By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
Oh, and I almost forgot Paris!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
And, like a lot of big cities, you don't want to go poking around in non tourist areas.
They made it to Nashville yesterday, about 540 miles or so. Heading for KC today, but don't know if they will make it as yesterday tired them out. KC is about another 550 miles.
Fezo, I have the papers all drawn up and ready for his signature !! He'll be too tired to realize what he is signing.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Paper routes are good too! You can't start them too young to teach them all about how capitalism works.
And, as I said to my tennis buddies, for it to work really well you have to exploit people. But, eventually the people you are exploiting improve their living standards and they have to exploit poorer people. That's the capitalist system, it is the best system devised by man...but, you should teach it to your children as early as possible.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
You're a good man, houdini. If you need to go to some additional alcoholic expense to accomplish the mission we at headquarters will be happy to oblige.
Good to see that you are on board, I thought you might suspect me of cutting you out.....
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
It's a changing world. I still like to read a real newspaper, but I don't know why, since it is all online any way. I guess our papers are delivered by adults too now that I think of it....at about 4 a.m. Guess it wouldn't be a good idea to send kids out to deliver newspapers at that time?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Same here - driver comes down our street about 6 AM. She's never on the lookout for joggers - as me how I know.
They went to adults due to safety and tax issues - tough to 1099 a 12 YO.
Why not? I did it! Seven days a week. Los Angeles Times!
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Sorry Richard, I'm not picking on you. However, '3 AM in the morning' is a pet peeve of mine. If it's AM it's already in the morning. :P
Hope you have a great trip. My wife and I drove from MA to CA in about 2 weeks. We had an awesome time.
You should go because Yellowstone is beatiful. I loved it. We went in mid September. It wasn't crowded, which was nice. I hear that in the summer it gets too crowded.
Post of the year, fez.
Well done!!
However we did get one weekend of cinderella liberty and I explored the resort area of Cape May. It is a lovely town.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Why not? I did it! Seven days a week. Los Angeles Times!
I think the problem is these days papers are delivered early in the morning while it is still dark and not many people are around in case there is a problem. Seems newspapers are now delivered by adults in cars. Coverage areas are also larger, as many people don't get physical newspapers any more.
Delivering papers 7 days a week was an excellent experience for you, but the days of kids delivering papers is mostly over. We still have kids who deliver a local paper but it can be delivered after school.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
That's an interesting one. I was meeting a friend for lunch and I said I would meet him at the restaurant at "12 noon". I thought it might be overkill, but then again, my philosopphy is if something can go wrong it probably will, so I would rather over clarify.
I think when someone says they will be traveling through town at "3 a.m. in the morning" they are being careful to clarify, so you don't think it was a typo or misprint. Although not grammatically correct it might be wise to over clarify, so the reader doesn't think he made a mistake with A.M.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
That brings to question how much can a 12 year old make delivering papers?
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Boy, you aren't kidding. I got a good dose of capitalism at 12 yo peddling my bike through the snow at 5AM in below zero weather. I also learned the pitfalls of running your own business and trying to collect money from deadbeats. I still shake my head when I think about all the cheap b*****ds who would make you run up 3 flights of stairs to personally hand them their paper every morning but were nowhere to be found on collection day. My pay averaged $3 a week.
I bet some of those people went to buy cars from Isell years later. :mad:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I made about 35.00 a month. One month, I broke a window in a house with a paper. The guy was nice enough to let my dad replace the glass. My bill for the glass and other stuff was 28.00.
Not much profit that month!
That reminds me of a funny story. My Grandfather had a problem with the paper boy just tossing the paper in the middle of the lawn every morning and asked him to put it on the step (figuring if he did that he would tip him accordingly). Well the kid took it as an insult and made sure he threw it hard enough to hit the aluminum screen door (BAM!). Lo and behold he eventually missed the bottom half and shattered the top glass. He wasn't delivering papers long after that (at least not in my Grandfather's area!)
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
There was a little shop not far from where I lived that made those big, doughy salted pretzels to sell in the convenience stores in town. But, being an enterprising lad, I talked the owner into letting me get some of the pretzels fresh in the a.m. "on account as I explained my business plan. I would take them in a basket I "borrowed" from my Mom, with a dish towel as insulation on top with probably 20 or so pretzels to the office buildings in the downtown area not far from where I lived.
I'd go floor to floor, office to office, selling pretzels that ordinarily would sell for 25 cents. I sold them for 40 cents, which included my "delivery fee" (hoping they'd give me 50 cents and tell me to keep the change).
