Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

graphicguy

tjc78 said:

I find their prices to be average on most items. Some winners, some losers. Like anywhere you just need to know what to buy from them. Look up the price for a $3.00 bag of chocolate chips. They will be over $10.00. Why? I have no idea, but people must pay it.

On higher ticket items they usually just follow the masses. For example, the large subwoofer I bought was the same price everywhere for a while. One site breaks price and everyone including Amazon followed.

That’s what I find. If someone..somewhere breaks price on any items, Amazon usually follows suit pretty quickly. Except for tech items like laptops and printers. If you catch B&H Photo at the right time, you can get some really good deals, but you have to catch them and buy them quick, as those deals sell out quickly.

My son bought a PS5 from B&H when they were first announced. They sold out quickly. But, the unit he got from them is now selling for 2X-4X list price on the 3rd party market.

snakeweasel

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

fintail said:

Or back 10 months, buy GME, sell at the right time.

snakeweasel said:

Just go back ten years and get bitcoins.

Bitcoin was at $0.05 in July of 2010 it's now pushing $45k. So a dollar invested in July 2020 would be worth around $900k today.

How much in fees/commissions for making the 2 trades and holding it 10 years though? Let's say you bought $1,000.00 July 2010.

Well if you bought $1,000.00 worth of bitcoins at $0.05 then they would be worth around $900,000,000.00 now. Bitcoin transaction fees are a set price and not a percentage and I think they are really low, but it might take a lot of transactions to dump 20,000 bitcoins. The biggest bite out of that would be taxes paid on that $900 million. In any case you will be set for life because that's some serious walking around money.

qbrozen

Don’t get me started on bitcoin again. I will NEVER understand how it has any value.

snakeweasel

qbrozen said:

We used to get more groceries from amazon, but now find Wegmans is cheaper on common things.

We still get amazon deliveries almost daily though. Even if something is a LITTLE more, and we don’t need it immediately, it beats driving around, dealing with people and masks, and maybe coming up empty anyway.

One thing I would never buy online is food, especially perishables. I want to see it personally before I pay for it.

snakeweasel

graphicguy said:

abacomike said:

Paid $259.9 for PUG at Costco this morning. Back in December, I was paying $239.9. So prices are sure going up.

I think it’s a temporary swing. Shell oil has already stated they expect demand to drop as more and more alternate fuel vehicles are hitting the streets.


https://earther.gizmodo.com/shell-says-it-has-reached-peak-oil-production-1846248229

I expect the other refineries to follow suit.

Producers and refineries can continue to bury their heads in the sand, but oil ain’t coming back as far as demand is concerned.

I would like to see raw numbers here, sure alternate fuel cars are hitting the streets in greater number but what is the overall number of ICE vehicles out there? Plus there are other uses for oil than moving cars and trucks. Not only that but demand is going to go up once people start going back to their work places and get out more.

cdnpinhead

oldfarmer50 said:

Maybe I’m too cynical.

There is no such thing in today's world.

snakeweasel

qbrozen said:

Don’t get me started on bitcoin again. I will NEVER understand how it has any value.

The same way anything else has value, someone is willing to pay that price for it.

driver100

snakeweasel said:

qbrozen said:

We used to get more groceries from amazon, but now find Wegmans is cheaper on common things.

We still get amazon deliveries almost daily though. Even if something is a LITTLE more, and we don’t need it immediately, it beats driving around, dealing with people and masks, and maybe coming up empty anyway.

One thing I would never buy online is food, especially perishables. I want to see it personally before I pay for it.

The perishables we get are almost always better than what we would choose.

driver100

snakeweasel said:

qbrozen said:

Don’t get me started on bitcoin again. I will NEVER understand how it has any value.

The same way anything else has value, someone is willing to pay that price for it.

But, lots could go wrong....like the government or the banks might take over that market.

driver100

ab348 said:

Totally different story on vaccines up here, where it is being totally (mis)managed by the provincial and federal govts..

