Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

stever

Someone with a budget (although, when you see what they want....)

Best reliable yet powerful used cars under $16,000?

abacomike

Rather than go up to my selling dealership for a car wash this morning, I pulled into the local Mercedes dealership (owned by the same corporation as my selling dealership) and they took my car back for a wash.  Dad and I went into the waiting room and had some coffee.

As I was catching up on some emails and texts on my smart phone, I was approached by the customer service manager with whom I worked at the dealership I first started selling cars 15 years ago.  It was great reminiscing about those first tough years selling cars.  We earned our stripes together, but she decided to remain in the car business and worked her way up the management ladder.  

I remember offering her a job at the dealership where I was a sales manager, but she was smart enough to stay at Lexus and then ended up at the Mercedes dealership.  She is a great and personable individual who ensures that all visiting customers to her dealership are well treated and their needs met.

I've tried many times to buy my cars locally, but the numbers just don't work as well.  But it was nice seeing a compatriot from the good old days.

stickguy

You forgot the most important item. What did she sell you?

abacomike

stickguy said:

You forgot the most important item. What did she sell you?

Nothing!!!  She is in customer service!

driver100

stever said:

Someone with a budget (although, when you see what they want....)

Best reliable yet powerful used cars under $16,000?

In the market for a new vehicle around $16,000. I don't know much about car specifications or mechanics at all really so I could use some help. I'm looking for a powerful luxury type mid size car with low mileage. A newer model preferably easy to work on and upgrade. Fast but reliable lol. All opinions welcome!

Scout the ads in Florida and see if you can find an estate sale where you can pick up a 3 or 4 year old Caddie or Lincoln. Here's a 2010 for $15991, even below budget...just 80K miles!


BTW..........why does someone price a car at $15991?

Do certain numbers work better than others?

Does $15999 sound like you are pushing the limits too much, may seem overpriced? Is $15995 sound too neat and tidy? Maybe if there was another one at $15995 the one at $15991 would sound like a much better deal?

Questions....points to ponder....................

nyccarguy

@driver100 - there is a poster who posts on real world trade in values every few months and either values or sells cars for estate sales.

imidazol97

Mention of Apps for phones reminded me to post this article: "Where's My Car? and Other Smart Phone Magic: Approximately 1.7 bazillion applications exist for smart phones. Most of the applications that have been written for Android devices have also been written for Apple devices. Many of the applications written for Apple devices have also been written for Android devices. Of those 1.7 bazillion applications, you may find some to be essential while you consider others to be useless. I'm always wary of articles with titles such as Ten Android Applications You Must Have. Your needs are different from mine. So this week I'll share with you some applications that I've found useful or, if not useful, at least interesting."

http://www.techbyter.com/2015/0315.html

NextGlass will take picture of label of beer or wine and help identify its characteristics
as to whether it's a drink you would enjoy or not. Sounds like the app that listens to a
song and identifies it by title and artist that someone had on their phone a couple years back.

Here is a link to the home page with archived copies of weekly newsletters. The author does technology talk, usually computer and camera related. He used to do a radio talk show on Columbus radio but years ago the show was dropped and he went to blog. He's really knowledgeable on cameras and programs to massage images.

http://www.techbyter.com/2015/index.html

Here's current link talking about Kaspersky's Phound for phones to help you phind your phone or wipe it.

Talking versions are available on iTunes IIRC.

I subscribe to the weekly newsletter by email.

driver100

nyccarguy said:

@driver100 - there is a poster who posts on real world trade in values every few months and either values or sells cars for estate sales.

NYC, If you think of it...let me know when you see one of those posts...I'd be curious to see what he comes up with.

driver100

imidazol97 said:

Mention of Apps for phones reminded me to post this article: "Where's My Car? and Other Smart Phone Magic: Approximately 1.7 bazillion applications exist for smart phones. Most of the applications that have been written for Android devices have also been written for Apple devices. Many of the applications written for Apple devices have also been written for Android devices. Of those 1.7 bazillion applications, you may find some to be essential while you consider others to be useless. I'm always wary of articles with titles such as Ten Android Applications You Must Have. Your needs are different from mine. So this week I'll share with you some applications that I've found useful or, if not useful, at least interesting."

http://www.techbyter.com/2015/0315.html

NextGlass will take picture of label of beer or wine and help identify its characteristics
as to whether it's a drink you would enjoy or not. Sounds like the app that listens to a
song and identifies it by title and artist that someone had on their phone a couple years back.



Here's current link talking about Kaspersky's Phound for phones to help you phind your phone or wipe it.

Talking versions are available on iTunes IIRC.

