Stories from the Sales Frontlines

explorerx4

It could be reverse psychology. There are lots of kids who apply to schools just to see if they can get in, when they have no intention of going there.
They may just take your spot at the school you want to go to.

bwia

No so much anymore:

Northeastern: $55K
BU: $58K
BC: $52K
Harvard: $58K
MIT: $57K

Glad to see you promoting our fine Baystate Universities. While they are fine colleges, the undergraduate education offered at these schools is not much different from other Massachusetts colleges. (In fact they are all accredited by NEASC--New England Association of Schools and Colleges)

And Explorer is right, tuition at all colleges is highly discounted, with the average student getting 30% or more off sticker. What is truly expensive is room and board, there are no discounts on these unless you have a full ride scholarship.

Who is to blame for these high college costs? It is easy to blame the government for easy student loans but we are all responsible....but don't get me started.

driver100

I refuse to shop at one local supermarket chain because unless you submit to their "bargains" you pay substantially more.

I agree completely. I refuse those store advantage cards. I don't see why I should pay more for items because I don't want to carry a stupid card around with me. In fact, we changed drug stores and go to one that gives seniors 20% off on everything.

If I carried all of the grocery store, drugstore, and others cards around with me my wallet would be 12 inches thick. Now, you can swipe your phone and it will record your points. But, do I want them knowing what peanut butter I buy, or what toilet paer I prefer? And, I don't want my insurance company looking over my shoulder every time I drive somewhere.

Who predicted Big Brother...they were right....the day has come.

tjc78

" Makes an EZPass look like a brick."

They just sent me a new tag, it's about half the size of the old ones.

roadburner

Here's a recent comment I made on another board regarding those insurance spy devices:

Based on my experience with the insurance industry, my take is that the "Snap Shot" and its ilk are just the nose of the camel sticking into the tent. Currently the carrot is the promise that the gadget won't increase your insurance rates, but I suspect that the long term goal is to get the device in every car and to then use the data to both increase and decrease rates- most likely using an arbitrary formula that will maximize profit with little if any relation to actual loss exposure.
Don't want the device in your car at that point? They will stick you in an assigned risk pool with the DUI and multiple accident drivers.

explorerx4

We are in our 4th year of paying full boat at ND, excluding gov't loan and a scholarship from where I work.
When we first started the financial aid process 7 or so years ago, 2 kids ago, our EFC was about 4 times higher than it cost to go to school there for a year.
I never bothered looking at it again.

graphicguy

explorer....I feel for you.

When my son was looking at colleges, for a brief period, he was looking at Loyola in Chicago. Since he was attending a Jesuit High School, and doing well, he qualified for a scholarship to Loyola. Even with the scholarship, I think the tuition was going to be in that $70K range.

I told him if that's where he really wanted to go, I'd find a way to swing it.

He changed his mind after realizing none of his friends were going to Loyola.

I was kind of nudging him to go to my alma mater, Miami University. But, he decided to go to University of Cincinnati and live at home instead. He now works for Ohio State as the IT manager in their College of Education.

Alls well that ends well.:)

driver100

. Currently the carrot is the promise that the gadget won't increase your insurance rates,

Currently the carrot is an 8% to 30% a year savings on your insurance rates.

I can't trust these schemes, in most cases it is just a trick to get you to sign up so they can find a reason to increase your rates over time.

Many years ago the phone company had a promotion, bring in your old dial phone and they would upgrade you to a free push button phone. So, I take my old phone in and find out I wasn't paying the right rate for that phone. I now have to pay $160 for not paying the full amount and of course my monthly fee goes up because now I have a fancier phone.

I learned, you don't get something for nothing.

gogiboy

"Rooney may drive you crazy at times but, knowing you, I know that you wouldn't take anything for him."

I've shared the saga of the accident which resulted in the disappearance of one of my canines for two weeks in the winter. It still breaks my heart to think about the passing of both of my first pair of dogs. I have two nearly three-year olds now and they are boisterous and a thorn in my side at times.

Although I have no new car purchases to report I will be getting a 1 1/4 hitch for my Mazda 3 hatch to carry my "cycles". Because of my neck injury I've been keeping my bicycling to a minimum, however I have been making an effort to stay physically fit. That is partly why my contributions to this forum have dropped off.

Recently my aerobic efforts made the front page of our city paper (which tells you what a slow news day it was). I thought Richard and roadburner, (since we're the same age) and driver would appreciate it-- and maybe snakeweasel because of some our previous forum forays into the world of cycling/commuting. From the angle of the photo it's hard to get a sense of how large the wheel is, but it's a 36" diameter and doesn't include the substantial height of the tire. It takes a significant hop to free mount it.

