Do people ask how much you have in your car, and gasp if you tell them the truth?!?

They only gasp when I tell how much it will take to buy it.

 

It's none of their business, I hate it when people ask me that. It's not about what anything is worth anyway, I like the hunt, buying shit cheap, I honestly have very little in anything I own, however I have paid a ton for parts that I really wanted, but not very often.

 

I usually tell them it's not my car, and point them in the direction of a couple of my friends who actually like people and don't mind talking to morons.

Give fucktards the runaround for a few minutes and they'll leave you alone.

 

I have no clue what I have in my car.

 

1. "Why do you ask?" This works for any inappropriate question. Just keep repeating it.

2. "I don't think about this in terms of money."

3. "About a hundred dollars."

 

"How much you got in that car?"

"Not much lately, my wife and I aren't as flexible as we used to be."

 

I have a general idea of how much actual cash I've spent on the build -- not counting my time, of course -- but I truly have not tracked all my costs, and have no interest in doing so. Like most of you, I find such questions to be a little too intrusive. So I answer a question with a question: "Are you a buyer? If they say "Yes," then I'm happy to give them a detailed rundown on construction details and expenditures. If not, I just tell them it was less money than I'd have spent in pool halls and whorehouses over the course of XX years it took me to build it. So, really ... it's just my own form of a savings account.

 

I don't know what I have in my car. I know it is more than I want to admit. I say it costs the same as my wife's toyota four runner that I bought her when I started the project.

 

I don't hang with those type of people. None of their business.

 

One of my favorites are the jerks wanting to know how much you want for them to buy your car, latley I've had a rash of ignorrant youngins asking and I'll tell e'm "If you can tell me what kind of car it was i'd sell it to them for a hundred bucks, It's a shame that they cant identify an old car as being a simple chevy and they just sit there dumbfounded...with a supposed big wad of cash in their pockets ready to buy.

Last week I had a guy pull up next to me, all excited ready to buy my cadillac, I tried to ignre him but he was getting pissed that I wouldn't give him a price for my 60 cadillac cause he wanted/ needed to buy it. Did I mention that he was driving a junk, missing a rear window but he had to open the front door to talk to me cause the window wouldn't go down. To top it off he had between 8 and 12 assorted kids in the car with him. And he's getting pissed because I wouldn't give him the serious answer that he wanted for the price to buy my 60' CADILLAC....Hah!!!!

 

Its only worth what some one will pay for it.

 

My standard answer is way too much. If they ask again, it's way way too much. And I just keep adding ways til they get the point.

But you know what I did not spend way way way too much money on? The experiences along the way. All the people, places, and hard working situations that car hobbies lead to provide lessons that are priceless.

Ultimately, the question isn't that bothersome. Because it reminds me that only one of us in the conversation had those priceless lessons, and it makes the questioner seem very small.

 

I know a guy who built a the Lowrider of the Year winner and when they see the car people think six figure car but I later learned her built the car for $3500. The car was damaged in transit and the insurance gave him $15K to fix it must be nice to build your own car

 

A friend of my wife came over the other day while I was out in the shop working on my 3W. The wife and her friend walked out to the shop to tell me they were going shopping Her friend saw the 3W, the 32 roadster and my Harley sitting there. She said ... you must have a good bit of money in these 3 toys. I said not really ... it is just my hobby. She asked HOW MUCH in all 3? Again I said " not a whole lot "

They left ... while with my wife, her friend asked my wife how much I had in the toys and my wife told what I paid for the 3W four years ago ... and the woman thought that the wife was making it up. She said that's more than my husbands pickup and new bass boat. At that point, my wife realized that her friend would never understand ... and just smiled.

 

Ha, I was asked by my boss in the last year or so also, and my truck is still a pile of parts. Guess he though I was being paid too much because I was the only one in the lab that didn't get a pay raise this year.

 

Got the question usually from guys I knew when I blew them away in little light to light runs, 'How can you afford something like that on Army pay?'
The gasp alway came with, 'Is that all!'
Yup, my 10g hotrod just chewed the ass off your 65g Monaro. That always prompted me to ask them how thay can afford the latest Monaro, WRX, (Insert shitbox here) etc.
I know at least three Army guys now building hotrods, the fourth realised he didn't have it in him, I bought his project and that was my last A RPU.
Doc.

 

Does the asker play golf or similar?

Ask them how much they've spent on it over the last few years.

The total figure won't be too far from what a typical hot rod costs and in most cases more when you figure in everything.


I usually tell them it cost the same for the roadster as an econo-box car.

And it's still worth that amount of money 22 years later.

Have them compare that to a 22 year old econo-box....

 

You could always tell them whats floating around in the glove box or ash tray if you use it for coins,
About three bucks fify.............
Let them work that one out.

