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...

 

Looking fine, touching not. I never touch or even lean on someone else's car unless they
Say it's okay or it's a POS unit. I always lie when asked how much I paid. Add another $10k on and keep them for getting any ideas.

 

I'd not have tolerated either of these behaviors.

FWIW: had my '14 in our club's show a couple of years ago. Another member comes over to look at the car, as it's the 1st in our club. I offer to let his 5 year old son sit in the car. After a minute of two, he stands up on the seat and starts jumping up and down, then getting in and out of the car, slamming the door. And his father, a 'vette owner does nothing.....

 

I think you handled it just fine.

 

When asked the price I usually say they start at 55k and go to over a 100k depending on model and options. Do not mind chatting with people about the car, not one to let them sit in it and would have to tell them appreciate it if they did not touch it.

 

I never divulge the price I paid for the car, it's no one's business. They are rude to ask it.
I just say, well, you can look it up, it varies.
As far as touching!!! Since I would never even think of touching anyone's car, much less my OWN, I am not hesitant about being *rude* back to them. I politely say, "Please don't touch the car". That's it, if they insist or scoff, I just leave.
We don't have to put up with rudeness and it shows the young people there that we respect our own and others property.

 

That's exactly what I did, but this guy just kept pushing, asking about leasing, and pointedly asking 'what did you pay for this car'. I told him it was in the middle range. He didn't seem to get the point. Maybe next time I'll ask him how much he makes to see if he can afford it...

 

I own several collector cars, and occasionally get asked about them on the street. Here's my advice as to protocol.

1. Say, "That's a beautiful car... what model, what year, etc..." keep it to a minute or two... if the owner is happy to chat, chat, but they may also have to be somewhere.

2. Never touch anybody's car... this is just plain disrespectful.

3. Never ask about cost... would you ask somebody how much money they make... off limits.

4. If you are at a car show, a longer conversation is appropriate... owners are there to show their cars... but ask basic questions, and let them do the talking.

 

Never say how much I paid. I do say I bought it used and traded in my classic car to get it.

One close friend I told what the MSRP was when it was new saying i paid a whole lot less.

 

 

I have no problem telling people what the window sticker on my car was and what I actually paid for it. I simply don't understand why people have a problem with that. Sounds like some sort of insecurity to me.

 

This may seem strange to all you car peeps but most people have no idea of what cars cost. To them a lambo or Ferrari looks just like a Corvette. Perhaps the reason people ask is because they actually have no idea what they sell for, all they know is that it is a lot. Lying like a dog is okay in America now as the politicians on both sides seem to prove on a regular basis. I lie and tell them any price that comes to my head depending on the people.

Besides, once you drive one you'll have to agree no matter what you paid you got a great deal because you get to drive it.

 

I just think its rude to ask a stranger what they paid for anything quite frankly, not to mention touching and then leaning on my car...

 

Deal with both issues all the time when I show my ProStreet Rod!

For the Vette I use a Kerbeck low number for an manual with 1LT and say "You can buy one for a little over $50,000." That is often what they paid for their 4 wheel drive diesel truck!

If asked how much I paid I say, I just say, "a bit more!" Occasionally have to just talk about options like Z51 and change the subject! Got used to doing that when giving technical talks about welding and you get a foolish question! Just have to watch any politician-it's an acquired skill!

For the Street Rod, I usually just say cost more to build than my Corvette! When a child goes to stand on the running board, I do have to say please don't -even though they are steel but they get their ice cream sticky fingers on the window as with no door handles, nothing to hold onto! I have the drivers door open with a stop bar so they can see inside. Occasionally get asked if they can sit inside and I say don't want to disturb my 5 point harness with crotch strap, which is all connected from the roll bar. That works.

Recall when the one time I showed my early 2014 in October 2013, a few were close to the spoiler. I had a micro-towel and when they were close I just wiped it down and said the judges will see any prints and I'll loose points. Might just pull out my handkerchief if it happened with the Vette in a parking lot and say just waxed it!! If they asked to sit in the car would probably say, even my wife has never sat in that seat-true statement!

In 15 years have never had to use tough words! But with my personality, not afraid to!

FWIW

 

It's frickin' rude, period.

 

I don't know why people get sensitive about the price of their car... If you don't want to tell them exactly how much you got it for OTD, just tell them the MSRP is xx,xxx. End of story.

MSRP is public information that can be looked up online in a matter for 5 minutes. Only reason I see you being shy about this is, you got a low end 1LT or something and are insecure about it. People ask me about mine? I tell them MSRP on a fully loaded 2017 3LT Z51 is about 80k. I added another 8k of mods added on. Ezpz. Next question

 

Why can't anyone just say NO!?

 

This. That question gets asked here all the time and nobody has any idea who anybody here is; what's the difference?

I have let little kids sit in the driver's seat, they always get a huge kick out of that. If it's simply touching I don't get too stressed either.

It's a car. I drive it. If I didn't like attention, questions about it (including what I paid), or anybody ever touching it I wouldn't drive it and park it where I couldn't watch it every second, which is no way to own a car.

 

I usually handle it exactly like you did. I think that more kids should see our cars and get interested in them, so if I see kids looking at my Corvette, I rev the engine, let them sit in it, etc. just like you did. If they get handsy, I handle it like you did, telling them I gotta go to not start a confrontation that will end up being spun as some 'rich guy started a fight.'

As for the price issue, I get that more with the Corvette than the F-Type because I think people see it as more attainable than anything. So that dude might have been trying to work it out for himself to see if he could afford one for himself. I gave some guy at a gas station a generality on the Callaway's price and it looked like I crushed his dreams, but then I made the caveat that without the blower, it's about 17 less and then his face turned a bit.

 

I've told many people what I paid for my car - doesn't bother me at all. For those that think otherwise, that's OK too. Just tell them that's a personal question you prefer not to answer. If they keep pushing, then push back a bit or just ignore the person that can't seem to take a hint. As for the kids sitting in the car, I don't mind it but I do keep an eye on them to make sure they respect my property. And I do not touch someone else's car unless they say it is OK.