How much did you pay? Secret? Or not?

[iscaboy]

Was talking to a chap today (was in the bank, reporting lost wallet complete with drivers licence and all plastic, then returned home to find the bloody thing down the side of the chair, so no plastic for 3/4 working days now... sigh) about cars and stuff, he's just bought a new (used) car, saw it outside, asked him how much?

And he went all sheepish.

This is one of those subjects that I keep thinking of, and then keep forgetting, why do some people keep a secret of what they paid? Embarrassed? Hoping to ask double when they sell? What?

In the spirit of full disclosure I just paid £720 for my 1991 E300D. It's on the insurance at an agreed value of £2k cos that's what I reckon it would cost me to replace it.

I just sold a Citroen ZX diesel that I paid £465 for 2 years ago for £472. I don't see much a connection between disclosing my buying price and my setting an "I'll take X" selling price.

Comments?

 

[seymansey]

Yes, i've noticed this too. Seems to be a british thing, noone talks about how much each other earns, and car prices seem to be the same!

I paid 3750 for my C240 Sport just over three years ago. I'm not shy!

 

[wemorgan]

For everyday cars I see no point keeping it a secret since in all probability the value can quickly be found from similar cars on Autotrader. But for rare or classic cars the value is subjective, so of a more personal nature.

 

[davidjpowell]

Where I've got a good price normally happy to say. Where I have suspicioun that I have had my leg pulled, I may be more reluctant to admit it!

 

[rossyl]

The issue is more...why are you asking?

Are you asking the price because you want to do/buy similar? If so, that's fine.

But if not, then why are you asking?
A common answer to that is a form of jealousy/competition with your peers. It's not positive. If you tell the person that information are they then going to get jealous as they couldn't afford that amount of money, or go around saying "do you know how much X paid for that". If so, then why would you want to tell them. It also makes asking in the first place rude.

I earn more than all of my close friends, some of them roughly know but don't care, but others regularly guess how much I earn - they really want to know. For what reason? I know they earn substantially less than me. I never want to tell them as what would be the point? Likewise with those same people i wouldn't bring up how much I spent on a car.

That is generally why.

 

[Charles Morgan]

I notice this with wine here in the UK. People who have bought something unspeakable are proud to state that it could have been worse at £2.99 per bottle whereas those who pay far more for something better keep their pricing quiet. I am rarely asked in general, and reply even more rarely.

 

[bpsorrel]

Actually, I've never been asked the price of my cars, but if I were to be, I'd tell, no problem!

But, I'm very unlikely to disclose my earnings....funny that...

 

[oldcro]

Why would you want to know? whether the price was higher or lower than you expected makes no difference to you. As mentioned a look at Autotrader gives an idea what similar cars are selling for.

Why not ask how much you earn, or how much you have in the bank. I would consider it a very rude question, especially to ask a stranger. Asking a close friend might be acceptable.

If I was asked I would either add or subtract 30% of the actual price just for fun.

Beaten to it in one minute.

 

[iscaboy]

The issue is more...why are you asking?

cos I'm a bloke, blokes like vehicles, blokes like talking about vehicles, and part of that is asking what you paid...

I don't give a monkeys if you live on the dole or are a billionaire, it's just the best way of keeping current with what things are actually going for, and frankly nothing makes me happier than someone telling me a price that sounds like a steal, good for them.

I just don't get why it is a secret.

About a year ago I happened to mention Free UK Sold House Prices - Nethouseprices.com where you can look up the land registry, when a property last sold and what it sold for, I'm not kidding when I say it practically started a bloody fist fight in the pub.

I'm there shaking my head, why? It's not like I just outed your wife's "readers wives" page, this stuff is public knowledge to the nosey anyway.

Yeah, you can lie and cut 30% off, but why?

Why not just say "I never tell" or simply tell the truth?

I just don't get why it is secret?

Do you think everyone is a spy for the revenue man?

 

[Mactech]

My wife is the only one to ever ask how much my cars cost

 

[wemorgan]

I've used similar house price websites together with House Prices Calculator Page and it helps to give an appreciation of a house's value today. But like any valuation, the true value is what one buyer is willing to pay. For me I'm glad the information is out there, as it helps to dispel myths that some estate agents perpetuate.

With electrical goods such as laptops I'm always happy to tell someone who asks how much I paid for mine, since I would like them to get a good deal too.

 

[ian11]

I think its exceptionally rude to ask and you should think first before offering the info in case you embarrass the other person.