I subscribe to the weekly newsletter by email.

I have a basic pay as you go 2010 approx Nokia flip phone, so I have no idea about power drain or apps or WAZ, or finding out about wine..............I can call someone if I really find the need to do so.


I say, the simpler I can make my life the better

imidazol97

driver100 said:

I say, the simpler I can make my life the better

Wow, yours has a screen bigger than the flipfone I kept for years resisting the change.
It did everything I needed. But when I started looking for a replacement standard
phone from Net10/Trackfone, everything has gone android and the
ones that aren't are really bad.

My phone was not getting a strong signal like it used to do (ATT/Tmobile).

So I have an Android that uses minutes for talk, minutes for text, and
minutes for data. I just don't need a $45 per month all you can eat
system plan. I'll see how this works out where the talk/text/data are
computed separately. Big thing is data can be replaced mostly by using
WiFi where available and at home.

abacomike

@imidazol97 said:

"I just don"t need a $45 per month all you can eat system plan..."

I have a $50.00 a month plan with T-Mobile which provides me with unlimited calling, texting and 1 gig of high speed 4G LTE data.  I've never used more than 100 megs of the high speed data because I am on WiFi most of the time.

I agree that if you don't use it, why pay for it.  Like driver said, he uses his flip phone for calls only when necessary.  $50 is less than I pay for gasoline, insurance on my car, my hi speed internet at home or my cable TV.  I text my son at least twice a day and my grandson many times a week.

I receive texts when my phone bill is due and when my cable bill is due.

Could I live with just a phone that makes and receives calls?  Probably not since I have become so dependent on the myriad of apps as well as access to my credit card accounts and bank accounts, etc.

venture

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

Mention of Apps for phones reminded me to post this article: "Where's My Car? and Other Smart Phone Magic: Approximately 1.7 bazillion applications exist for smart phones. Most of the applications that have been written for Android devices have also been written for Apple devices. Many of the applications written for Apple devices have also been written for Android devices. Of those 1.7 bazillion applications, you may find some to be essential while you consider others to be useless. I'm always wary of articles with titles such as Ten Android Applications You Must Have. Your needs are different from mine. So this week I'll share with you some applications that I've found useful or, if not useful, at least interesting."

http://www.techbyter.com/2015/0315.html

NextGlass will take picture of label of beer or wine and help identify its characteristics
as to whether it's a drink you would enjoy or not. Sounds like the app that listens to a
song and identifies it by title and artist that someone had on their phone a couple years back.



Here's current link talking about Kaspersky's Phound for phones to help you phind your phone or wipe it.

Talking versions are available on iTunes IIRC.

I subscribe to the weekly newsletter by email.

I have a basic pay as you go 2010 approx Nokia flip phone, so I have no idea about power drain or apps or WAZ, or finding out about wine..............I can call someone if I really find the need to do so.


I say, the simpler I can make my life the better

How about this one?

stever

Is it April 1 already? My Motorola E815 was introduced in '05 (mine's a refurb from who knows when it was sold). Be nice to have a new one though. Went to Costco today and the Direct TV rep gave me the crazy old man look when I told him I didn't need to switch from cable since I don't have a TV.

Thanks for the $16k "powerful" luxo ride help. The OP has the good, fast, cheap problem. Pick any two.

abacomike

@venture

Boy, a senior cell phone with a rotary dial.  Most of today's Millenials, not to mention teens, have never made a call using a rotary dial - or ever heard a dial tone.  I wonder if the landline communications companies like AT&T can handle calls made on a real rotary dial phone.  They've switched to digital and are no longer analogue.  I'll never know since I haven't used a rotary dial phone in over 20 years.

venture

abacomike said:

@venture

Boy, a senior cell phone with a rotary dial.  Most of today's Millenials, not to mention teens, have never made a call using a rotary dial - or ever heard a dial tone.  I wonder if the landline communications companies like AT&T can handle calls made on a real rotary dial phone.  They've switched to digital and are no longer analogue.  I'll never know since I haven't used a rotary dial phone in over 20 years.

I remember when a Little League player asked to use the phone in the press box, many, many years ago. It was still a rotary phone. Probably one of the last ones in the county.

