Corvette etiquette question
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 9,472
Likes: 2,638
From: Gilbert Arizona
While I think asking how much it costs is a tad inappropriate, I still answer them with the truth. If it is an adult with a kid I make it a point to tell the kid "work hard and stay in school and someday you can own one too"....and the fathers usually thank me for saying it to them. If they are polite I will let them sit in the car and let the father take a picture. Whenever I had the opportunity as a kid to sit in a cool car I really appreciated it.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,209
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 9,472
Likes: 2,638
From: Gilbert Arizona
Racer
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 405
Likes: 176
Eh. I've always felt that divulging things like annual income, or how much someone paid for a big-ticket item, is something that is optional between close friends, and none of anyone else's business. I'm probably just patterning after my parents, who rarely discussed the price of anything!
For sure anyone can divulge whatever they want to anybody. Whatever is in your comfort zone. But I would get irritated if someone asked me how much I paid for something, and after tactful deflection, the other person would not let it go.
For sure anyone can divulge whatever they want to anybody. Whatever is in your comfort zone. But I would get irritated if someone asked me how much I paid for something, and after tactful deflection, the other person would not let it go.
Last edited by Zaphod B; Aug 25, 2016 at 06:26 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,209
From: Phoenix, Arizona
As for how much I have in the bank, I fail to see how somebody would need that information. I mean if a guy is asking me how much I paid for my car there's good chance he may be considering buying one of his own so it's good information for him. I don't see how knowing what I have in the bank would be helpful information to anybody 'cept perhaps somebody who's looking at what bank to knock over.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,209
From: Phoenix, Arizona
You do realize that that is a "because" answer to a "why" question. IOW it doesn't say anything about why except to say that you do. Why is it a personal preference and why does it make you uncomfortable?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,209
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Did I say I felt I had to answer them? No I didn't so your point it totally off here. And I'm not saying you have to answer them either. I'm just curious about why you don't want to. So far all I hear are "it's not of their business" and "inappropriate" and "uncomfortable", all of which are non-answers. Either there's real motivation underneath those reasons or it's just habit (which, IMHO, is dumb). I think it's fascinating to understand and uncover the real motivation and reasoning behind such behavior. I told you some of mine for specific situations like keeping the price secret to gain an advantage in sales or salary negotiations. To me that makes sense. But to say merely "it's none of their business" is a non-answer.
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Racer
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 405
Likes: 176
Did I say I felt I had to answer them? No I didn't so your point it totally off here. And I'm not saying you have to answer them either. I'm just curious about why you don't want to. So far all I hear are "it's not of their business" and "inappropriate" and "uncomfortable", all of which are non-answers. Either there's real motivation underneath those reasons or it's just habit (which, IMHO, is dumb). I think it's fascinating to understand and uncover the real motivation and reasoning behind such behavior. I told you some of mine for specific situations like keeping the price secret to gain an advantage in sales or salary negotiations. To me that makes sense. But to say merely "it's none of their business" is a non-answer.
Interestingly, none of my friends bandy about that type of information, maybe because we are a really financially diverse group of friends ranging from "relies-on-handouts-from-others" to "I'm thinking about buying a second vacation home in Maine."
Each to his own.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 806
Likes: 190
Having purchased other sports cars before I have no problem with someone asking how much I got it for. It's a pretty easy question to answer without giving an actual amount.
What I can't stand it people making jealous/rude remarks when I'm sitting in traffic. This is one of the things that bothered me with my convertible. Usually younger guys driving what looks like their first car.
What I can't stand it people making jealous/rude remarks when I'm sitting in traffic. This is one of the things that bothered me with my convertible. Usually younger guys driving what looks like their first car.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 11,825
Likes: 2,477
From: Ft Lauderdale
Tech Contributor
I've had people ask, I have no problem saying, "I really don't remember exactly, somewhere in low 60's, I guess".....never had anyone press for more than that. As far as the kid, nah, I'd just say "I gotta go, I'm late for an appt".....no reason to let anyone in the car. Not interested in educating people.....
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,209
From: Phoenix, Arizona
I can't speak for mikez06, but for me it's simply cultural. I grew up in an environment in which asking directly about someone's finances or expenditures was considered improper, and volunteering such information was on a strict need-to-know basis.
Interestingly, none of my friends bandy about that type of information, maybe because we are a really financially diverse group of friends ranging from "relies-on-handouts-from-others" to "I'm thinking about buying a second vacation home in Maine."
Each to his own.
