MDchanic

It has been my experience that car guys tend to carry cash, and often lots of it, because sometimes deals just present themselves, and, also, well, you know, "Be Prepared" and all that, and I have observed very large deals carried out in cash quite nonchalantly.

I was thinking about this when discussing buying a car in another thread, and thought it might be an interesting poll.

Obviously, the poll is anonymous, and to the extent that some might worry that their responses could be traced by mysterious agencies, who's to say that you even answered truthfully in the first place, right?

Personally, I don't like going out without a decent chunk of change, and have done so pretty much all of my adult life, except when I was really dead flat out.

So, ideally, I would like to ask two questions:
1. What is the maximum you've carried specifically for a deal, and
2. How much do you carry with you most of the time, in general, under normal circumstances, when you're not planning to buy anything special?

It looks like this contraption can only be set up to ask one question at a time, so I'll only ask the second question, which I think is more interesting and less worrisome to answer.


edit:

I have posted four additional questions, one for each of the four major answer brackets from the original question:
1. People who carry $0-$20
2. People who carry $20-$100
3. People who carry $100-$500, and
4. People who carry $500 or more.


What is the point? Well, if the same people who answered the first question will go back and answer the new question that applies to them (depending on how much they carry), we will see how and whether one's age affects how much one carries, or, in other words, whether cranky old farts walk around with a lot of cash because they don't trust banks, and whether young greenhorn whippersnappers use those goldurn plastic card thingies for every darned thing in the world.
Or not.


No need for you to add anything else to these other threads (unless you want to), because the actual discussion is here in this thread.

When it looks like we've got a whole bunch of answers, I'll post a synopsis of the results (of course, anyone else who wants to can do the same if they want).


So, please, if you answered the first question, take a second to click the applicable link above and answer the second question that applies to you.

Thanks!

- Eric

jensenracing77

Rats... I voted before I read the entire thing.

Edit. I did vote correct, lol

MDchanic

Well, so far, the "not too much" group is beating out the "plenty" group, and thus trashing my hypothesis.

I wait with bated breath for the n to rise above 3.


And, if I was too convoluted in my initial post, please let me know what I should streamline - sometimes I overdo it.

- Eric

ELY442

I usually carry about $20-50 with me when I go to work but when I go out with my girlfriend, I bring a credit card and about $200 cash. If I go to a flea market, car show and a swap meet, I bring about $300-400 with me.

jensenracing77

If I am expecting to be deal making it could be a different story. Case by case basis.

88 Cutty Classic

day to day 0-20. other than that it just depends on what i'm doing.

MDchanic

n of 7.

Hypothesis being badly beaten.

- Eric

oldcutlass

I'm willing to carry cash for specific deals, I also employ the services of 2 brother security.

tru-blue 442

I'm in.

redoldsman

I use a debit card most of the time and keep $20-$50 in my money clip. However I usually keep $300 in my wallet on my hip in denomination of 2 $100 bills and 5 $20 bills. The money in the wallet serves two purposes. One is reserve cash if I need it which is the reason for the 5 $20's. The other is if some dirtbag tries to rob me, I have cash to give him which I believe lessens the chance of my being shot. I might be wrong on that one and hope I never have to find out.

lshlsh2

Usually less than $100. But have a stash for "things". Right now it is empty because I just bought some quarter panel replacements.

scottv442

I voted before reading the whole thing, but would still vote the same.
I used to carry upwards of $1500.00 cash in the glove box just because I thought it would come in handy if something where to "pop-up".
But, in all my dealings I only used it maybe twice?

It was easier to go to the local bank and withdraw the cash with the owners present, and not worry about somebody prowling my car in bad neighborhoods I visited.

Now I just use VISA and debit. I went cashless before I knew it.

MDchanic

With an n of 17, about 83% carry less than $500.

- Eric

rustyroger

Between £1000 to £100 most of the time. Maybe several thousand at shows or if I'm doing some dealing.
About $5000 when I visit the USA.

Roger.

jensenracing77

When I was racing full time I had between $800 and $3000 on me (or at least near me) at all times. If it were not for great sponsors it would have never happened like that.

Inline

0. Not a Place where golden Mastercard ( credit/ debit) wont solve your problems.
Otherwise, i think we got better bank-system than you. If some tempting deal comes up, i can register in to my bank-account at phone/ computer and pay it straightly from my account to seller, and he sees it/ gets verification from it at same time.

MDchanic

Look at that nice bell curve that's forming, though.

I'd bet if I asked "Exactly how much is in your pocket right now?" and increased the number of steps below $20, it'd even right out and the bottom end would match the top.

- Eric

m371961

What I carry and what I want to carry are two different things. It has also changed through the years with the debit card.
The most has been @ 10K for a deal. I like a few hundred when I go to car meets.
I also make sure to carry something inside my waist band when carrying over a few hundred, where permitted, of course. And most times when not carrying anything but a few bucks.

coppercutlass

I carry debit. Most purchases are thought out on my end and im a horrible impulse buyer so carrying cash is a badddddd idea. The debit card helps me budget out stuff easier too. Deposit my pay check , savings gets a cut , car fund account ( I actually have one lol) gets a chunk , bills get paid then i give my self a allowance for the week. usually 100 and 40 of that goes to the tool man ( snap on ) each week.

oldspackrat

Usually anywhere between $40.00-a few hundred. When I bought my '96 Harley Springer softail new, I had $15,200.00 ish cash that day as I had worked & saved for about a year & a half for it & was single with no kids then.

sammy

Just a note...if I find a car unexpectedly, I always leave a deposit to seal the deal. I have given as little as 20$ and a handshake . 😀

marxjunk

i usually have around 500 all the time, with a debit to get more..

i had 17k in a little bag i carried around for 2 months to buy a car..never happened so deposited it...

usually have access to a grand all the time..always...im always ready for the deal..

