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#2
posted to rec.boats
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Affording Fuel
In article . net,
says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "Tamaroak" wrote in message . .. More people are living in cardboard boxes in this country than ever and these fat cats are making more and paying less taxes than ever. And we are STILL cutting taxes while the deficit skyrockets. How can these people call themselves conservative? The deficit fell from '04 to '05...and its expected to continue to fall through at least '09. In the past 30 years we've gone from: Biggest importer of raw materials and exporter of finished goods to Biggest exporter of raw materials and largest importer of finished goods. China and Japan own a large percentage of our currency, corporations are allowed to operate offshore to avoid taxation and more of our currency is flooding into the mid-east than ever before. I just had a meeting with some very nice folks from the mid-east who don't mind us being in Iraq at all. Their friends are making money hand over fist supplying goods and services to our troops. Not only are we sending them tankerloads of oil money, we're paying them seven different ways for supplying our country with goods and services. Something wrong with this picture? Why are we so damned near-sighted??? The biggest danger to our country is allowing jobs to escape to countries that are not our allies. China is our biggest threat...and corporations have bought into the Chinese government horse and pony show that paints such a rosy scenario over there. It's a facade...and China's recent restrictions placed on Google are a perfect example of how screwed up things are over there right now. For the first time in the last half decade, I decided to buy an American car again. I would hope you and every other American would consider doing the same. For a very long time, American car manufacturers had their problems, and you were right to stay away. But I can assure you that in their latest entries to the market, the American auto maufacturer's quality and engineering is on par with the best of them again. Awhile back you stated that if a car manufacturer made an all-wheel-drive sport sedan that is comparable to what you were driving at the time (an Audi Quattro?), you'd buy it. So now I'm going to hold you to your word: go drive the Cadillac STS AWD or the Chrysler 300M AWD and buy whichever you like better. Either should fit your needs nicely. I went from an Infiniti G35 to a Cadillac STS and have been very happy with the choice. Are you claiming to be a good American or a good investor? I don't think the above suggestion would satisfy both criteria. I leased the car. 39 months, $422/mo (includes tax), $1850 out of pocket. The Chrysler is ugly. $18,308 to have the privilege of driving a Cadillac for 39 months. I'd rather make payments on a boat or summer cabin and have the 2nd home write off. Name me a single car with an MSRP over $40k that you could drive for less than $18,500 over 39 months. Don't forget to include tax! That's dependent on leasing. Most people don't lease. Driving a vehicle over $40k for 39 months isn't a function of the value of the car, it's a function of how many they've sold and how aggressive the financing rates they're willing to offer to get you in the car. The real value in a car is after you've paid it off and drive it another 50,000 miles. That's when the cost/mile goes down. Your cost/mile has to be astronomical. And, in order to purchase that car post-lease, you'd be buying a car that's worth 2/3 of the residual. Cadillac will have to write off the loss when it's incurred. Welcome to American cars. jps |
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#3
posted to rec.boats
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Affording Fuel
"jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "Tamaroak" wrote in message . .. More people are living in cardboard boxes in this country than ever and these fat cats are making more and paying less taxes than ever. And we are STILL cutting taxes while the deficit skyrockets. How can these people call themselves conservative? The deficit fell from '04 to '05...and its expected to continue to fall through at least '09. In the past 30 years we've gone from: Biggest importer of raw materials and exporter of finished goods to Biggest exporter of raw materials and largest importer of finished goods. China and Japan own a large percentage of our currency, corporations are allowed to operate offshore to avoid taxation and more of our currency is flooding into the mid-east than ever before. I just had a meeting with some very nice folks from the mid-east who don't mind us being in Iraq at all. Their friends are making money hand over fist supplying goods and services to our troops. Not only are we sending them tankerloads of oil money, we're paying them seven different ways for supplying our country with goods and services. Something wrong with this picture? Why are we so damned near-sighted??? The biggest danger to our country is allowing jobs to escape to countries that are not our allies. China is our biggest threat...and corporations have bought into the Chinese government horse and pony show that paints such a rosy scenario over there. It's a facade...and China's recent restrictions placed on Google are a perfect example of how screwed up things are over there right now. For the first time in the last half decade, I decided to buy an American car again. I would hope you and every other American would consider doing the same. For a very long time, American car manufacturers had their problems, and you were right to stay away. But I can assure you that in their latest entries to the market, the American auto maufacturer's quality and engineering is on par with the best of them again. Awhile back you stated that if a car