I pulled the phone out through the announcers window and held it for him to make his call. He lifted the receiver and just stared at it. He didn't know what to do...LOL. Cracked me up.

driver100

venture said:

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

Mention of Apps for phones reminded me to post this article: "Where's My Car? and Other Smart Phone Magic: Approximately 1.7 bazillion applications exist for smart phones. Most of the applications that have been written for Android devices have also been written for Apple devices. Many of the applications written for Apple devices have also been written for Android devices. Of those 1.7 bazillion applications, you may find some to be essential while you consider others to be useless. I'm always wary of articles with titles such as Ten Android Applications You Must Have. Your needs are different from mine. So this week I'll share with you some applications that I've found useful or, if not useful, at least interesting."

http://www.techbyter.com/2015/0315.html

NextGlass will take picture of label of beer or wine and help identify its characteristics
as to whether it's a drink you would enjoy or not. Sounds like the app that listens to a
song and identifies it by title and artist that someone had on their phone a couple years back.



Here's current link talking about Kaspersky's Phound for phones to help you phind your phone or wipe it.

Talking versions are available on iTunes IIRC.

I subscribe to the weekly newsletter by email.

I have a basic pay as you go 2010 approx Nokia flip phone, so I have no idea about power drain or apps or WAZ, or finding out about wine..............I can call someone if I really find the need to do so.


I say, the simpler I can make my life the better

How about this one?

That phone would be perfect for me!

driver100

venture said:

abacomike said:

@venture

Boy, a senior cell phone with a rotary dial.  Most of today's Millenials, not to mention teens, have never made a call using a rotary dial - or ever heard a dial tone.  I wonder if the landline communications companies like AT&T can handle calls made on a real rotary dial phone.  They've switched to digital and are no longer analogue.  I'll never know since I haven't used a rotary dial phone in over 20 years.

I remember when a Little League player asked to use the phone in the press box, many, many years ago. It was still a rotary phone. Probably one of the last ones in the county.

I pulled the phone out through the announcers window and held it for him to make his call. He lifted the receiver and just stared at it. He didn't know what to do...LOL. Cracked me up.

That's a really cute story, but my BIL probably has the last rotary phone in Canada. He will do anything to save a buck...he's the one who took the tailgate off his old Ford Ranger to save gas....by cutting wind resistance - since then I have learned it will actually make it use more gas. He painted that 3 on the tree Ranger pea soup green, using a roller.

He found a law in the charter with Bell Telephone that lets him keep his black, dial phone for as long as he wants....old law grandfathered in. He pays about $20 a month for a black dial phone...probably has a party line on it too....I bet people under 30 don't know what a party line is?

abacomike

@driver100 said:

"That phone would be perfect for me"

I'd love to see you get your fingers into those tiny holes and make a phone call!

abacomike

I barely remember what a party line "was". My grandparents owned a summer home on Long Island on the North Shore in Cold Springs Harbor - a mile or so from Huntington.  They had a party line.  One ring was for one family down the road - 2 rings for another family - and 3 rings for them.  I also remember that if you wanted to call out on the party line phone, often you would pick up the phone handle and put it to your ear and you heard one of the other parties talking.  You had to wait your turn to use the phone or explain to the other parties that it was an emergency, etc., and to please hang up so you could use the phone.

henryn

driver100 said:

He painted that 3 on the tree Ranger pea soup green, using a roller.

Back when I was a kid, painting cars by hand, using paint brushes, was a fairly common occurrence. I don't recall anyone using a roller, just brushes.

graphicguy

abacomike said:

I barely remember what a party line "was". My grandparents owned a summer home on Long Island on the North Shore in Cold Springs Harbor - a mile or so from Huntington.  They had a party line.  One ring was for one family down the road - 2 rings for another family - and 3 rings for them.  I also remember that if you wanted to call out on the party line phone, often you would pick up the phone handle and put it to your ear and you heard one of the other parties talking.  You had to wait your turn to use the phone or explain to the other parties that it was an emergency, etc., and to please hang up so you could use the phone.

OK....gotta ask, as I'm probably missing something simple. How did the families who's party rings rang twice or three times ever know they got any calls? The family with "one ring" answered every call.

Michaell

graphicguy said:

abacomike said:

I barely remember what a party line "was". My grandparents owned a summer home on Long Island on the North Shore in Cold Springs Harbor - a mile or so from Huntington.  They had a party line.  One ring was for one family down the road - 2 rings for another family - and 3 rings for them.  I also remember that if you wanted to call out on the party line phone, often you would pick up the phone handle and put it to your ear and you heard one of the other parties talking.  You had to wait your turn to use the phone or explain to the other parties that it was an emergency, etc., and to please hang up so you could use the phone.

OK....gotta ask, as I'm probably missing something simple. How did the families who's party rings rang twice or three times ever know they got any calls? The family with "one ring" answered every call.

My guess is that the rings were in pretty quick succession - "ring ... ring" is still the one ring number; "ring ring" is the two ring number and "ring ring ring" is the three ring number.

