NOT loaded by any sense of the word. It IS however a car with some moderate value. There, I answered both of the questions you were actually asking without giving you a number at all "
This response also may work well since the 'I'm not loaded' portion may pre-empt any coke jokes, or it may also provoke them, who knows...


Another great point that was brought up, which I did not think about, ppl may be simply trying to buy the car without saying just that. This really makes me want to lean toward the "Make me an offer" response. I feel like this one would work on almost any level:
- If their intent was to judge you, and they don't answer you can say, 'Well, like my mom always said 'if you have to ask you can't afford it'
- If they blurt out a number, you can choose to laugh it off or educate; depending whether or not they were just looking to make a joke or judge or if they were just curious
- If they are looking to buy, it jumps to the point


I think that's what I'm going to start using


Thanks again for the advice, I feel tons better!

[Silverbullet]

With me.... like a lot of others here.... It is not what I paid for the car that is important.... It is how much money I have spent to get it into the shape it is today... I am in the club that "IF" I wanted to sell it.... I most likely would not get my money back. But to me it is worth it to have a great, dependable fun car, that has had a lot of the old stuff replaced.

It seems people are willing to pay a dealer that has a car re-done way more money than a private party, that has had the same work done... All in all any old car can break, have problems and such. They feel more warm and fuzzy, spending more money with a dealer. Like a lot of people here, "IF" I sold my car, someone would get a great car, as it was not fixed up to sell at a profit.

I tell people they sell for $5,000 to $100,000, and mine is in pretty good shape.... My .02


Craig