"So how much did that set you back m8?"

"So how much did that set you back m8?"

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Discussion

Steve_W

1,494 posts

177 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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I have a near neighbour like this - doesn't matter what it is (car, kitchen appliance, flooring, power tools...), his first question is always "how much did that cost you?"

Often followed by some fantastic deal he's found for himself - which is often from Ebay, and usually costs at least half the purchase price to repair after he's bought another lemon.

I find it both rude and odd, but then I'm sufficiently old fashioned to think someone else's finances are none of my business.

ferrariF50lover

1,834 posts

226 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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Hahaha, this place is brilliant for outing those with undiagnosed mental illness.

Someone asks you how much something cost you, just tell them. They're showing an initial and superficial interest in your car/house/watch etc and looking to engage you in low-level conversation about it. Quite why you'd offer a hostile (and if this thread is anything to go by, not at all clever or funny) answer is beyond me.


AndyTR

517 posts

124 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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I usually respond to complete strangers by telling them it's a fake. One chap really couldn't work out that how i'd got the engine in the back of a peugeot 407 coupe, I just left him standing there bemused as I drove off. Made my day to be honest. jester

johnwilliams77

8,308 posts

103 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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ferrariF50lover said:
Hahaha, this place is brilliant for outing those with undiagnosed mental illness.

Someone asks you how much something cost you, just tell them. They're showing an initial and superficial interest in your car/house/watch etc and looking to engage you in low-level conversation about it. Quite why you'd offer a hostile (and if this thread is anything to go by, not at all clever or funny) answer is beyond me.
Why would I respond nicely to someone being rude/cheeky/smarmy? As others have mentioned, if someone is decent and is making a conversation, then I will happily tell them what they cost. If someone is acting like a smart arse then you give some smart answer.

You're showing an undiagnosed mental illness if this is too complicated for you.

V10Ace

301 posts

93 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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VetteEd said:
I think people just don't realise what they say sometimes; like "see your just back from holiday"...." been anywhere nice". People are probably interested but don't think through how to break the ice. I still get total strangers coming up to me and say "bet you don't many miles to gallon in that" Now why would I buy a 6.2L V8 if I was worried about gas mileage?

Probably the best answer would be "why are you thinking of buying one"?
This x1000

V10Ace

301 posts

93 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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ferrariF50lover said:
Hahaha, this place is brilliant for outing those with undiagnosed mental illness.

Someone asks you how much something cost you, just tell them. They're showing an initial and superficial interest in your car/house/watch etc and looking to engage you in low-level conversation about it. Quite why you'd offer a hostile (and if this thread is anything to go by, not at all clever or funny) answer is beyond me.
This also x1000

laugh

Regiment

2,799 posts

159 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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Am I the only one who replies honestly, was asked a few times about how much my Mustang was "oh yeah, just under £38,000..."

George Smiley

5,048 posts

81 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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ferrariF50lover said:
Hahaha, this place is brilliant for outing those with undiagnosed mental illness.

Someone asks you how much something cost you, just tell them. They're showing an initial and superficial interest in your car/house/watch etc and looking to engage you in low-level conversation about it. Quite why you'd offer a hostile (and if this thread is anything to go by, not at all clever or funny) answer is beyond me.
If one post demonstrates a lack of understanding of human psyche - that was the post.

George Smiley

5,048 posts

81 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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GG89 said:
KungFuPanda said:
I never ask people how much they paid for things. I think it's quite rude. As another poster has said, if I'm asked, I reply "enough".
I've never understood this frame of mind. How is it rude? you pay the same as the next guy with the same car (if new) it's not a very personal question and it's not hard to find out how much it's worth, People can find out exactly what you paid for your house via zoopla for example, is that website rude?

I don't go round asking people what they paid for things because I have a smartphone and if I felt the need to could find out roughly what someone paid but if someone genuinely wants to know I have no issue with it.
It is rude as it is not part of a normal conversation, however, it is usually driven by a level of envy. If it is someone in the same social circle/career standing then it isn't as rude as someone from outside of that circle. Outside, it is usually a way to gauge your other net worth which can alter the approach given to you. Either way, it is fairly personal and rude. It is like me taking a liking to your partner and asking "how many she had thrown up it before". And yes, it is exactly the same question.

VladD

7,855 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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"I didn't buy it, I won it in a game of poker. Poor chap went outside and shot himself. The problem was he hadn't signed the V5 before he did it. You wouldn't believe the agro I had with the DVLA."

grumpy52

5,581 posts

166 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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People commented on me buying a Jag XJ6 sport a few years ago ,all the usual ones , we must be paying you too much ,thats a bit flash for a truck driver etc etc .
My usual reply was ,less than 3 months payments on that sh#tbox hatchback that you'll never actually own .

768

13,680 posts

96 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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VetteEd said:
I think people just don't realise what they say sometimes; like "see your just back from holiday"...." been anywhere nice".
Yeah. I stopped asking that question after someone replied with "Scotland". I don't think I did a great job hiding the look of deep sympathy.

As for how much a car cost? Play the game of telling them it was in payment for a job you did; e.g. naming the shade of paint used on the car or something else ridiculous. They chose Chamonix White because it conjures up images of a pure, alpine white with luxurious overtones and a full bodied sense of freedom that says you and your car can ascend to great heights.

ferrariF50lover

1,834 posts

226 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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johnwilliams77 said:
Why would I respond nicely to someone being rude/cheeky/smarmy? As others have mentioned, if someone is decent and is making a conversation, then I will happily tell them what they cost. If someone is acting like a smart arse then you give some smart answer.