We have a similar set up on our home phone .. we pay extra for two separate numbers: a 'public' number and a 'friends and family' number. Our phones are set up so the public number rings once and the private number rings twice.

Not that it matters .. as I work from home, I review the caller ID on every call and only answer if I recognize the number.

venture

Michaell said:

graphicguy said:

abacomike said:

I barely remember what a party line "was". My grandparents owned a summer home on Long Island on the North Shore in Cold Springs Harbor - a mile or so from Huntington.  They had a party line.  One ring was for one family down the road - 2 rings for another family - and 3 rings for them.  I also remember that if you wanted to call out on the party line phone, often you would pick up the phone handle and put it to your ear and you heard one of the other parties talking.  You had to wait your turn to use the phone or explain to the other parties that it was an emergency, etc., and to please hang up so you could use the phone.

OK....gotta ask, as I'm probably missing something simple. How did the families who's party rings rang twice or three times ever know they got any calls? The family with "one ring" answered every call.

My guess is that the rings were in pretty quick succession - "ring ... ring" is still the one ring number; "ring ring" is the two ring number and "ring ring ring" is the three ring number.

We have a similar set up on our home phone .. we pay extra for two separate numbers: a 'public' number and a 'friends and family' number. Our phones are set up so the public number rings once and the private number rings twice.

Not that it matters .. as I work from home, I review the caller ID on every call and only answer if I recognize the number.

That's an interesting comment...and I understand where you're coming from.

Here's the other side of the story:
I am in charge of a non-profit that provides recreational baseball for children with special needs. On our web site, and the registration forms, we list my home phone number instead of my cell phone number.

Along with the mostly tele-marketing calls, I occasionally get a call from a parent asking for information. Many times they go to voice mail. I almost always call them back on my cell phone since I'm not at home very much. Many times I will call 3 times and nobody answers. I don't usually leave a message since they called me and I don't know what they want. The third time I call I leave a message and tell them who I am and that this is the 3rd time I called and I will not be calling again.

Invariably they then call back say they don't answer calls from a number they don't know. My response is, "It's a good thing I do."

abacomike

graphicguy said:

I barely remember what a party line "was". My grandparents owned a summer home on Long Island on the North Shore in Cold Springs Harbor - a mile or so from Huntington.  They had a party line.  One ring was for one family down the road - 2 rings for another family - and 3 rings for them.  I also remember that if you wanted to call out on the party line phone, often you would pick up the phone handle and put it to your ear and you heard one of the other parties talking.  You had to wait your turn to use the phone or explain to the other parties that it was an emergency, etc., and to please hang up so you could use the phone.

OK....gotta ask, as I'm probably missing something simple. How did the families who's party rings rang twice or three times ever know they got any calls? The family with "one ring" answered every call.

Michaell's response is the answer. Our 3 rings were in quick succession - ring/ring/ring.  

fushigi

IMHO there are a couple of ways you could improve that response process.
1. Call back from the same number. You're calling back from a different number. Many people screen their calls and do as you said - they don't answer if the number isn't recognized. Call screening not only avoids telemarketers but also avoids scammers who call and impersonate legit companies (search Microsoft. tech support scam for examples). Also, if the person is using a cell phone they avoid burning minutes unnecessarily. So return calls from your home number, update the contact page with your mobile, or get a number on a service that you can use from anywhere (Google Voice, Scype, etc.).
2. Always leave a message. You'd waste less time calling back if you'd just leave a brief message like "This is Venture returning your call about the Special Needs Baseball Organization. Call me back at this number or send an email to a@b.com." That takes about 10-12 seconds and you're done. The ball is back in their court.

driver100

graphicguy said:

abacomike said:

I barely remember what a party line "was". My grandparents owned a summer home on Long Island on the North Shore in Cold Springs Harbor - a mile or so from Huntington.  They had a party line.  One ring was for one family down the road - 2 rings for another family - and 3 rings for them.  I also remember that if you wanted to call out on the party line phone, often you would pick up the phone handle and put it to your ear and you heard one of the other parties talking.  You had to wait your turn to use the phone or explain to the other parties that it was an emergency, etc., and to please hang up so you could use the phone.

OK....gotta ask, as I'm probably missing something simple. How did the families who's party rings rang twice or three times ever know they got any calls? The family with "one ring" answered every call.

GG, those were the good old days when you picked up the phone and you may hear your neighbors talking, and that was how gossip spread very quickly.......Muriels having a baby!