Hope this entertains:

http://www.stwnewspress.com/local/x1836126627/Keep-on-wheelin-Stillwater-man-rid- es-unicycle-for-fun-and-fitness

Gogiboy

imidazol97

Cool. THanks for sharing that story.

Our scout troop assistant leader rode/rides a unicycle. He would train the boys in the troop that were interested. He would even ride in the local city's parade each summer.

driver100

the world of cycling/commuting.

Guess you get good mileage. That can't be easy...I give you a lot of credit, glad you are wearing a helmut.

oldfarmer50

"...Miami University..."

Your kid turned down the chance to spend winters in Miami?

That boy ain't right.

explorerx4

Graph, don't worry we got through it, although I was sweating it out a bit in 07 and 09.
I have a Miami grad, 2011, she came back to CT until the beginning of the year, but moved to Ohio, just outside Cleveland.
It took her 6 months and a lot of interviews to get a job.
Now just hoping the 6 month trial period turns into a permanent offer.
They keep telling she's in, but we need it to be formalized.

snakeweasel

glad you are wearing a helmut.

And it's really difficult to ride a unicycle while wearing a German man.

snakeweasel

Miami University is in Ohio, University of Miami is in Florida. Differences are crucial.

explorerx4

There is the Great Miami River, Miami University and the Miami Indian tribe.
All in Ohio.
The Indian tribe was relocated. Anyone want to guess where?
Ever heard of city of Dayton Ohio? Add an 'A' on the end of the city name.

imidazol97

>"...Miami University..."

And to add one of my favorite pet peeves: it is NOT "Miami of Ohio." It is Miami University.

The sportscasters (bless their simple hearts) are free to call the Florida school "Miami of Florida" if they wish, but Miami University is the name for the school in Ohio. As those who have lived there used to refer to it, it is Miami University, home of Oxford, Ohio.

snakeweasel

The Miami were relocated to Oklahoma. Daytona was named after a man named Day (I forget his first name) and Miami Florida was named after another Indian tribe with a name similar to Miami (I think it was spelled Mayaimi) that was native to Florida.

explorerx4

I guess I drank the coolaid.
It is the Cradle of Coaches, though.
I saw the tee shirts.

sterlingdog

Yes, I've seen the "showmystreet.com". It's a bit like GPS but more interesting to watch.

Richard

sterlingdog

Have a great vacation and think of me if you get heavy on the metal.

Richard

sterlingdog

"...they get irate when I deny them court appointed counsel."

Good for you! If they can have a nearly new car, then they can pay for a nearly new attorney.

Richard

sterlingdog

"...they can't take away a leased car if you declare bankruptcy."

Excellent point. I never had thought about that.

Richard

sterlingdog

"What do you think?"

I don't like the idea of the invasion of privacy. We have enough of that by government, credit agencies, insurance companies, etc. I see no need to add to the list.

Richard

sterlingdog

I really, really like the co-op programs at some of the universities. They are a big help to the students----financially, plus teaching responsibility and gaining certain skills, etc. They are also a big help to the parents in being able to keep the family budget on target. Another side benefit is less college debt after graduation. I worked in the college library and the cafeteria. That, along with my scholarships, was a tremendous help.

Richard

sterlingdog

If you ever think about a hip hop career---."

Let's just hope that I keep my hips. I'll be happy with that.

Richard

sterlingdog

"Your wife doesn't want to drive a car anymore?"

I don't think that it really matters to her. She loves the SRX and doesn't really care what I do with the convertible. I'm the one wanting a boxy vehicle.

Richard

sterlingdog

Yes, I miss JMonroe, too. It just doesn't seem quite the same without him. Someone said that he was over on another thread. Perhaps that person could find him and ask him to return. Hope so.

Richard

snakeweasel

Oh I will, I am leaving around noon tomorrow (Sunday) and will be avoiding the interstate so it will be a nice drive on back country roads, just the way I like it. It's a family reunion thing in the Dells. It's a big tourist area in central Wisconsin with a boat load of attractions and proclaimed as the water park capital of the world. During the summer it's really crowded but this time of year the place is practically empty.

Mainly going to chill out.

snakeweasel

Show my street? Go there and just put in 24 and see what you get. Then tell me that's a street.

sterlingdog

"...if money is more important than your privacy go for it."