I got kicked out of my buildings, and more offices....but at 12, and a bicycle, I was making money.
It was pretty successful. I tried to get a couple of my friends to help me so I could expand, with the understanding they'd buy the pretzels from me (for 35 cents) and sell them for 45 cents, pocketing the difference. But, their parents, once they found out, decided they didn't like the idea of me profiting from their sons. To me, it was just an expansion.
Anyway, I did that for two summers. Made enough to buy a new bike and a killer stereo, and to keep me in the tall cotton compared to my friends.
My favorite sales dude was a greasy grizzled dude who would carry the paper bagged treats under his arms [sleeveless shirt of course] so he had his hands free to collect cash. Gus's is still going strong but the street vendors are gone.
Me, the techie had a pair of Heathkit Walkie Talkies. 1 was clipped to my buddy's belt around back while I was on the other one down the street watching. We came up to Mrs Nopay's door, she said "you'll have to come back". At which time I said "Pay your Paperboy". She started looking in the bushes saying "come out of there" while I repeated "Pay your Paperboy".
He didn't get paid, but what a laugh we had afterward.
By the way, jayrider, that was the Daily Dispatch in Lower Burrell, Pa. 30 miles from Greensburg.
2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali
COMMIES! :mad:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Then, the guy who made the pretzels (in little more than a 20'x20' building) decided he could actually set up shop outside the office buildings with an old ice cream cooler attached to a bike (with the cooler turned into an insulated box), he cut me out of business. He had his son do what I was doing, except outside the buildings.
He essentially put a 13 year old out of business (me). For a couple of summers, I had a good time running around different office buildings. I'd collect the pretzels at about 9:00 a.m. Be at the first office building by 10-10:30 at the latest, be done by 1-1:30. Riding back to the pretzel store by 2-ish to pay for the pretzels I had on consignment from the morning.
By 3, I was messing around with my friends. Good hours! Good gig!
Some of the parents thought I was enterprising. Others thought I was too aggressive for a 12-13 year old. My parents thought it was a pretty good idea.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
And I had this cranky old couple who would call in a complaint if I was ten minutes late. their paper HAD to be on their doormat. Never a tip!
A couple of years later, I had an M-80 that somehow found it's way onto that same doormat one summer evening!
Funny how quickly a cop car showed up. They questioned several kids they saw in the neighborhood but not me!
Falls into the same catagory as 18:30PM, or VIN number, or ATM machine, etc.
That sort of thing bugs me too, but not enough to spoil my day!
I got a message from Richard about 8 AM this morning. It was on my new cell phone, which is really a small computer, etc. and I don't have a clue how to work the thing yet. They made it into K.C. late last night so he did not call. Spent the night about 30 miles from us.
We were having a thunderstorm when he called so he was worried about just getting out of town and finding better weather. Can't blame him for that.
We never talked, just the message. My phone did not record the phone number, etc. so I could not call back.
Fezo, I know you are disappointed. Maybe I can catch him on the way back. I will try to talk with him and plan a little better.
Oh, and by the way, Richard's speaking voice is very deep and melodious, with a deep southern drawl. The man could be a radio announcer. My wife immediately fell in love with his voice.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Anyway, they give a $1,000 certificate good for a BMW lease or purchase by taking the test drive. Pretty cool.
So, the dealer furthest away (by about 50 miles) had found a car at the port, which I put a deposit on. My sales person said she was going to get it moved to the delivery staging area, from the port area to be delivered to the dealership on Thursday a.m., enough time for them to do PDI and have it ready for delivery Thursday evening.
Sales person informed me today that someone put their name on the car in port. I don't know what that means, other than the car is/was already spoken for. The sales person also said that she asked that whomever claimed the car while in port (assuming some other sales person, from another dealer) release the car to her if the deal isn't made by Tuesday (tomorrow).
This is all sounding a bit "kludgy". I told her to return my deposit.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Great marketing strategy. And you were going to get others selling for you while you would be at the top of the pyramid. Ingenious!
You were ahead of your time, you could have become America's largest distributors of pretzels at that rate.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
but, if it doesn't work out, there will always be another car.
Actually, why not just spec one out exactly the way you want it, and tell them to order it for the same terms? Not like you can't wait 6 weeks, right?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Your deal sounds about as good as the one I had. Just a reminder, Dealer B, about 40 miles away in tough driving offered a 2011 Cabriolet for 10% off list, but his words were suspect in the email he sent...if he could get it off a dealer about 500 miles away. I have a suspicion that he hadn't talked to the dealer and he thinks he could get it if the dealer is desparate to unload it.