As explained, rings came in quick succession....one ring, two quick ones together or 3 together When we started our business at home we had a fax machine on our home line, if a fax was coming it would ring in twos, regular calls were in ones. If there were two quick rings my wife would have to say "Don't pick up the phone...it's a fax! Does every one remember fax machines?

driver100

fushigi said:

IMHO there are a couple of ways you could improve that response process.
1. Call back from the same number.
2. Always leave a message. You'd waste less time calling back if you'd just leave a brief message like "This is Venture returning your call about the Special Needs Baseball Organization. Call me back at this number or send an email to a@b.com." That takes about 10-12 seconds and you're done. The ball is back in their court.

2 great ways to handle it......especially #2. The simplest, fastest, most direct method, most fail-safe method has less chance of failure. I had a rule in business too, 2 emails each way to solve or discuss a problem are ok, if it requires a 3rd, it's time to call and discuss it on the phone.

Michaell

driver100 said:

fushigi said:

IMHO there are a couple of ways you could improve that response process.
1. Call back from the same number.
2. Always leave a message. You'd waste less time calling back if you'd just leave a brief message like "This is Venture returning your call about the Special Needs Baseball Organization. Call me back at this number or send an email to a@b.com." That takes about 10-12 seconds and you're done. The ball is back in their court.

2 great ways to handle it......especially #2. The simplest, fastest, most direct method, most fail-safe method has less chance of failure. I had a rule in business too, 2 emails each way to solve or discuss a problem are ok, if it requires a 3rd, it's time to call and discuss it on the phone.

I like #2 as well. I figure if the caller has important information for us, they will leave a voice mail, which I can then check on my computer through the phone company's website.

Regarding #1, you all know that I deliver pizza part time. Occasionally, we have to call a customer (need an apartment number, nobody is answering the door, wrong address, etc.). If we can, we try to call from the store, as the store name should show up on the caller ID. If I'm standing at somebody's front door, I'll use my cell phone and leave a message with the store phone number. Hit and miss as to whether folks answer the phone when I call from my cell. They can either return the call to my cell (it showed up on their caller ID) or call the store.

And, as a quick rant, if you call and order pizza to be delivered, somebody will be knocking on your front door! Don't be in the basement with the home theater or video game turned up loud, or be in the backyard when we come to the door. Frustrating as all get out.

venture

fushigi said:

IMHO there are a couple of ways you could improve that response process.
1. Call back from the same number. You're calling back from a different number. Many people screen their calls and do as you said - they don't answer if the number isn't recognized. Call screening not only avoids telemarketers but also avoids scammers who call and impersonate legit companies (search Microsoft. tech support scam for examples). Also, if the person is using a cell phone they avoid burning minutes unnecessarily. So return calls from your home number, update the contact page with your mobile, or get a number on a service that you can use from anywhere (Google Voice, Scype, etc.).
2. Always leave a message. You'd waste less time calling back if you'd just leave a brief message like "This is Venture returning your call about the Special Needs Baseball Organization. Call me back at this number or send an email to a@b.com." That takes about 10-12 seconds and you're done. The ball is back in their court.

I can't argue with anything you said. As I mentioned before though, I'm not home much, especially when it's daylight. I usually have time to check the voicemail and scribble down the number.

I guess I just have a problem with people being afraid to answer their phone. If it's a call they don't want, hang up then block the number. Besides, they called me to order a pizza I mean for information.

imidazol97

Michaell said:

And, as a quick rant, if you call and order pizza to be delivered, somebody will be knocking on your front door! Don't be in the basement with the home theater or video game turned up loud, or be in the backyard when we come to the door. Frustrating as all get out.

LOL. How often does that happen? Probably a lot more than I would think!

If I have a pizza coming, I'm waiting in the room by the front door ready with cash
including the tip. The delivery guy is in a hurry because time is money for him
to make more deliveries, usually in the rain, dark, snow, sleet, usw.,
when I don't want to go out to pick up.

driver100

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

fushigi said:

IMHO there are a couple of ways you could improve that response process.
1. Call back from the same number.
2. Always leave a message. You'd waste less time calling back if you'd just leave a brief message like "This is Venture returning your call about the Special Needs Baseball Organization. Call me back at this number or send an email to a@b.com." That takes about 10-12 seconds and you're done. The ball is back in their court.

2 great ways to handle it......especially #2. The simplest, fastest, most direct method, most fail-safe method has less chance of failure. I had a rule in business too, 2 emails each way to solve or discuss a problem are ok, if it requires a 3rd, it's time to call and discuss it on the phone.

I like #2 as well. I figure if the caller has important information for us, they will leave a voice mail, which I can then check on my computer through the phone company's website.