(im 53)...there..i added it

88 Cutty Classic

i wonder what the age correlation is for those who choose debit card over cash.

I'd also like to know if the caliber goes up depending on how much cash you got on you lol.

MDchanic

Yes, that would be very interesting.

Unfortunately, with the option of only one question at a time, there is no way that we can gather those data here.

Someone should talk to VBulletin about that...

- Eric

m371961

Don't know about the relationship of caliber to amount of cash. I do know about the relationship of caliber to how heavy my clothes are.
I guess my amount of normal carry cash varies. I start with more and only refill when when needed.

m371961

MD, are you sure you have not gotten a second job in market and targeting research?

MDchanic

Ha. Subhuman life forms.

That'd be the day.

- Eric

Gary M

Normally 100 or less unless I'm going to look at parts. Once I carried 13000.00 to Cincinnati and back to St. Louis because I passed on the car. Only absolutely necessary stops made and drive thru food that day.

MDchanic

I don't want to spam the board, but I am considering posting four more questions (that is to say, Four more threads):

"How old are you?" for each of the major response bands, $0-$20, $20-$100, $100-$500, and $500-up.

I'll see if there is much response to this idea before doing anything.

- Eric

Kennybill

Being "old school," the older than 65 type. I prefer having cash. I have 3 credit cards just in case. I've found money does talk when buying things. I always have a minimum of $300.

1970cs

The norm day to day during the week about $0-20 Weekends cause of projects $100.

Vacations and car deals are way different! Vacations 300-2000 varies on length of time and where.
Car deals depending on value and the cash stays in some other place besides my body, usually with someone sitting in my vehicle until I see a title come out and handshake and then I go get the cash.

Pat

MDchanic

The other question:

To our younger members - If I post additional questions to establish whether amount carried is related to age, should I break up the younger ages (say, "Under 20," "20-25," and "25-30"), or should I just say "25 and under" or even "30 and under"?

The system offers a maximum of 10 choices per question, so I'm trying to know the best way to apportion them.

- Eric

joe_padavano

Sounds like me. I've gotten on a cross country flight with $3 in my pocket (on multiple occasions). Of course, the result is that I sometime pay too much for ATM fees.

And if you REALLY want to pay fees, get a cash advance on your card at the on-site bank at Carlisle (I'm talking about a larger amount than you can get from the ATM). I had to do this when I found the correct intake for my 70 W-30. I still can't stand up straight after bending over that hard.

oldcutlass

I'm one of the last people on earth without a debit card. Never saw a valid reason to have one. I do carry a visa and a mastercard which I can buy a small third world country with. If I need more cash I go to the bank. I guess being 58 y/o I'm just an old dog and low tech.

redoldsman

Erick:

I am a dozen years older than you and have been carrying a debit card for years. If I buying something checkout is quick. I wrote a check this morning for my entry fee to the Sweethearts & Orphans show and it was the first check I had written since September which was coincidentally for the entry fee to another car show. One other advantage is when panhandlers approach me downtown, I tell them I don't have any cash because I use a debit card.

MDchanic

Careful - I'd bet most of them are set up to take Square or PayPal (or credits to their Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts account).

- Eric

jpc647

Usually have around $100. But my debit card works anywhere, so if a deal is to be made, money is right there.

The most I ever carried was $27,xxx when I bought my Genesis back in 2011, (boy, I miss that car). But Mr. S&W is always loaded for bear on my hip, so I don't worry too much. I practice competitively regularly, so it'll make a nice surprise for a would be burglar.

I'm also 26.

1969w3155

I grab 80-100 a week at the ATM for whatever pops up, grabbing a burger or buying a Hemmings, otherwise I use my debit card. I bring more if I plan on trying to pick up something at Homecoming for example.

MDchanic

Okay, as I discussed above, the VBulletin system will only allow a single poll question at a time, but it would be interesting to know whether the amount of money one carries is related to one's age.

Therefore, I have posted four additional questions, one for each of the four major answer brackets from the original question:
1. People who carry $0-$20
2. People who carry $20-$100
3. People who carry $100-$500, and
4. People who carry $500 or more.


What is the point? Well, if the same people who answered the first question will go back and answer the new question that applies to them (depending on how much they carry), we will see how and whether one's age affects how much one carries, or, in other words, whether cranky old farts walk around with a lot of cash because they don't trust banks, and whether young greenhorn whippersnappers use those goldurn plastic card thingies for every darned thing in the world.
Or not.


No need for you to add anything else to these other threads (unless you want to), because the actual discussion is here in this thread.

When it looks like we've got a whole bunch of answers, I'll post a synopsis of the results (of course, anyone else who wants to can do the same if they want).


So, please, if you answered the first question, take a second to click the applicable link above and answer the second question that applies to you.

Thanks!

- Eric

oldcutlass

Me thinks you have way too much free time on your hands...