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ljflx, you are a smarter, more successful guy (maybe even younger and with more hair) than I am so I will defer to you. But consider this. If a company paid the commision at the time of the sale, not on receipt down the road of payment in full, several things would happen.
With immediate payment they could pay less of a commission, indeed less of the discounted cash value of that future commission because the sales guy would value the cash in hand much more. Because the reward would be more immediate he would be more motivated to try harder tommorow. Americans, especially sales types, have a very short time horizon. I'll bet that you in your company could reduce the comission way under what it "should be" for an immediate payment rather than waiting for the cash to come in. You, ljflx, could in fact make more money. This must work. Afterall, don't whole life guys sometimes even get as high as 150% of the total premium for the first year's commisions?
Now, the Wall St. guys are a special and different case because they were taking on more risk to the owners and no additional risk to themselves in order to enhance their compensation. Typcially, in most other fields a sales guy doesn't get to play with the numbers and put the house at risk. He just sells the widgets and management has pre-determined the price, terms, and customer base. The Wall St CEO's were essentially head sales guys/chief asset gatherers. They had no interest in the long term value of the house and the benefits that should flow to the owners. Goldman from what I read is the only exception to this.
Merry Christmas to all of the posters. I've learned a lot and enjoyed it immensely,
The Block Island Guy
I enjoy every ones posts immensely, and wish nothing but health, and blessings to all who frequent here!
Dan Hamilton
That Wall street story is rather sickening. These guys thought they were brilliant and all they were doing was building income for themselves on bad investments that in most cases made no sense. My 17 year old could have done that.
Oil off another 10% today and RBOB at 78 cents! I think in NJ we are going to see 1.20-1.25 gas before much longer.
Have a great holiday.
Len, where I live, we had already seen $1.38 gas (10% ethanol) a couple weeks ago. There was a spike up to $1.65 and in the past 5-7 days it has been gradually coming back down. It was $1.47 this morning (maybe lower this afternoon, but haven't looked). I watch the RBOB on a daily basis. This way I can pretty much predict what it will do at the pumps the next few days to a week. With the RBOB at 79 cents at the close today, I imagine that the price at the pump in my area will go down to $1.20-1.25 over the next week to 10 days assuming the RBOB stays at 79 cents. The price at the pump should be about 40-45 cents higher than the futures in my area. Obviously, it is a big assumption that the RBOB will stay at 79 cents long enough for the price at the pump to adjust to the futures market. However, the way it is acting, I would not be surprised to see the futures go lower yet from here. It looks like crude is indeed heading to $25. We are in an extremely depressed economy right now and for at least several months to come.
That said, I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone on this forum a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy and Healthy 2009. Let's all hope and pray for the start of a remarkable economic recovery sometime in 2009.
Have fun, guys.
It actually looks better in real life.
Regards,
OW
I really appreciate all of the posters on this board and learn every day from all of you.
Regards,
OW
Regards,
OW
Dakkar Rally
Regards,
Jose
No, alas, not I...
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Merry Christmas, all.
Actually I spent our Christmas driving 1500 miles from Boston to Florida. We left about 5:30 Christmas eve and arrived about 5:00 Christmas evening for almost 24 hours in the MDX. I know that we beat up Acura here, I agree given some of the goofy styling but the MDX is great. 4 people, 2 big dogs and a Thule roof box all travelled in comfort. Now I awake to a very dirty MDX that needs a wash, and my old friend, a 2001 BMW 330 cabrio which lives down here year round - basically as a retiree. I am looking forward to washing it and taking it for a spin as it has been sitting idle for many months.
I did smell a fresh Rum Cake as I passed Tampa yesterday so I imagine that 'ol H got what he wanted for the Holidays.
No SUV proves better that you can have a comfortable seven-passenger SUV without having to drive a giant. Although Honda's Pilot, which is the relative of the Acura, also gets kudos for a versatile eight-passenger SUV without becoming super-sized.
TM
Everything looked perfect with the Santa, except for his "hair" which oddly was a white afro wig??? :confuse: In the cargo area, this huuuugee bag filled with hershey's and babyruth candybars. Chat with him for a few mins, apparently he stopped next to houses and corners, handing over candybars to kids in the area.
A few guys said he's crazy and his ride was "environmentally unfriendly" when they walked pass him (how could you say that?), I say it's true chritmas spirit no matter how I look at it. I'm looking forward to find him on local newspaper soon.
But... the Hummer is definately a sled.
TM
As far as "faults" go... I've got tons... just ask my wife.
TM
Nor even a glass of single malt whiskey as Jimbres had. But later I diluted my deception in a big balloon of wine (Tinto Pesquera's Special Reserve) while listening to Wynton Marsalis' and Hermann Baumann recorded plays of Haydn's Concerts for Trumpet and Horn respectively. Instead of Christmas Carols.
Regards,
Jose
Ah, I dare not ask Santa for such a favor. As I truly believe that Santa and my EW have a direct connection, she is one of his best cutsomers! But, the memories of lovely young women and their Infinitis continue to haunt me...
Well, not so much the Infinitis.
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Well, not so much the Infinitis.
Ah I can imagine myself sitting behind the wheel of a G35 or FX35, with the "Infiniti girl" (the name's been decided now) at the passenger seat.