At the 30% discount, you're saving about 82 cents per day. At the 8% discount, you're saving about 2.5 cents per day. Those figures are based on a $1,000 premium per year. I had rather suffer the loss and keep my privacy.

Richard

sterlingdog

"You'd look good in a purple suit, don't be shy."

I agree. He could also add a white hat, a watch chain, and some alligator shoes, along with three gold rings, a necklace and a bracelet. LOOK'IN GOOD!

Richard

sterlingdog

That is so cool! I'm really proud of you; you're to be commended for keeping yourself in shape and for using a very unique way to do it. I am flattered that you put me in your age category, but I must confess that I am about 15 years ahead of you. You're certainly a young looking 56. I've missed seeing your posts. I hope that you can come here more often. Best wishes.

Richard

oldfarmer50

"...Miami University is in Ohio..."

Well that's just wrong. Talk about false advertising!

graphicguy

Yes, MIAMI UNIVERSITY is the cradle of coaches....some of the names who came from there...Ara Parseghian, Weeb Eubank, Paul Brown, Dick Crum, Bo Schembeckler, just to name a few.

Interesting tidbit, some fool thought calling our sports teams the Miami Redskins was insulting to the native Americans who the teams were named after. Upon talking to the Maumee descendents. The Miami tribe thought having a university on their original homeland was pretty cool, and never protested the use "Redskin".

These PC pundits soldiered on, at great state and private money expense to have the mascot named to "Redhawk". I don't know what a Redhawk is....some mutant bird perhaps?

Anyway, it's a beautiful campus set in oneof the prettiest rural areas in the Midwest. Last count, 15,000 students, give or take. The McGuffey Reader originated there. No cars are allowed driven by students are allowed Freshman and Sophomore years. After that, they are allowed for Juniors, Seniors and for post graduates, but only by permit.

That makes the campus less crowded.

Loved my time there. Winters aren't so bad....especially given you don't drive, but walk or bike wherever you need to go. And, classes are all within walking distance (about 30 minutes from any of the dorm rooms to anywhere on campus).

Explorer....sounds like the "hard part" is over. Congrats!

kyfdx

My wife's cousin was the head coach at Miami.. (regretfully, passed on too young).. We used to go up to the games when Roethlisberger was the QB.. (and, they were ranked)..

driver100

My wife's cousin was the head coach at Miami..

Welcome back kyfdx....where did that imposter come from? Was he a new trainee?

oldfarmer50

I wasn't really watching the first time this was aired and didn't understand the reference.

http://m.youtube.com/index?&desktop_uri=%2F#/watch?v=ryNtVK55OUY

explorerx4

Miami before the 2010 GoDaddy bowl game:
Great pre game speech

verdugo

As some of yoy may remember, my wife used to travel for work all the time so rather than having a second car, she rented a car every weekend when she came home. On short notice, no more travelling and her commute would be 5 miles each way. So we needed a second car on short notice.

It would be an in-city car, my wife likes small cars, and I wanted an electric car because I like techie gadgets. Also, while the enviromental benefits are very nice, I don't like the idea of funding our enemies.

With that criteria, our list of cars to chose from was fairly small. After a quick web search, I narrowed it down even more to: Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, and Ford C-Max plug in. My wife ruled out the Volt, so that left two. I went to the Nissan and Ford dealerships on a Thursday morning. I didn't want to take up their time on a Saturday unless we were seroius.

Nissan dealership:

I was approached by a salesperson as soon as I got out of the car, but not in a high pressure way. They had a Leaf fully charged. Electric only, 75 miles radius. The MSRP was $36k-ish and it had $5k ADM. I iked the resolution on the navigation screen. However, the rest of the interior is not what I expected on a $36k car, let alone a $41k one. The dealership made a copy of my license before I could test drive it. The car drives nice.

I was upfront with the salesperson that it was just a research trip and that we wouldn't get a car until that Saturday. Even after that, the "what would it take to get you to sign today?" game started. They asked me about what I had in mind for a payment. I played along for a bit. They kept coming back with lower prices. They also kept saying how it was a $41k car. I didn't like the car enough for the price/incentives and I disliked the dealership's ADM and sales tacticts. I decided to move on to the Ford.

Ford dealership:

No salesperson approached me when I got out of the car, or when I walked into the dealership. In fact, I had to ask the receptionist to get one for me. They had a C-Max plug-in hybrid up front. There was no ADM, but I could see the glue residue from where there used to be an ADM sticker.