 

I hate buyers fishing at car shows. They come up telling you wow your car is awsome one of the nicest they have ever seen. You must have a fortune invested in it. I usally respond with yea but not near as much as it would if someone had it built as i built it myself so the labor was not a factor in the build, But if it was for sale the labor will defiently be a big factor of the sale price. Then they usally ask your if your car was for sale what would you ask for it. I usally tell them i have not realy though about it but it would be alot. If they are fishing they will then tell you they are looking at another car and was just going to buy that car until they saw yours and now they want yours. I tell them i built this one for myself sorry it's not for sale. They always come back with the old saying everything for sale at the right price. I say ok make me an offer i can not refuse. Usally they stand there silently for a few seconds and then just walk away when they realize they can not aford or are willing to pay what your car it worth. This has worked for me over the years and have even sold a few for around double that i could have by normal adverising.

 

I can't stand people (either friends OR strangers) who ask about money unless I am actively selling the car! And even then, how much I have in it makes NO difference!

One of my favorite responses is, "I figure, at 10-cents-an-hour for my labor, I've got about $50,000 in it... just in labor!"

I figure that says, 'ask a stupid question...expect a stupid answer'.

JG

 

A truly serious guy, who may be thinking of building one of his own, I don't mind answering what the parts cost.
Along with me asking him how much he thinks he can do himself.


The others?
The assholes?

When you get right down to it, they're trying to drag you down to their level of misery.

They wouldn't spend the money for a hot rod, don't know how to build one and like to think you're stupid cuz you're willing to spend the $$ and the many hours of work.
Makes em feel better all over.


The most amazing one I've seen to date asked me why I didn't run SBC after I told him the engine was a BB Buick.
Honest to god he got on such a tirade that he was spitting when he talked and drool was running down the side of his mouth.

I admit, it was a scary sight.

Ended up leaving the run not long after.

 

my buddy in high school (in 1976-77) had a real nice 55 chevy. perfect body and one repaint. his neighbor was a corvette restorer and painted it a beautiful silver. had the original interior in black and white, he had all the bumper gaurds and had everything rechromed. prolly be a $25,000.00 car these days.

people would ask him how much he paid for it, and he'd tell them what he paid,,, $1000.00. then they wouldn't believe him. he would always "forget" to mention he put another 3 or 4 grand in it and these knobs would just walk away looking stupid.

 

One interesting aspect of this - the other side of the coin as it were - are the guys who'll get a price out of you then walk away laughing cuz you thought they were honest and actually wanted to buy it.
Fell for that one a few times.

Then there are the "big spenders" - usually known as wealthy guys around town, they never have cash, they always want to trade something.

When I sold my sailboat a guy wanted to give me some paperwork for a house and property about a hundred miles away.

Interesting part was, his name was nowhere to be found on any of the property documents....

 

That question doesn't bother me at all. It's usually asked by a non car guy that only can relate to money. Maybe just trying to make conversation. Anyway, I don't keep a running tab so I can't answer it regardless.

 

I don't know if I'm reading more into this than was intended, but it seems as though a lot of guys cop an attitude and bristle up about the price of their cars. I try to treat others as I would like to be treated, it doesn't matter if we're talking cars, my job or whatever. Just yesterday I drove my car to my nephews b-day party and we had to make a stop by the store for a card. I don't leave my car in a parking lot, so the wife went for the card and my son and I sat in the car waiting. Within a couple minutes a fat, geeky guy about 20 yrs old, driving a thoroughly beat '80's T-bird pulled up and wanted to talk cars. Right afterwards a middle-aged guy and his daughter walked over and wanted to do the same. I could've blown them off, they apparently didn't know much about cars and the chances of me seeing any of them again is slim to none. But how hard is it to be nice to someone? If I didn't want to answer questions I would've driven my thrashed '91 Mazda pickup. Nobody ever asked me how much that cost or how fast it was or who did the work. I drive my car becuae I love it and because it makes me feel good and I have been on both sides of the fence. You know what I mean, you see your dream car and the owner is too much of a dick to even talk to you. If this describes any of you, invest $1000 in a '91 Mazda, I promise no one will bother you...

 

sometimes lie high,sometimes lie low,depends who+why they are asking main thing is just LIE!!!

 

I never tell people how much something costs or what I paid for it. It never fails when you do they either gasp and shake their head or tell you how they got one last week and someone paid them to take it. People in general are assholes.

 

That's funny!

 

Anybody that knows me don't ask !! And anybody that ask's don't need to know me or how much !!! >>>>.

 

When I get the "That's a lot of money for an old car" BS, i usually compare it to their Escalade they gave $60K for yesterday and is worth $30K today. If you can't afford to pay, don't play. At any level.