Michael
07-20-2017, 11:44 PM
We all get it from time to time. "Yo what's one of those go for?" or "What did you pay for it?". Now most of us are put off by questions like this just because it's bad taste to walk up and ask someone a personal question like that or we may find it a bit personal.
It has happened to me as well on numerous occasions and I too never like to answer such questions but I do with a kind voice and I try to do it in a way that doesn't make me out to be a self righteous prick or elitist. Just last night at a small cruise in, I happen to bump into an old friend that I had not seen in awhile. He was pretty impressed with the DeLorean and then the question "What's one of those go for?" Without hesitation I answered just like I always do "Well it's just like any other collector car, price varies on condition and a few other things. You can spend 15k for one that may or may not drive but needs a lot of work all the way up to 70k+ for a re manufactured example. It all depends on what you want."
Then it hit me, the question that most of us hate is not a personal question as much as it was a compliment. My friend knew that collector cars fetch varying amounts, but when someone sees a DeLorean, they are not seeing your average collector car. They are seeing an exotic(to them anyway). They are seeing a unicorn that rises above the 69 Camaro RS beside it, or the 63 Impala on the opposite side. They are looking at a car that they have never seen in person before and it is obviously something special, so special that it transcends the typical collector car category much like an all original AC Cobra transcends our more experienced or enlightened view of car values. You could tell them these cars fetch 6 figures in this condition and they would believe you as they don't spend every waking moment of their lives checking ebay auctions or watching Barrett/Jackson.
When someone outside the car enthusiast world asks you this question, it's not meant as a prying one nor is it to ascertain your net worth, it's simply a question born in wonderment and maybe even a pinch of envy. All they really want to know is are they looking at a car that they will never be able to own themselves, or is there a chance that maybe someday they too could buy something so beautiful and striking and still be able to put both their kids through college.
In short, give them a break, they simply like your car.
It has happened to me as well on numerous occasions and I too never like to answer such questions but I do with a kind voice and I try to do it in a way that doesn't make me out to be a self righteous prick or elitist. Just last night at a small cruise in, I happen to bump into an old friend that I had not seen in awhile. He was pretty impressed with the DeLorean and then the question "What's one of those go for?" Without hesitation I answered just like I always do "Well it's just like any other collector car, price varies on condition and a few other things. You can spend 15k for one that may or may not drive but needs a lot of work all the way up to 70k+ for a re manufactured example. It all depends on what you want."
Then it hit me, the question that most of us hate is not a personal question as much as it was a compliment. My friend knew that collector cars fetch varying amounts, but when someone sees a DeLorean, they are not seeing your average collector car. They are seeing an exotic(to them anyway). They are seeing a unicorn that rises above the 69 Camaro RS beside it, or the 63 Impala on the opposite side. They are looking at a car that they have never seen in person before and it is obviously something special, so special that it transcends the typical collector car category much like an all original AC Cobra transcends our more experienced or enlightened view of car values. You could tell them these cars fetch 6 figures in this condition and they would believe you as they don't spend every waking moment of their lives checking ebay auctions or watching Barrett/Jackson.
When someone outside the car enthusiast world asks you this question, it's not meant as a prying one nor is it to ascertain your net worth, it's simply a question born in wonderment and maybe even a pinch of envy. All they really want to know is are they looking at a car that they will never be able to own themselves, or is there a chance that maybe someday they too could buy something so beautiful and striking and still be able to put both their kids through college.
In short, give them a break, they simply like your car.