And our fearless leader made a deal to buy millions of doses of the vaccine from China! Yes, China! After 3 months the Chinese decided they didn't want to sell vaccines to us after all, which left our fearless leader scrambling to buy whatever he could pick up on the open market. I also understand Britain started from zero, and Oxford AstraZeneca built a plant and is supplying millions of doses. It was open, they would do that in any country, just pay cost price for the vaccine......13 countries did it, but for some reason that wasn't good enough. So here we are, U.S. has about 10% vaccinated, we are just over 1%, 40th in the world. I may have to fly down to Florida to get vaccinated.

nyccarguy

qbrozen said:

We used to get more groceries from amazon, but now find Wegmans is cheaper on common things.

We still get amazon deliveries almost daily though. Even if something is a LITTLE more, and we don’t need it immediately, it beats driving around, dealing with people and masks, and maybe coming up empty anyway.

I don't purchase anything on Amazon. My wife on the other hand, oh boy. The things she buys are relatively inexpensive. She makes sure whatever she does buy is at least competitively priced. It is amazing how many items under $50 add up quick.

For her it is definitely a convenience. The nearest Wal Mart is about 15 minutes north of us. Not far, but in a direction she doesn't normally travel. Target is in Downtown Stamford. She's got to pay to park, walk through a parking garage, take an elevator up... Then the Target itself is 2 levels.

ab348

qbrozen said:

Don’t get me started on bitcoin again. I will NEVER understand how it has any value.

Certain types of people are attracted to it because of its lack of traceability. Drug dealers, blackmailers, tax evaders, scammers, the list of shady types is endless.

andres3

ab348 said:

qbrozen said:

Don’t get me started on bitcoin again. I will NEVER understand how it has any value.

Certain types of people are attracted to it because of its lack of traceability. Drug dealers, blackmailers, tax evaders, scammers, the list of shady types is endless.

So what your saying is a lot of posters here probably have Bitcoin

tjc78

nyccarguy said:

qbrozen said:

We used to get more groceries from amazon, but now find Wegmans is cheaper on common things.

We still get amazon deliveries almost daily though. Even if something is a LITTLE more, and we don’t need it immediately, it beats driving around, dealing with people and masks, and maybe coming up empty anyway.

I don't purchase anything on Amazon. My wife on the other hand, oh boy. The things she buys are relatively inexpensive. She makes sure whatever she does buy is at least competitively priced. It is amazing how many items under $50 add up quick.

For her it is definitely a convenience. The nearest Wal Mart is about 15 minutes north of us. Not far, but in a direction she doesn't normally travel. Target is in Downtown Stamford. She's got to pay to park, walk through a parking garage, take an elevator up... Then the Target itself is 2 levels.

I’ll admit it. I love Amazon. I shouldn’t as my wife and I both earn our livings from brick and mortar retailers... but I can’t help it.

One thing I’ll say is we generally don’t buy anything from them we could get at either of our employers.

I want to run the yearly spending report, but at the same time I don’t.

driver100

ab348 said:

qbrozen said:

Don’t get me started on bitcoin again. I will NEVER understand how it has any value.

Certain types of people are attracted to it because of its lack of traceability. Drug dealers, blackmailers, tax evaders, scammers, the list of shady types is endless.

you forgot to add, JMonroe...it is his currency of choice no doubt. (almost forgot... )

driver100

tjc78 said:

nyccarguy said:

qbrozen said:

We used to get more groceries from amazon, but now find Wegmans is cheaper on common things.

We still get amazon deliveries almost daily though. Even if something is a LITTLE more, and we don’t need it immediately, it beats driving around, dealing with people and masks, and maybe coming up empty anyway.

I don't purchase anything on Amazon. My wife on the other hand, oh boy. The things she buys are relatively inexpensive. She makes sure whatever she does buy is at least competitively priced. It is amazing how many items under $50 add up quick.

For her it is definitely a convenience. The nearest Wal Mart is about 15 minutes north of us. Not far, but in a direction she doesn't normally travel. Target is in Downtown Stamford. She's got to pay to park, walk through a parking garage, take an elevator up... Then the Target itself is 2 levels.

I’ll admit it. I love Amazon. I shouldn’t as my wife and I both earn our livings from brick and mortar retailers... but I can’t help it.