Turns out it wasn't charged, so it drove like a regular hybrid. I took it on a test drive anyway. They didn't ask me for a coyp of my license. I liked how it drove, I liked the interior. I actually like the Ford Sync system. No pressure at all from the salesperson. He didn't even ask me any price questions. He told me to come back on Saturday with my wife.

I liked the C-Max better and for my wife, the Leaf's electric-only engine was a dealbreaker, so the Ford C-Max it was. In addition to the benefits I mentioned in the first paragrah, I liked that Ford is American, and even better that it didn't take any bailout money.

So on Saturday we went back to the Ford dealership. We had decided to do a lease because while I really like the idea of driving an electric car, I don't like the idea of owning an electric car right now. It's a first generation car, and the technology is changing too much, too fast.

Mileage wasn't an issue for us, and Ford was throwing some crazy incentive money for leasing. They asked us what terms we wanted (2 years, 10000 miles.) They came back with a price lower than what my research said (X-plan minus rebates.) They had an extra $1500 in rebates. We could've qualified for another $1500 rebate from the state of California, but we would've to keep the car for 3 years, so we didn't get that one.

It was painless to agree on a price. We had to wait a bit to go see the finance guy, but again, it was painless. He made a low-key offer on all the finance extras, but we passed. The salesperson walked us through singing up for the Ford Sync website, and we were on our way.

We both really like the car. The only downsides are that the battery takes some space in the trunk, but not a big deal. I love how quiet car is. During the week, we don't use any gas at all because both of our jobs are within the 21 mile electric-only range. Very happy with Ford, with the C-Max, and with the dealership.

driver100

We had decided to do a lease

Well done verdugo! I think you were wise to lease at this particular time too. The technology is going to be changing rapidly, and you don't want to be stuck with a Betamax car...one that becomes extinct.

I like the fact Ford didn't need bailout money as well, but, that was more by an accident....they had troubles earlier and had to get their house in order.

Sounds like you got the right car for you. And we just moved another piece of metal.

sterlingdog

Congratulations on the new lease and upon selecting Ford as your choice. I really enjoyed reading your well written and informative post. You thought it all out, made a plan, did the foot work, and ended up with what you wanted. That's how you do it. Though I am not a fan of leasing, your needs and personal situation make leasing good sense. As Driver says, there are certain situations where leasing is the best solution. Being a Ford fan myself, I'm sure that you will enjoy the car very much. Happy driving.

Richard

houdini1

Congrats on the new ride. Keep us posted on how it does over time.

It sounds like Nissan made your decision easy. $41,000. for a Leaf? Even $36,000. sounds like highway robbery. I would have guessed about $25,000. tops, and negotiate down from there.

bwia

The salesperson walked us through singing up for the Ford Sync website, and we were on our way.

Very nice post and congratulations on the purchase of the C-Max. For a moment there I thought your final two would have boiled down to the Volt and the C-Max but apparently the Chevy MyLink couldn't sing as well as the Sync.

Happy pollution free driving and enjoy the ride.

explorerx4

but pretty interesting
could be used on a car.

nyccarguy

Mazel-Tov & congratulations on your C-Max plug in. Must be quite a scene with that next to your Wrangler in the driveway;)

roadburner

Very cool! Thanks for sharing it with us!!!

roadburner

Congrats!!!

verdugo

Thank you all. We're pretty happy with it so far. I'll keep you guys posted on how it goes.

"Must be quite a scene with that next to your Wrangler in the driveway;) "

Yes, but not as crazy as having a different car on the driveway every weekend. The neighbors probably thought we were drug dealers. :-)

bwia, nice catch on the typo. My wife didn't like the way the Volt looked, so that was that.

houdini1, exactly. $41k for a car and it didn't even have power seats.

Oh, another thing that I just remembered. The Nissan sales manager wanted to convince me to buy the Leaf because I'd save so much money in gas. I stopped him and told him that if I was interested solely in saving money, I wouldn't be buying an electric car.

graphicguy

Explorer...thanks for that video....I really enjoyed it. For a small school, one that presumably is more focused on academics rather than sports teams (who, in their right mind, would prefer a football or basketball scholarship to Miami vs Ohio State?), lots of good players and coaches came from there.

Again, that's where I spent my formative years. Loved being there. Learned a lot (both academically and socially) there. Remember it fondly and go back at least twice/year to meet up with old friends (and make new ones).

http://experiencemiamioh.com/

Verdugo.....congrats on the new CMAX....keep us posted how you like it.