And, as a quick rant, if you call and order pizza to be delivered, somebody will be knocking on your front door! Don't be in the basement with the home theater or video game turned up loud, or be in the backyard when we come to the door. Frustrating as all get out.

I suppose it helps you a lot if people have THEIR MONEY READY WHEN YOU GET THERE!

Also, what's a fair tip? I would imagine 10% for an easy delivery, up to 20% for a difficult delivery (snow, ice, big game), all rounded up to the nearest dollar.

Michaell

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

fushigi said:

IMHO there are a couple of ways you could improve that response process.
1. Call back from the same number.
2. Always leave a message. You'd waste less time calling back if you'd just leave a brief message like "This is Venture returning your call about the Special Needs Baseball Organization. Call me back at this number or send an email to a@b.com." That takes about 10-12 seconds and you're done. The ball is back in their court.

2 great ways to handle it......especially #2. The simplest, fastest, most direct method, most fail-safe method has less chance of failure. I had a rule in business too, 2 emails each way to solve or discuss a problem are ok, if it requires a 3rd, it's time to call and discuss it on the phone.

I like #2 as well. I figure if the caller has important information for us, they will leave a voice mail, which I can then check on my computer through the phone company's website.

And, as a quick rant, if you call and order pizza to be delivered, somebody will be knocking on your front door! Don't be in the basement with the home theater or video game turned up loud, or be in the backyard when we come to the door. Frustrating as all get out.

I suppose it helps you a lot if people have THEIR MONEY READY WHEN YOU GET THERE!

Also, what's a fair tip? I would imagine 10% for an easy delivery, up to 20% for a difficult delivery (snow, ice, big game), all rounded up to the nearest dollar.

Rarely do I get stood up at the front door. But, I've accumulated some pretty interesting stories over the years, for sure.

Regarding the size of the tip, I don't think there is any sort of standard, though there is an entire website dedicated to the topic (tipthepizzaguy.com). Just depends on the customer - I've gotten great tips in bad neighborhoods and bad tips in great neighborhoods. I've been doing this long enough (6 1/2 years) that I'm not overly excited or depressed by a good or bad tip.

imidazol97

driver100 said:

Also, what's a fair tip? I would imagine 10% for an easy delivery, up to 20% for a difficult delivery (snow, ice, big game), all rounded up to the nearest dollar.

I look at it from the trip plus service view. Our order is usually a single
large pizza, less than $14 using a discount coupon. It's 1/2 mile from
the Donatos. So $5 for the delivery IF you act like
you're happy to be there with my pizza and seem to appreciate
I'm there ready with the cash. At busy times the driver seems to
have more than one pizza for my area. Usually the drivers radiate that
they're industrious and hard-working to earn,
the opposite of so many who would sit and collect benefits
instead.

I'm anxious to see if others feel my thinking is normal
on that tip.

robr2

Quick replies:

Rotary phones may still be able to be used today. You need to contact your carrier to check.

Mature People cell phones, try Jitterbug:



or



Party Lines - for a few years the phone companies took something that used to be discounted to something they could charge more for under the guise of "distinctive ring." Don't want to answer your kid's calls? Pay $8/month for distinctive ring.

Fax machines - I have one as part of my 3 in one printer. When I started my business, I got the 3 in one just in case. I send about 10 faxes a year but many of my customers still use them. I receive faxes via my phone service that turns it into a PDF and e-mails it to my.

oldfarmer50

venture said:

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

Mention of Apps for phones reminded me to post this article: "Where's My Car? and Other Smart Phone Magic: Approximately 1.7 bazillion applications exist for smart phones. Most of the applications that have been written for Android devices have also been written for Apple devices. Many of the applications written for Apple devices have also been written for Android devices. Of those 1.7 bazillion applications, you may find some to be essential while you consider others to be useless. I'm always wary of articles with titles such as Ten Android Applications You Must Have. Your needs are different from mine. So this week I'll share with you some applications that I've found useful or, if not useful, at least interesting."

http://www.techbyter.com/2015/0315.html

NextGlass will take picture of label of beer or wine and help identify its characteristics
as to whether it's a drink you would enjoy or not. Sounds like the app that listens to a
song and identifies it by title and artist that someone had on their phone a couple years back.



Here's current link talking about Kaspersky's Phound for phones to help you phind your phone or wipe it.

Talking versions are available on iTunes IIRC.

I subscribe to the weekly newsletter by email.

I have a basic pay as you go 2010 approx Nokia flip phone, so I have no idea about power drain or apps or WAZ, or finding out about wine..............I can call someone if I really find the need to do so.


I say, the simpler I can make my life the better

How about this one?