Interestingly, none of my friends bandy about that type of information, maybe because we are a really financially diverse group of friends ranging from "relies-on-handouts-from-others" to "I'm thinking about buying a second vacation home in Maine."
Each to his own.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,209
Likes: 933
From: Just outside a swamp in Florida
The sticker was a little over 70, I bought it for 66.
The paint's pretty soft on these things, I'd appreciate if you wouldn't lean on that spoiler.
Situation dispatched.
That wasn't hard, was it?
When I deal with strangers I'm pretty direct and straight to the point, never gonna see him again, so what is it matter.
I do however feel sorry for that group of people, and we all know a few of them, who are abscessed about what other people make and how much their things cost.
Hopefully that mans son, will see how tacky his father is, and won't grow up to be like him.
I know I did.
The paint's pretty soft on these things, I'd appreciate if you wouldn't lean on that spoiler.
Situation dispatched.
That wasn't hard, was it?
When I deal with strangers I'm pretty direct and straight to the point, never gonna see him again, so what is it matter.
I do however feel sorry for that group of people, and we all know a few of them, who are abscessed about what other people make and how much their things cost.
Hopefully that mans son, will see how tacky his father is, and won't grow up to be like him.
I know I did.
CORVETTE TODAY Show Host
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 26,027
Likes: 7,882
From: Kansas City, Missouri
CORVETTE TODAY Host
St. Jude Donor'15
It sounds like the father is not necessarily a car person-otherwise he would have known not to touch the car.
If someone asks me what it costs, I tell them what the base price is. If they keep pushing, I tell them that my car has a 3LT interior and the Z51 package, so it's a little more than base.
If someone asks me what it costs, I tell them what the base price is. If they keep pushing, I tell them that my car has a 3LT interior and the Z51 package, so it's a little more than base.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 9,439
Likes: 285
From: Somewhere Out There
For some people, give them an inch and they'll take a mile. After a while, you learn to spot people like this and size them up pretty quickly. 
To those who have the nerve to even lean against a car like a Corvette....well, some people are just envious of what they cannot have or are just clueless or both.
Walked out to my pristine, black Z28 (LS1) Camaro after a day of shopping to find some idiot leaning against the rear quarter panel. I considered activating my car's emergency panic alarm but figured he'd probably jerk in fright and wind up scratching the paint. I just calmly walked up to him and made it clear the car was mine and he got his *** off the paint. No damage (to the guy leaning against my car).
To those who have the nerve to even lean against a car like a Corvette....well, some people are just envious of what they cannot have or are just clueless or both.
Walked out to my pristine, black Z28 (LS1) Camaro after a day of shopping to find some idiot leaning against the rear quarter panel. I considered activating my car's emergency panic alarm but figured he'd probably jerk in fright and wind up scratching the paint. I just calmly walked up to him and made it clear the car was mine and he got his *** off the paint. No damage (to the guy leaning against my car).
Last night walking back to my car from the gym, I see a father and his young son walking towards my car. Long story short, I showed them the car, let the boy sit in it (he loved it) everybody enjoyed.
What I was surprised and bothered by were two things:
1) The father was very inquisitive in asking about how much Vettes go for in general and how much I paid for mine in particular. While this is not the first time strangers have asked this question, he was pretty pushy about it, but I tried to be polite, and answered in generalities, however I really don't think it is anybody's business asking me exactly what I paid for my Vette (although we share much of this information here amongst our community).
2) Both father and son kept touching my car and at one point the father went to almost lean on the spoiler, this bothered me immensely, so I politely asked him not to, opened the door and told them I needed to leave.
How would you guys have handled this? Frankly, this pretty much ruined the experience of letting the kid enjoy looking at and sit in my car...
What I was surprised and bothered by were two things:
1) The father was very inquisitive in asking about how much Vettes go for in general and how much I paid for mine in particular. While this is not the first time strangers have asked this question, he was pretty pushy about it, but I tried to be polite, and answered in generalities, however I really don't think it is anybody's business asking me exactly what I paid for my Vette (although we share much of this information here amongst our community).
2) Both father and son kept touching my car and at one point the father went to almost lean on the spoiler, this bothered me immensely, so I politely asked him not to, opened the door and told them I needed to leave.
How would you guys have handled this? Frankly, this pretty much ruined the experience of letting the kid enjoy looking at and sit in my car...
Last edited by Patriot10; Aug 25, 2016 at 09:46 PM.
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 35
Likes: 13
From: Northern Illinois
Another C7 owner I talked with at a show once said" I never tell people how much I paid because I like them to think it cost more than it did". I guess if that's important to someone then go for it.