He didn't get back to me so I wrote to him a week later.
I asked him to price out a 2012 335 Cabriolet without all the extras this car had which I don't need and for a ball park figure to see what they would give me for my car. He asked for the VIN to check it out.
Then he wrote the 2012s won't be out until October or November so he couldn't give me a price, and to bring my car in to see what it is worth.
Well, I looked up mine on line as you guys told me to do, so I know what it is worth approximately. As far as a 2012 is concerned, I have bought next years models before, and all they do is take this years price, and say in the contract to be adjusted by percentage if the new one goes up or down in price....and take off a discount from that price, which could also be a percentage.
So, I think it is a scam...but if I have time I'll take my car in. My friend says I should offer him a ridiculous amount to take the 2011 that's in stock and see what they do.
It is very similar to your situation, get you to tell your family and friends you are getting a new car, building up your dreams so you will really want it, and will pay more for it. But, like you, I am not that motivated to go ahead, so I'll see what happens when I have time to drive in one day.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Don't be too sure. Last year a local homeowner was being terrorized by a gang of kids who were pounding on his windows and screaming threats. The guy, thinking his family was in danger, ran out of the house and tackled one of the little hell raisers on his front lawn. He held the kid and called the cops.
When they arrived, the police arrested HIM for being too rough on a minor. He was facing a year in jail until the public outcry forced the DA to drop the charges.
The kid got off scot free. :confuse:
When we were kids we weren't angels but we knew that if we ever got caught we'd get our fannys kicked either by the home owner or by our parents. That was the one thing that kept us in line.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Well that stinks! Do you think this is just some variation on low-balling? Now she'll tell you she can get you the exact same car--for more money, of course.
BTW, how do you find out about those BMW test drive events? Would the BMW web site list them? I'll probably never be able to afford one but I'd sure like to drive one once before I die.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I hope you get to try one out one day. It would be a shame to go through life never experiencing "the feel of the road".
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Back in 1977-1979 I was making about $50-60 a week with tips. IIRC, I delivered about 100 papers every morning including the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, NY Times and the WSJ.
I used to make about $0.35 a week per customer and then tips. Thursday evening was collection time as I had to pay for my papers on Saturday. I had one guy who would often travel on business and wouldn't stop the paper but someone was taking it in. Every so often he'd hand me back 2 weeks worth of papers which he "didn't read" so he wouldn't pay. Problem was I couldn't return a paper more than a week old.
Then I delivered to a nursing home and would deliver the 2 or 3 I had there to the individual rooms. Those folks used to tip me pretty well. I think a few would share the cost of the paper and tip.
Tricky to do in the real world. If you hold him physically in any way you could be sued or arrested. Even if you just hug him to restrain him they'll get you for being a molester. Kids have more "rights" today than adults.
I once had a 18yo kid on the bus swagger up to me and tell me "I can hit you, but you can't hit me". I told him that while I couldn't throw the first punch I was allowed to defend myself and that if he were to throw the first punch he wouldn't live long enough to throw a second. That settled the matter for the rest of the year but if he had gone crying to mommy I would have lost my job. :sick:
Now, who can answer my question about BMW test drive events? I Googled it and looks like the last one was in Toronto on June 20th. I went to one Chrysler had years ago in my area and had a blast driving the Crossfire on a test track.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
In Toronto on the 20th!!!!!!! And I wasn't told about it!
Actually, I was away that week, but I think I would go to one of those. It would be good to test drive a few different models and not feel too obligated to buy...they just want you to have fun sampling their cars right?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I don't know that upping my offer for the car would make any difference. It's either available, or it's not. As far as I was concerned, we had a deal. I would think a reputable dealer would not try such a tactic as saying they could get a car, agree to a deal. And then, reneg. Maybe they would, but I don't think so in this case.
Funny thing of it is, my sales lady said there are only 2 in the whole U.S. with the color, and the options I want. She said it's either really popular, and the dealers order them the way I want, and they sell quickly. Or, they aren't very popular and they don't order them the way I want. I think it's the latter as I see all sorts of 3 coupes in colors and option packages other than the ones I want, everywhere.
Any of you who are familiar with TruCar.com (JAG), know that they'll price out a car for you and send 3 of the least expensive prices at dealerships they find. They show how far away the dealerships are, but don't divulge their name. To get their name, you have to give the site your contact info.
As luck would have it, there are 3 dealerships out there looking for my car....one as far away as Chicago. And, the response from all of them is they can get my car. I'm wondering if they all are looking at the same car in their locater trying to get it into their inventory, trucked in from the port?