Oooh! Where can I get one of those? I was goingto take a picture of my little Trac phone to post but then I realized that my son had run off with it months ago and I had no idea where it is. I use it that infrequently.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

venture said:

abacomike said:

@venture

Boy, a senior cell phone with a rotary dial.  Most of today's Millenials, not to mention teens, have never made a call using a rotary dial - or ever heard a dial tone.  I wonder if the landline communications companies like AT&T can handle calls made on a real rotary dial phone.  They've switched to digital and are no longer analogue.  I'll never know since I haven't used a rotary dial phone in over 20 years.

I remember when a Little League player asked to use the phone in the press box, many, many years ago. It was still a rotary phone. Probably one of the last ones in the county.

I pulled the phone out through the announcers window and held it for him to make his call. He lifted the receiver and just stared at it. He didn't know what to do...LOL. Cracked me up.

That's a really cute story, but my BIL probably has the last rotary phone in Canada. He will do anything to save a buck...he's the one who took the tailgate off his old Ford Ranger to save gas....by cutting wind resistance - since then I have learned it will actually make it use more gas. He painted that 3 on the tree Ranger pea soup green, using a roller.

He found a law in the charter with Bell Telephone that lets him keep his black, dial phone for as long as he wants....old law grandfathered in. He pays about $20 a month for a black dial phone...probably has a party line on it too....I bet people under 30 don't know what a party line is?

As a kid we had a party line for a while. Being the rotten little kids we were we often would play tricks on the old ladies who shared the line. Random strange intestinal noises or requests from the FBI to hang up "in the interest of national security" were common.

oldfarmer50

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

fushigi said:

IMHO there are a couple of ways you could improve that response process.
1. Call back from the same number.
2. Always leave a message. You'd waste less time calling back if you'd just leave a brief message like "This is Venture returning your call about the Special Needs Baseball Organization. Call me back at this number or send an email to a@b.com." That takes about 10-12 seconds and you're done. The ball is back in their court.

2 great ways to handle it......especially #2. The simplest, fastest, most direct method, most fail-safe method has less chance of failure. I had a rule in business too, 2 emails each way to solve or discuss a problem are ok, if it requires a 3rd, it's time to call and discuss it on the phone.

I like #2 as well. I figure if the caller has important information for us, they will leave a voice mail, which I can then check on my computer through the phone company's website.

Regarding #1, you all know that I deliver pizza part time. Occasionally, we have to call a customer (need an apartment number, nobody is answering the door, wrong address, etc.). If we can, we try to call from the store, as the store name should show up on the caller ID. If I'm standing at somebody's front door, I'll use my cell phone and leave a message with the store phone number. Hit and miss as to whether folks answer the phone when I call from my cell. They can either return the call to my cell (it showed up on their caller ID) or call the store.

And, as a quick rant, if you call and order pizza to be delivered, somebody will be knocking on your front door! Don't be in the basement with the home theater or video game turned up loud, or be in the backyard when we come to the door. Frustrating as all get out.

Unfortunately many people have the attitude that "service" people are the same as slaves and assume a privileged attitude. They then feel free to take out all their frustrations on you.

BTW, my local Pizza Hut is advertising for delivery drivers. They say $10-15 per hour. Is that base salary or your assumed gross including tips?

I'm guessing that you are responsible for your own insurance and if you crash while on the clock they don't know you.

abacomike

@oldfarmer said:

"I'm guessing that you are responsible for your own insurance and if you crash while on the clock they don't know you."

Yes, you are engaged as an independent contractor.

imidazol97

abacomike said:

@oldfarmer said:

"I'm guessing that you are responsible for your own insurance and if you crash while on the clock they don't know you."

Yes, you are engaged as an independent contractor.

There's usually discussion about that auto insurance business if people call Clark Howard or the other guy out of Nashville that helps people get financial health back. It sounds like insurance companies
consider that a vehicle used for business and it should have been declared as
such for the rates on the vehicle.

graphicguy

Thanks for the explanations. Learn something new everyday.

fezo

When I was in grad school (76-77) a friend down there had a party line. I was amazed that anyone had one at that time! He kept up with that sort of thing - when we visited in the mid-90s he still had a rotary phone.

Michaell

BTW, my local Pizza Hut is advertising for delivery drivers. They say $10-15 per hour. Is that base salary or your assumed gross including tips?

My "salary" is $5.75/hr. I get paid .75 "mileage" from the store for each delivery I take. The tips I earn plus "mileage" has worked out to about $11.50/hr - add in the $5.75 and I'm over $17/hr for a job that I work 9-12 hours per week.

oldfarmer50

Michaell said:

BTW, my local Pizza Hut is advertising for delivery drivers. They say $10-15 per hour. Is that base salary or your assumed gross including tips?