One thing I’ll say is we generally don’t buy anything from them we could get at either of our employers.

We buy from retail stores when we can......but, with covid, winter, and the fact it is easier, faster and cheaper in most cases, hard not to order from Amazon.

snakeweasel

qbrozen

but bitcoin isn't based on anything. I just don't understand why/how someone decided "here is a series of numbers, and it can be used in exchange for goods or services." And then everyone thought "yeah, totally." We may as well be exchanging imaginary friends with each other.

On the amazon topic, we don't order anything immediately perishable that way. It is all shelf stable stuff that you can't "see" even in the store.

venture

snakeweasel said:

That doesn't look right.

snakeweasel

venture said:

snakeweasel said:

That doesn't look right.

Nope it doesn't, tip of the day; don't drive there, take a bike.

tjc78

qbrozen said:

but bitcoin isn't based on anything. I just don't understand why/how someone decided "here is a series of numbers, and it can be used in exchange for goods or services." And then everyone thought "yeah, totally." We may as well be exchanging imaginary friends with each other.

On the amazon topic, we don't order anything immediately perishable that way. It is all shelfm stable stuff that you can't "see" even in the store.

I don’t get it either. I’ve tried reading up on it, etc. It just isn’t for me.

Occasionally I’ve seen a few YT videos pop up about mining setups and it really just goes way over my head.

jmonroe1

andres3 said:

ab348 said:

qbrozen said:

Don’t get me started on bitcoin again. I will NEVER understand how it has any value.

Certain types of people are attracted to it because of its lack of traceability. Drug dealers, blackmailers, tax evaders, scammers, the list of shady types is endless.

So what your saying is a lot of posters here probably have Bitcoin

Just for the record, I don’t own any Bitcoin. :@

jmonroe

jmonroe1

venture said:

snakeweasel said:

That doesn't look right.

I’m sure it does to bikers.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50

jmonroe1 said:

andres3 said:

ab348 said:

qbrozen said:

Don’t get me started on bitcoin again. I will NEVER understand how it has any value.

Certain types of people are attracted to it because of its lack of traceability. Drug dealers, blackmailers, tax evaders, scammers, the list of shady types is endless.

So what your saying is a lot of posters here probably have Bitcoin

Just for the record, I don’t own any Bitcoin. :@

jmonroe

I have my money invested in coffee cans and a shovel.

jmonroe1

oldfarmer50 said:

jmonroe1 said:

andres3 said:

ab348 said:

qbrozen said:

Don’t get me started on bitcoin again. I will NEVER understand how it has any value.

Certain types of people are attracted to it because of its lack of traceability. Drug dealers, blackmailers, tax evaders, scammers, the list of shady types is endless.

So what your saying is a lot of posters here probably have Bitcoin

Just for the record, I don’t own any Bitcoin. :@

jmonroe

I have my money invested in coffee cans and a shovel.

I used to do the coffee can thing but the cans will rust. So I now use plastic jars. Mason jars will break if you hit them with a shovel so don’t use them. Another hint, make good maps. Consider this friendly advice from an old poster buddy. Your welcome.

jmonroe

stickguy

Amazon is about selection and convenience. Not sure why people also want cheaper prices. If anything that should cost you more. I am happy to buy in the store. The problem is, some stores no longer exist, and at others, the selection is too small. So even Target or Walmart are often ordering online (even if it gets sent to the store).

Food, I never order that online or for delivery.

tjc78

On occasion we do the Shop Rite from home (and pick up at store) It’s pretty convenient but I feel like there is always something we don’t get because they don’t feel there is a suitable substitute.

We only do it if there isn’t a produce store trip as well.

stickguy

my wife won't let other people (often includes me) pick out stuff for her (meat, veggies especially). And always finds something (more like $50 of somethings) she didn't have on the list that we actually "need".

snakeweasel

jmonroe1 said:

andres3 said:

ab348 said:

qbrozen said:

Don’t get me started on bitcoin again. I will NEVER understand how it has any value.