I was asked how much my SL was by a complete stranger at work to which I replied "700 Baisa" (£1.30) and then added "But I'd probably take 500 Baisa for it". It was taken at face value & I'm now getting stalked. Serves us both right.

Obviously there no issue telling this forum how much a merc or its parts are...a forum is a bit like a doctor...you aren't going to get useful help without a bit of disclosure.

 

[JonMad]

A friend just bought a Cayman and I asked him how much it was. Not to get an idea of what he earns, just because I wanted to ask him about the spec of it and to see how the price he bought it for compares to the price similar cars are for sale at, and to get an idea how much haggling was achieveable. A bit like houses, the sticker prices on pistonheads, AT and the like aren't the price anything generally sells at, so it's interesting (being a car fan) to know.

I'd be happy to tell anyone who asked what I paid for my car as, again, it's just interesting to see what you can get for a certain amount of cash.

 

[st4]

I paid £15k for my car coming in two weeks. I had to hand over £6k out of the bank and the rest was within my part ex.

I don't particularly care, what you pay for a car and how much you earn doesn't really say much about you as a person, it just indicates how much money you have or do not have.

 

[del320]

I paid £15k for my car coming in two weeks. I had to hand over £6k out of the bank and the rest was within my part ex.

...plutocrat...

 

[johny5_uk]

I paid £40,476 total for a heavily loaded E350 coupe. Traded my 2003 CLK in and got about £12k for that (bought for £20k 2 years prior).
Am I rich? far from it, I got half on finance but should have it all paid by the end of the year.
I always look at things whereby if you really want it then get it, I dont want to get to 60 wishing I had done/bought things (that I hadn't).
Prices on cars fluctuate with mileage and accessories/features that are installed, its not exactly a secret.
The only time you should really hold off with divulging price info is if you purchase a bespoke care, with a diamond crusted dash or something!
In which case you clearly have far too much money and don't want to get shot down in flames for a daft purchase!

Besides, I might be asking for my money back tomorrow when I go see about all the issues on my car and end up buying £8000 runabout!

 

[NewMB]

I have no problems either in disclosing some things.... the 2006 C320 Cdi estate I paid £31K for. This was traded in for the 2003 E55 in 2008.....

 

[Matt32AMG]

The bottom line here is, was the price you paid for your car worth it to you. If it was, then surely that is all that matters. I for one couldn’t give a tinkers cuss how much any one paid for their respective cars. Though I would venture everyone to a person, bought the best example their financial circumstances would allow. No one on this forum knowingly buys a wreck with a view to driving it on a 2000 round trip the next day.

Purchase price only becomes an issue when you sell the car, it is at that point you then get a handle on the depreciation. My SLK32AMG was new when I bought it, I’m keeping it, so as far as I am concerned, it matter s not a jot what I paid for it or how much it is worth today. To me It does what it says on the tin and I’ve said this before, bang for buck, to me, it’s been worth every penny. The Clk? the jury is still out I like it, but not the electrics.

Car prices or values are subjective, want to know a ball park figure as to what it’s worth? It’s what someone is prepared to pay for it.
Maybe and with all due respect. if you are the person asking the price someone paid, are you uncomfortable with the price you paid for your own car? If it’s about new car purchase price, then I get the point as purchase prices can vary from dealer to dealer. JMHO

 

[Palfrem]

I paid £17.5K for my 06 E320 cdi about 9 months ago

 

[iscaboy]

Maybe and with all due respect. if you are the person asking the price someone paid, are you uncomfortable with the price you paid for your own car? If it’s about new car purchase price, then I get the point as purchase prices can vary from dealer to dealer. JMHO

dude, uncomfortable with paying around 18 months worth of insurance (which is cheap) and road tax for a 300D? I suppose I could have paid a hundred quid for one...

As far as my car goes it's still the devil I don't know, so time will tell re rust and mechanical issues, and if I am lucky it will be a keeper and last me several years, and if it does just the cost of consumables (even without welding or major repairs) is going to double my investment, hell I've already spent £100 on serp belt, idler, idler rocker, wiper, etc, and expect to spend another £130 on an exhaust*** unless I can find one here, and in a couple of months all filters and fluids, put it all together and I'll probably double my investments, but if she is sound it is money well spent.

***
GSF don't do the front pipes, but a bunch in Poland do. £109 buy it now + £20 delivery.

EXHAUST DOWNPIPES MERCEDES W124 300 D 300D ****** 472 on eBay (end time 23-Jun-10 12:21:58 BST)