manufacturer made an all-wheel-drive sport sedan that is comparable to what you were driving at the time (an Audi Quattro?), you'd buy it. So now I'm going to hold you to your word: go drive the Cadillac STS AWD or the Chrysler 300M AWD and buy whichever you like better. Either should fit your needs nicely. I went from an Infiniti G35 to a Cadillac STS and have been very happy with the choice. Are you claiming to be a good American or a good investor? I don't think the above suggestion would satisfy both criteria. I leased the car. 39 months, $422/mo (includes tax), $1850 out of pocket. The Chrysler is ugly. $18,308 to have the privilege of driving a Cadillac for 39 months. I'd rather make payments on a boat or summer cabin and have the 2nd home write off. Name me a single car with an MSRP over $40k that you could drive for less than $18,500 over 39 months. Don't forget to include tax! That's dependent on leasing. Most people don't lease. Driving a vehicle over $40k for 39 months isn't a function of the value of the car, it's a function of how many they've sold and how aggressive the financing rates they're willing to offer to get you in the car. The real value in a car is after you've paid it off and drive it another 50,000 miles. That's when the cost/mile goes down. Your cost/mile has to be astronomical. How long do *you* keep a car? And, in order to purchase that car post-lease, you'd be buying a car that's worth 2/3 of the residual. Cadillac will have to write off the loss when it's incurred. Correct. But GMAC takes the hit. And I go buy another car. |
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#4
posted to rec.boats
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Affording Fuel
In article . net,
says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "Tamaroak" wrote in message . .. More people are living in cardboard boxes in this country than ever and these fat cats are making more and paying less taxes than ever. And we are STILL cutting taxes while the deficit skyrockets. How can these people call themselves conservative? The deficit fell from '04 to '05...and its expected to continue to fall through at least '09. In the past 30 years we've gone from: Biggest importer of raw materials and exporter of finished goods to Biggest exporter of raw materials and largest importer of finished goods. China and Japan own a large percentage of our currency, corporations are allowed to operate offshore to avoid taxation and more of our currency is flooding into the mid-east than ever before. I just had a meeting with some very nice folks from the mid-east who don't mind us being in Iraq at all. Their friends are making money hand over fist supplying goods and services to our troops. Not only are we sending them tankerloads of oil money, we're paying them seven different ways for supplying our country with goods and services. Something wrong with this picture? Why are we so damned near-sighted??? The biggest danger to our country is allowing jobs to escape to countries that are not our allies. China is our biggest threat...and corporations have bought into the Chinese government horse and pony show that paints such a rosy scenario over there. It's a facade...and China's recent restrictions placed on Google are a perfect example of how screwed up things are over there right now. For the first time in the last half decade, I decided to buy an American car again. I would hope you and every other American would consider doing the same. For a very long time, American car manufacturers had their problems, and you were right to stay away. But I can assure you that in their latest entries to the market, the American auto maufacturer's quality and engineering is on par with the best of them again. Awhile back you stated that if a car manufacturer made an all-wheel-drive sport sedan that is comparable to what you were driving at the time (an Audi Quattro?), you'd buy it. So now I'm going to hold you to your word: go drive the Cadillac STS AWD or the Chrysler 300M AWD and buy whichever you like better. Either should fit your needs nicely. I went from an Infiniti G35 to a Cadillac STS and have been very happy with the choice. Are you claiming to be a good American or a good investor? I don't think the above suggestion would satisfy both criteria. I leased the car. 39 months, $422/mo (includes tax), $1850 out of pocket. The Chrysler is ugly. $18,308 to have the privilege of driving a Cadillac for 39 months. I'd rather make payments on a boat or summer cabin and have the 2nd home write off. Name me a single car with an MSRP over $40k that you could drive for less than $18,500 over 39 months. Don't forget to include tax! That's dependent on leasing. Most people don't lease. Driving a vehicle over $40k for 39 months isn't a function of the value of the car, it's a function of how many they've sold and how aggressive the financing rates they're willing to offer to get you in the car. The real value in a car is after you've paid it off and drive it another 50,000 miles. That's when the cost/mile goes down. Your cost/mile has to be astronomical. How long do *you* keep a car? It depends. My A6 is on a lease and I'll probably purchase it this September. Our '95 Cherokee was paid for 6 years ago and has 75,000 on it. I also have a '68 Chev c-20. I tend to keep 'em longer. And, in order to purchase that car post-lease, you'd be buying a car that's worth 2/3 of the residual. Cadillac will have to write off the loss when it's incurred. Correct. But GMAC takes the hit. And I go buy another car. I'm astounded that you don't recognize the folly in your statement. You're all for it given that the big, stupid company will, in the end, take it in the shorts. It's this "pass-the-buck" mentality in America that's got us in so much economic trouble. Deficit, military spending, oil, China, jobs. There's a string that connects them all. jps |