Certain types of people are attracted to it because of its lack of traceability. Drug dealers, blackmailers, tax evaders, scammers, the list of shady types is endless.

So what your saying is a lot of posters here probably have Bitcoin

Just for the record, I don’t own any Bitcoin. :@

jmonroe

Oh? What did you sell it for?

steine13

>> but bitcoin isn't based on anything.

Neither is paper money -- it is based on an agreement.
Both are as real as they need to be.
Even gold is neither particularly rare nor does its 'intrinsic' value justify its price.

And I neither own nor "get" bitcoin either.

driver100

@steine13 At least with paper currency the government more or less will stand behind it.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

@steine13 At least with paper currency the government more or less will stand behind it.

How is the government going to back it? With what are they backing it with? In other words if you take your paper money to the government to exchange it what would you get for it? The answer is nothing. Your paper money only has value to the extent that people have trust in it, just like bitcoins.

qbrozen

Yes, I understand that we moved away from the gold standard a long time ago.

Who created these bitcoin things? What stops any schmoe from saying “I have a string of numbers I want you to buy from me”? Why isn’t the market saturated with them? What/where is the regulation?

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

Amazon is about selection and convenience. Not sure why people also want cheaper prices. If anything that should cost you more. I am happy to buy in the store. The problem is, some stores no longer exist, and at others, the selection is too small. So even Target or Walmart are often ordering online (even if it gets sent to the store).

Food, I never order that online or for delivery.

I usually prefer to go to the store for whatever I want but recently when I went to Lowe’s to get a filter for an old vacuum we had bought there I found empty shelves and dirty looks from the employees. I went online and got the exact fit part for about 1/2 of what Lowe’s was charging.

28firefighter

qbrozen said:

Yes, I understand that we moved away from the gold standard a long time ago.

Who created these bitcoin things? What stops any schmoe from saying “I have a string of numbers I want you to buy from me”? Why isn’t the market saturated with them? What/where is the regulation?

There is a long complicated answer, but the short answer is the authentication and security provided by blockchain computing is how you can authenticate legitimate Bitcoin (or any other cryptocurrency) against fraudulent ones. And the way the blockchain ledgers are distributed across their nodes, it’s nearly impossible to fake.

venture

28firefighter said:

qbrozen said:

Yes, I understand that we moved away from the gold standard a long time ago.

Who created these bitcoin things? What stops any schmoe from saying “I have a string of numbers I want you to buy from me”? Why isn’t the market saturated with them? What/where is the regulation?

There is a long complicated answer, but the short answer is the authentication and security provided by blockchain computing is how you can authenticate legitimate Bitcoin (or any other cryptocurrency) against fraudulent ones. And the way the blockchain ledgers are distributed across their nodes, it’s nearly impossible to fake.

The short answer gave me a headache.

qbrozen

28firefighter said:

qbrozen said:

Yes, I understand that we moved away from the gold standard a long time ago.

Who created these bitcoin things? What stops any schmoe from saying “I have a string of numbers I want you to buy from me”? Why isn’t the market saturated with them? What/where is the regulation?

There is a long complicated answer, but the short answer is the authentication and security provided by blockchain computing is how you can authenticate legitimate Bitcoin (or any other cryptocurrency) against fraudulent ones. And the way the blockchain ledgers are distributed across their nodes, it’s nearly impossible to fake.

I was reading about it last night. Started making me wonder how to “mine” because it seems like it could be fairly lucrative.

STILL boggles my mind that this is determined to hold some kind of monetary value. On one hand, I could see it being traded like some kind of dorky work of art. On the other hand, that ain’t what they call it.

graphicguy

qbrozen said:

28firefighter said:

qbrozen said:

Yes, I understand that we moved away from the gold standard a long time ago.

Who created these bitcoin things? What stops any schmoe from saying “I have a string of numbers I want you to buy from me”? Why isn’t the market saturated with them? What/where is the regulation?

There is a long complicated answer, but the short answer is the authentication and security provided by blockchain computing is how you can authenticate legitimate Bitcoin (or any other cryptocurrency) against fraudulent ones. And the way the blockchain ledgers are distributed across their nodes, it’s nearly impossible to fake.