You're showing an undiagnosed mental illness if this is too complicated for you.
You're just making up your own scenario now.
The OP asks what you do about people who ask a simple and obvious question about something which is likely to be a source of both pride and joy for you.

It seems a number of dangerous lunatics here present would do something other than offer a polite and true answer, for reasons which aren't immediately attributable other than to a personality disorder.

At lunch with colleagues last week, talk turned to cars. I was asked what I drive. I said I have three cars, two Jaguars and a Nissan. A few questions later came, "how much did that lot cost?"
Because I'm a normal person with normal interpersonal skills, I gave the numerical answer, in GBP, to a suitable level of accuracy.
The world kept turning, the conversation carried on, everyone remained friends.

Now imagine I'd given any one of the utterly tragic answers offered on here, how do you think the situation would have benefited?

Pro tip - if people want to make conversation with you, make conversation with them, it REALLY won't hurt you.

Plate spinner

17,698 posts

200 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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HustleRussell said:
First thing people ask about the Caterham is how fast it goes. That's annoying because it's top speed is literally the least remarkable thing about the car.
Yeah, I used to get that!

Had some fun with an annoying neighbour though when he asked 'so how fast will it go flat out?!?'
'Not as fast as that one' I said whilst pointing to the slightly tatty, beige, ageing, 4 cyl diesel Mercedes estate parked next to it.
'No seriously' he said looking deflated..
'I'm being serious' I replied.
He then moved his gaze away from the caterham and start looking at the C220 cdi from many different angles with a quizzical looking on his face hehe

TobyLerone

1,128 posts

144 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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ferrariF50lover said:
johnwilliams77 said:
Why would I respond nicely to someone being rude/cheeky/smarmy? As others have mentioned, if someone is decent and is making a conversation, then I will happily tell them what they cost. If someone is acting like a smart arse then you give some smart answer.

You're showing an undiagnosed mental illness if this is too complicated for you.
You're just making up your own scenario now.
The OP asks what you do about people who ask a simple and obvious question about something which is likely to be a source of both pride and joy for you.

It seems a number of dangerous lunatics here present would do something other than offer a polite and true answer, for reasons which aren't immediately attributable other than to a personality disorder.

At lunch with colleagues last week, talk turned to cars. I was asked what I drive. I said I have three cars, two Jaguars and a Nissan. A few questions later came, "how much did that lot cost?"
Because I'm a normal person with normal interpersonal skills, I gave the numerical answer, in GBP, to a suitable level of accuracy.
The world kept turning, the conversation carried on, everyone remained friends.

Now imagine I'd given any one of the utterly tragic answers offered on here, how do you think the situation would have benefited?

Pro tip - if people want to make conversation with you, make conversation with them, it REALLY won't hurt you.
But that's the rub! You were sitting down with people you liked! If not liked, at least tolerated, knowing you see them in a daily basis.

Mr Smith off the street asking questions is great, but I can imagine that if you own exotica, or something rare and shiny, people always asking "how much mate?" as the first question would begin to piss me off - at least a little bit - pretty quickly.

If they are only interested in price, look it up online. If they are genuinely interested, folks tend to ask questions like "what does it drive like", "how is it around the twisties", "has it thrown any big bills your way", "what does it sound like at WOT", "how long have you owned it" etc etc.

George Smiley

5,048 posts

81 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
quotequote all
grumpy52 said:
People commented on me buying a Jag XJ6 sport a few years ago ,all the usual ones , we must be paying you too much ,thats a bit flash for a truck driver etc etc .
My usual reply was ,less than 3 months payments on that sh#tbox hatchback that you'll never actually own .
I once was effectively managed out of a job due to car envy. At the time I was wafting around in a used XJ diesel, a fairly frugal used car choice. The management team were all driving their hire purchase rep mobiles and it did not register that my commuter choice was a 5 year old car which cost a meagre £14k (so vastly cheaper than their rentals). Still the image it provided was one of wealth, incorrectly one might add, and once the jealousy set in it became difficult to work there.

I've had the issue a few times since with cars so I rarely drive the "nice" ones to work. Then one day I woke up and thought, sod it, it is their problem not mine. Still, if building up a new relationship for business I will pick the car that better sets the scene for the engagement.

Patrick Bateman

12,183 posts

174 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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I've never really understood the fuss about being so precious about things like this. Also seems to apply to folk that have sold a car too.

If someone asked me, I'd just tell them.

ClockworkCupcake

74,549 posts

272 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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Patrick Bateman said:
I've never really understood the fuss about being so precious about things like this. Also seems to apply to folk that have sold a car too.

If someone asked me, I'd just tell them.
It's not being precious, it's all down to context.

If you're quietly gassing up the car on the forecourt and a total stranger comes up to you and their very first question is "orright mate, what's that worth then?" are you going to just straight out tell them? Personally I think, as conversation openers go, it's pretty crap and rather rude. It's also none of their damn business.

There's plenty of other ways of opening a conversation if you have any actual interest in the car.

Patrick Bateman

12,183 posts

174 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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Well sure, but I can't ever recall anyone ever saying anything to me on a forecourt so I didn't consider it a likely scenario.

ClockworkCupcake

74,549 posts

272 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
quotequote all
Patrick Bateman said:
Well sure, but I can't ever recall anyone ever saying anything to me on a forecourt so I didn't consider it a likely scenario.
It's happened to me many times over the years with the Sagaris.