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#5
posted to rec.boats
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Affording Fuel
"jps" wrote in message
... Deficit, military spending, oil, China, jobs. There's a string that connects them all. jps Speaking of the bitch-du-jour, and manufacturing going overseas, I've got something to contribute: You can't even get a good night's sleep any more. The most basic need, sleep, is now in the hands of foreigners. I've never seen Consumer Reports handle a product category with this much negativity. And in this case, they're right. Here's what happens when we shut down textile factories where people knew what the hell they were doing: August 2005 Sheets: Wake-up call Silk pillowcases that shred in the wash? Linen sheets so wrinkly after laundering that you might as well not bother making the bed? Sky-high thread counts based on creative calculating? Note to the makers of sheets in our tests: Stop sleeping on the job. Much has changed in the bedding business. Tried-and-true names such as Cannon and Charisma are largely gone, a result of company bankruptcies. High-quality percale sheets--the kind we have recommended--are harder to find, too. Instead, consumers are faced with high prices, unfamiliar brands, poor-wearing fabrics, and marketing that wrongly places a premium on the highest thread count. Standard sheets used to last years; some of those we tested don't even come close. In short, we didn't find much to like among the 19 queen sheet sets we tested, which are priced from $30 to $385 and are found in bed-and-bath and department stores and online. They included trendy weaves such as sateen and satin, and nontraditional fibers such as polyester and modal, a cellulose fiber made from wood. Unsuitable fabrics. In 20 launderings following the manufacturer's directions, the Domestications Washable Silk pillowcases were in shreds. The Linens 'n Things Home Brilliance Jersey knit sheets shrank so much after just five washings that they no longer fit the bed. Then there was the Cuddledown Heirloom Voile set, which is sheer. Who wants to see through to the mattress pad or pillow protector? Even the percale sheets in our tests were only fair for strength, typically a standout feature for percale. Almost all the tested sheets needed ironing to look their best. Some of the unusual fibers require even more care. Silk needs delicate laundering. Sateen can rip on a toenail or cat's claw; satin can snag even on chapped hands. Poor quality control. Fresh out of the package, a Bed Bath & Beyond sheet, now discontinued, was 10 inches shorter than it should be. With other sets, we discovered missing or torn components. What-were-they-thinking design. Buttons on the DKNY Play pillowcases allow you to fit king-sized or queen-sized pillows. But you might greet the day with button imprints on your face. With the Domestications Washable Silk set, unseemly seams down the middle of the fitted sheet could haunt a restless sleeper. Questionable claims. Some manufacturers use creative math to boost thread count (see Thread counts). Likewise, some sheets are labeled organic. But that simply means that the material is grown without pesticides. Federal regulations don't exist regarding the processing of the raw material, so all kinds of environmentally unfriendly chemicals could be used. "Natural" or "green" labeling may indicate that harsh chemicals such as formaldehyde or chlorine aren't used in processing. Without standards, though, there are no guarantees. |
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#6
posted to rec.boats
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Affording Fuel
"jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... "Tamaroak" wrote in message . .. More people are living in cardboard boxes in this country than ever and these fat cats are making more and paying less taxes than ever. And we are STILL cutting taxes while the deficit skyrockets. How can these people call themselves conservative? The deficit fell from '04 to '05...and its expected to continue to fall through at least '09. In the past 30 years we've gone from: Biggest importer of raw materials and exporter of finished goods to Biggest exporter of raw materials and largest importer of finished goods. China and Japan own a large percentage of our currency, corporations are allowed to operate offshore to avoid taxation and more of our currency is flooding into the mid-east than ever before. I just had a meeting with some very nice folks from the mid-east who don't mind us being in Iraq at all. Their friends are making money hand over fist supplying goods and services to our troops. Not only are we sending them tankerloads of oil money, we're paying them seven different ways for supplying our country with goods and services. Something wrong with this picture? Why are we so damned near-sighted??? The biggest danger to our country is allowing jobs to escape to countries that are not our allies. China is our biggest threat...and corporations have bought into the Chinese government horse and pony show that paints such a rosy scenario over there. It's a facade...and China's recent restrictions placed on Google are a perfect example of how screwed up things are over there right now. For the first time in the last half decade, I decided to buy an American car again. I would hope you and every other American would consider doing the same. For a very long time, American car manufacturers had their problems, and you were right to stay away. But I can assure you that in their latest entries to the market, the American auto maufacturer's quality and engineering is on par with the best of them again. Awhile back you stated that if a car manufacturer made an all-wheel-drive sport sedan that is comparable to what you were driving at the time (an Audi Quattro?), you'd buy it. So now I'm going to hold you to your word: go drive the Cadillac STS AWD or the