I was reading about it last night. Started making me wonder how to “mine” because it seems like it could be fairly lucrative.

STILL boggles my mind that this is determined to hold some kind of monetary value. On one hand, I could see it being traded like some kind of dorky work of art. On the other hand, that ain’t what they call it.

I’m of the mind that there’s so little (if any) regulation for Bitcoins, it’s fraught with peril from the unscrupulous, and who’s more unscrupulous than a money person?

Anyway, as @tjc78 stated, if you know how to trade and cull Bitcoin cycles, you can (and some have) make a lot of money.

For a couple of years, my company sold 10s of millions of dollars in tech (namely GPUs) that were necessary to do just that.

graphicguy

Regarding oil....the current situation has been coming for a long time. The markets tried to stall it in ‘08-‘09. But, the world is moving away from oil as an energy source and has been for the last 15 years, at least.

No one is predicting a long term up-tick. This article calls oil stocks “stranded assets”.

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/15/913052498/oil-demand-has-collapsed-and-it-wont-come-back-any-time-soon

snakeweasel

qbrozen said:

28firefighter said:

qbrozen said:

Yes, I understand that we moved away from the gold standard a long time ago.

Who created these bitcoin things? What stops any schmoe from saying “I have a string of numbers I want you to buy from me”? Why isn’t the market saturated with them? What/where is the regulation?

There is a long complicated answer, but the short answer is the authentication and security provided by blockchain computing is how you can authenticate legitimate Bitcoin (or any other cryptocurrency) against fraudulent ones. And the way the blockchain ledgers are distributed across their nodes, it’s nearly impossible to fake.

I was reading about it last night. Started making me wonder how to “mine” because it seems like it could be fairly lucrative.

STILL boggles my mind that this is determined to hold some kind of monetary value. On one hand, I could see it being traded like some kind of dorky work of art. On the other hand, that ain’t what they call it.

To make money mining bitcoins you have to have a lot of computing power and I mean a lot. You're not going to do it with a few desktop computers and make a lot of money.

omarman

Why not cancel the rise of bitcoin if it makes your brain hurt? Simply focus only on the pursuit legit happiness like everybody else. Like lease payments for cars you don't even want. Even when those numbers don't work either.

ab348

snakeweasel said:

To make money mining bitcoins you have to have a lot of computing power and I mean a lot. You're not going to do it with a few desktop computers and make a lot of money.

I understand it takes so much computing power that some operations hijack the computing power sitting on the desks of totally unrelated individuals via hidden virus-like software. Sounds like a very scrupulous bunch.

driver100

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

@steine13 At least with paper currency the government more or less will stand behind it.

How is the government going to back it? With what are they backing it with? In other words if you take your paper money to the government to exchange it what would you get for it? The answer is nothing. Your paper money only has value to the extent that people have trust in it, just like bitcoins.

How much in bitcoins do you have?
How many U.S. Dollars do you have?
If you buy $100 worth of groceries will the store accept your bitcoins? Will they accept your U.S. Dollars?

jmonroe1

driver100 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

@steine13 At least with paper currency the government more or less will stand behind it.

How is the government going to back it? With what are they backing it with? In other words if you take your paper money to the government to exchange it what would you get for it? The answer is nothing. Your paper money only has value to the extent that people have trust in it, just like bitcoins.

How much in bitcoins do you have?
How many U.S. Dollars do you have?
If you buy $100 worth of groceries will the store accept your bitcoins? Will they accept your U.S. Dollars?

That’s a lot of questions. We like answers around here. :@

jmonroe

kyfdx

28firefighter said:

qbrozen said:

Yes, I understand that we moved away from the gold standard a long time ago.

Who created these bitcoin things? What stops any schmoe from saying “I have a string of numbers I want you to buy from me”? Why isn’t the market saturated with them? What/where is the regulation?

There is a long complicated answer, but the short answer is the authentication and security provided by blockchain computing is how you can authenticate legitimate Bitcoin (or any other cryptocurrency) against fraudulent ones. And the way the blockchain ledgers are distributed across their nodes, it’s nearly impossible to fake.