My "salary" is $5.75/hr. I get paid .75 "mileage" from the store for each delivery I take. The tips I earn plus "mileage" has worked out to about $11.50/hr - add in the $5.75 and I'm over $17/hr for a job that I work 9-12 hours per week.

Too bad you don't live in NY. The state just raised the minimum for tip workers to $7.50 from $5. People say that there will be no net gain since people will just tip less on the assumption that you are now making a killing. The lower gas prices must be helpful.

imidazol97

I've been checking the traffic on KY and TN interstates in anticipation of making
a trip to Pigeon Forge soon for the first time in nearly a decade.

I saw several snowbirds heading north on I75 today in Ohio and noticed that
mid Kentucky has had northbound accidents north of London all afternoon. Has to be
a bad day for those trying to drive through to have to sit in not one, but
two long lines of traffic.

I just learned from my son that this past week was spring break for Ohio State.
So there are probably many folks driving north returning from breaks and
not just people who had migrated to the South for the winter.

Michaell

oldfarmer50 said:

BTW, my local Pizza Hut is advertising for delivery drivers. They say $10-15 per hour. Is that base salary or your assumed gross including tips? My "salary" is $5.75/hr. I get paid .75 "mileage" from the store for each delivery I take. The tips I earn plus "mileage" has worked out to about $11.50/hr - add in the $5.75 and I'm over $17/hr for a job that I work 9-12 hours per week.

Too bad you don't live in NY. The state just raised the minimum for tip workers to $7.50 from $5. People say that there will be no net gain since people will just tip less on the assumption that you are now making a killing. The lower gas prices must be helpful.

In Washington state there is no tip minimum wage - I'd earn $9+ per hour plus tips. But you are probably right that tips may be worse because of it. 

My gas costs per mile is running about $.10-.11 while I'm earning about $.80 per mile. 

Of of course that doesn't factor in the payment insurance or depreciation. 

oldfarmer50

I thought cars were selling like hot cakes?

Local screamer dealer is yelling about $8000 off a 2014 Murano and almost as much off Altima. He also has some new 2013s that he's only offering $3000 discounts.

Why are there so many left overs? In a few months the 14s will be two years old.

stickguy

Hmm. if it was an Altima S with the basics package (back up cam, alloys, power seat, decent stereo. something like that) I would bite, since that is a 24K MSRP and with a huge discount, cheap to lease. But, my guess is it is an SL or some such with a 29-20K sticker, and probably a 2K dealer package on top of that. Still, that is a lot off.

stickguy

as to the leftovers, it happens. surprised they did not put into service loaner or salesman demo use, then sell them off as low mile used CPO.

driver100

We went out oday with our neighbor/friends. They have a 3 year old Elantra 2 door and the lease is coming up. They saw an ad on TV, lease a new Elantra for $179 a month plys tax and dealer charges.

He phoned, and the salesman said that car would be $340 a month. Salesman said taxes and dealer costs bumped the price up. Friend said they add up to double the cost of the car. Salesman said I know, it's just a gimmick to get you in.

Manager called a few days later and asked if he was going to buy. Friend said, not when you say the car is $170 a month and it works out to $340. Manager says come in and we'll sharpen our pencils a bit. Friend said you can't sharpen it enough to get me to come in.

Friend has been put off by the process. Does this stuff really work to sell cars? Friend is going to buy back his 3 year old Elantra for $16000, they only do about 8k miles a year.

There should be laws against advertising a car can be leased for $170, but the final cost is double.

fushigi

venture said:

I can't argue with anything you said. As I mentioned before though, I'm not home much, especially when it's daylight. I usually have time to check the voicemail and scribble down the number.

I guess I just have a problem with people being afraid to answer their phone. If it's a call they don't want, hang up then block the number. Besides, they called me to order a pizza I mean for information.

If you use Google Voice (https://www.google.com/voice/) or another free service you get a phone number you can use at home or on your mobile. It's portable/follows you and you can set it to ring at one or more phones if you want. So that solves the not at home much issue.

And while they called you, remember that they aren't seeing that its you calling them back. They're seeing a call from a different number. Telemarketers are so annoying nowadays that people screen calls even if they're on the Do Not Call list (charities and politicals are exempt from having to follow it).

Anyway, when you have some free time I'd encourage you to look at one of the free phone services that lets you answer calls from your mobile, home, PC, etc. Great convenience. Some will transcribe voicemails to text automatically and offer other conveniences.