Chrysler 300M AWD and buy whichever you like better. Either should fit your needs nicely. I went from an Infiniti G35 to a Cadillac STS and have been very happy with the choice. Are you claiming to be a good American or a good investor? I don't think the above suggestion would satisfy both criteria. I leased the car. 39 months, $422/mo (includes tax), $1850 out of pocket. The Chrysler is ugly. $18,308 to have the privilege of driving a Cadillac for 39 months. I'd rather make payments on a boat or summer cabin and have the 2nd home write off. Name me a single car with an MSRP over $40k that you could drive for less than $18,500 over 39 months. Don't forget to include tax! That's dependent on leasing. Most people don't lease. Driving a vehicle over $40k for 39 months isn't a function of the value of the car, it's a function of how many they've sold and how aggressive the financing rates they're willing to offer to get you in the car. The real value in a car is after you've paid it off and drive it another 50,000 miles. That's when the cost/mile goes down. Your cost/mile has to be astronomical. How long do *you* keep a car? It depends. My A6 is on a lease and I'll probably purchase it this September. Our '95 Cherokee was paid for 6 years ago and has 75,000 on it. I also have a '68 Chev c-20. I tend to keep 'em longer. And, in order to purchase that car post-lease, you'd be buying a car that's worth 2/3 of the residual. Cadillac will have to write off the loss when it's incurred. Correct. But GMAC takes the hit. And I go buy another car. I'm astounded that you don't recognize the folly in your statement. You're all for it given that the big, stupid company will, in the end, take it in the shorts. To some extent I agree with you. When auto manufacturers lease cars at ridiculously inflated residuals, they don't make as much money over the long run as if they'd sold it, or leased it at a true market residual value. But in a highly competitive market, sometimes half a loaf is better than no loaf. They make their profit up front on the sale of the vehicle. They depreciate the vehicle over the life of the lease, and take the tax writeoff at the end. They aren't really "buying" the vehicle at the residual value. That's a number that matters more to the consumer. Regardless, they accomplished their goal: They got a young professional to buy a GM car again (after owning 2 Toyotas and an Infiniti), and changed his mind about American cars for the better. |
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#7
posted to rec.boats
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Affording Fuel
jps wrote:
$18,308 to have the privilege of driving a Cadillac for 39 months. I'd rather make payments on a boat or summer cabin and have the 2nd home write off. Name me a single car with an MSRP over $40k that you could drive for less than $18,500 over 39 months. Don't forget to include tax! That's dependent on leasing. Most people don't lease. More people are all the time. There is a surplus of out-of-lease cars and many leasing companies have exited the business. Driving a vehicle over $40k for 39 months isn't a function of the value of the car, it's a function of how many they've sold and how aggressive the financing rates they're willing to offer to get you in the car. The real value in a car is after you've paid it off and drive it another 50,000 miles. That's when the cost/mile goes down. Your cost/mile has to be astronomical. I like leases since the car is always fairly new, less likely to break down, is always under warranty, and routine maintenance is covered (some cars). There are other considerations due to business use, but I have leased my last seven cars, only two of them since I started my business. And, in order to purchase that car post-lease, you'd be buying a car that's worth 2/3 of the residual. Cadillac will have to write off the loss when it's incurred. I don't know why anyone would purchase their car after the lease is up. In some states you will pay sales tax twice. I have had very good offers to keep cars, but not good enough to move to the next, new car. Welcome to American cars. jps |
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#8
posted to rec.boats
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Affording Fuel
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#9
posted to rec.boats
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Affording Fuel
"jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... I don't know why anyone would purchase their car after the lease is up. In some states you will pay sales tax twice. I have had very good offers to keep cars, but not good enough to move to the next, new car. My 2002 Audi has about 20K miles on it and in near perfect condition. I could probably net a couple grand on it if I bought it and resold it. How long was your lease on it? |
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#10
posted to rec.boats
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Affording Fuel
In article . net,
says... "jps" wrote in message ... In article . net, says... I don't know why anyone would purchase their car after the lease is up. In some states you will pay sales tax twice. I have had very good offers to keep cars, but not good enough to move to the next, new car. My 2002 Audi has about 20K miles on it and in near perfect condition. I could probably net a couple grand on it if I bought it and resold it. How long was your lease on it? 48 mos. Financing was ridiculous and nothing out of pocket. It was my second lease with them and, although I'm attracted to the new a6 (mostly the interior), I'm also attracted to getting off the merry go round. Per our discussion, Volkswagen would still get its money out of the car vs. GM having to write off the difference between residual and the actual worth of the car. jps |
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Hybrid Mode