Except with the Mt Gox exchange fiasco. It all just went away..

Most people aren't going to physically own Bitcoin, on a protected hard drive. They are going to hold in an account at Robinhood or Coinbase, and never physically have it. Seems like both of those things are unsafe, compared to cash in a bank account.

I'd love to make money trading it, but I'm usually in at the wrong time on those things...

roadburner

I risked it all last night- I drove my RWD(Gasp!) 2er into town to pick up a case for my wife's new iPhone SE. I was constantly gripped by terror as I felt the icy fingers of death straining to reach me.
Then I drove it again today; I'm going to need to lie down for a while, the stress has just been too much...

ab348

kyfdx said:

Except with the Mt Gox exchange fiasco. It all just went away..

Most people aren't going to physically own Bitcoin, on a protected hard drive. They are going to hold in an account at Robinhood or Coinbase, and never physically have it. Seems like both of those things are unsafe, compared to cash in a bank account.

I'd love to make money trading it, but I'm usually in at the wrong time on those things...

Then there's this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadriga_Fintech_Solutions

jmonroe1

roadburner said:

I risked it all last night- I drove my RWD(Gasp!) 2er into town to pick up a case for my wife's new iPhone SE. I was constantly gripped by terror as I felt the icy fingers of death straining to reach me.
Then I drove it again today; I'm going to need to lie down for a while, the stress has just been too much...

Yep some of us like to live on the edge. I decided not to use the snow blower on my driveway about a month ago when we had about 8 inches of snow. I don’t drive the rear wheel drive Genny when there is a chance that I’d have to live with the consequences of salt so it stays put in the garage. Mrs. j’s Subie was made for snow so I use it. It plowed through that 8 inches with no problem so I haven’t touched the 3 inches that is there now. About an hour ago Mrs. j asked if I was going to remove that measly amount because we could get 5 or 6 inches by tomorrow morning. I told her I’d let her snow plow take care of that. Her response was “what’s wrong with your precious car. Is it afraid of snow”? I paused then said, “yeah, what’s it to ya”? That almost earned me a lap or two around the table.

Sometimes a guy has to suck it up and live on the edge. Regardless of the outcome.

jmonroe

abacomike

jmonroe1 said:

roadburner said:

I risked it all last night- I drove my RWD(Gasp!) 2er into town to pick up a case for my wife's new iPhone SE. I was constantly gripped by terror as I felt the icy fingers of death straining to reach me.
Then I drove it again today; I'm going to need to lie down for a while, the stress has just been too much...

Yep some of us like to live on the edge. I decided not to use the snow blower on my driveway about a month age when we had about 8 inches of snow. I don’t drive the rear wheel drive Genny when there is a chance that I’d have to live with the consequences of salt so it stays put in the garage. Mrs. j’s Subie was made for snow so I use it. It plowed through that 8 inches with no problem so I haven’t touched the 3 inches that is there now. About an hour ago Mrs. j asked if I was going to remove that measly amount because we could get 5 or 6 inches by tomorrow morning. I told her I’d let her snow plow take care of that. Her response was “what’s wrong with your precious car. Is it afraid of snow”? I paused then said, “yeah, what’s it to ya”? That almost earned me a lap or two around the table.

Sometimes a guy has to suck it up and live on the edge. Regardless of the outcome.

jmonroe

Snowblowers, shovels, salt, etc. Just not part of my vocabulary. It’s been in the 80’s every day with more humidity than usual for this time of year. Been running the AC every day these past 7-10 days.

I pray the Spring Breakers stay away this year so we won’t have to worry about the spread of COVID-19.

imidazol97

ab348 said:

kyfdx said:

Except with the Mt Gox exchange fiasco. It all just went away..

Most people aren't going to physically own Bitcoin, on a protected hard drive. They are going to hold in an account at Robinhood or Coinbase, and never physically have it. Seems like both of those things are unsafe, compared to cash in a bank account.

I'd love to make money trading it, but I'm usually in at the wrong time on those things...

Then there's this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadriga_Fintech_Solutions

Did you pay for the case with bitcoin?