Anyways I walked past local Lexus dealership yesterday and found a few salespeople still at work. Check this out: CPO 2007 GS350, ventilated seats, nav and MarkLevinson audio, rearview camera, 18" wheels, 20300 miles, all that for exactly $32,000. Other 2007 GS are about the same price there. Not much of a Lexus fan but still, that's a very good starting point for negotiation don't you think? especially for a Lexus...
Regards,
OW
If it looks similar enough, I'd seriously consider it along with the upcoming Honda CR-Z Hybrid Sport Coupe. In fact, I think I prefer it over the Honda.
If it was available now... very good chance I'd buy one today. Could also be the perfect car for Dewey, although I think he prefers having 4 doors. If that's the case he might want the upcoming HS 250 Hybrid Sedan from Lexus. Here's a rendering of that car, which will be revealed January, 11. Word is the size will be between the IS and the ES... IOW, just about right.
Looks like hybrids are about to gain more momentum.
TM
I know that a lot of you are probably saying "what a depressing place to visit". Well, it is depressing but we are hoping for the best after our son-in-law lost his job with Ford (industrial engineer) 4 months ago. It is incredibly difficult to get a good job these days as you all know. Hopefully, he will eventually land closer to where we live. That would be awesome.
Tag, I still cannot believe your 180 degree turnaround on hybrids
IIRC, the new RX is to be available in two wheelbase versions. Still true?
And, if so... which one is your wife interested in?
If the RX450h comes as a seven-passenger, my wife might show some interest. Let me know.
TM
I agree the A6 and M35 are better cars, yet a used 2006 A6 3.2 still requires about $36k here, a used M35 can be had for similar $34-35k. Yet an 07 GS goes for as low as 31-32k is what they're offering here. I'm not taking the bait, but I guess some others will... well, of course, the catch is you have to pay in cash to get the price.
In the interim with my CR-V which eventually goes to E.D. in 3 years, the interior room makes the 3-series look very small. I returned the 3'er yesterday and bid farewell to BMW for a while while I re-economize! :sick:
I really am impressed with the driving dynamics of this Honda as the steering feedback is far better than I expected and out-handles my wife's Denali by a mile due to the 1 ton weight advantage and ride height. Pretty good value for $22,500 for a 2008 EX AWD.
An acquaintance bought a 2005 A6 a few months back for $29K with ~ 30K miles in NJ. Real nice ride for the price.
Anyway, I am looking forward to the NYIAS and definitely will check out the Infiniti exhibit to see the G 'vert AND if the famous "Product Specialist" Dre travels here form Boston....I'll be sure to ask if she remembers the gentlemen in the Patriots cap from the NEIAS!
Regards,
OW
TM
Here is the link of the press release in case you have not read it yet. I think you will be impressed with the new technological features.
http://www.lexus.com/fcv/RXandRXh/RXandRXh_popup.html
Yeah, I got the drift on your M/T preference long ago as I always read your informative posts. This CR-V is for my daughter who turns 16 in '09 and will learn on it and will eventually become her first vehicle in 3 years.
So far, even though power-starved, it does everything else quite well indeed. What a trip vs. the 330xi, though!
Regards,
OW
OK, I'll bite. Why is Maine's E-ZPass better? I live in NY & get my E-ZPass from the MTA Bridges & Tunnels agency. Can I close my current account & open a new one with Maine - assuming, of course, that it would be to my advantage to do so?
Then the EW, I fear, heads to the local Porsche/Audi dealer and declares that she wants a Porsche. The last car that she purchased/negotiated was a Chevy Monte Carlo, bought from the boyfriend/Chevy salesman that she had dumped the week before! Yet, she claims that he gave her a great deal! Yes, and the lovely Infiniti Product Specialist remembers me... :sick:
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
I didn't think an A8 or S550 was all that much fun. For comfort though, they are pretty tough to beat. I don't think an old Toyota FJ or Silverado can really compare. When it comes to long highway slogs, seat quality makes all the difference, leather has little to do with it. The seats in my wife's old RX300 were good for maybe 2.5hrs before the back aches set in. The S6 on the other hand, no aches or pains, no matter how long the drive.
As for total driving pleasure, try driving a Maserati GT, Jag XKR, or Porsche 911 on a twisty road, and then try doing the same thing in a pick up truck. I don't think so.
Here's a few of my dreams for the New Year:
I'm not going to let a little thing like the economy stop me!
Regards,
OW
I checked Edmunds TMV for the following - bmw 530, audi a6, mb e350, lexus gs350, and infiniti m35- all 2007 MY, and the result are similar to real time pricing offered here: bmw-$34500, audi $36200, mb $35400, lexus $32300 and infiniti $33500.
The same goes to non-luxo brands, Honda sedans have much better resale value than Toyotas here, the opposite goes for the SUVs.
Just curious BIG, the difference between each pickup, is it really that obvious? Given my height pickup trucks were never a good choice for me. The only pickups I've driven are the Silverado, Frontier, Ram1500, and Honda's Ridgeline (the last 2 just out of curiosity). Apart from the Honda I couldnt tell the difference between them. IMO the Ridgeline, apart from looking darn ugly, felt the weakest and most fragile.
And please forgive me if I forgot anybody's denomination above.
So much to talk about with you folks but so little time. Right now I am working long hours and spending too much time with my in-laws during this holiday season.
Tagman--a hybrid Lexus may likely be my next car.
Tony--I was caught speeding in my MB 300D. The cop gave me a compassionate "Mother Theresa look" and mercifully treated me like a downtrodden leper and forgave me by not giving me a speeding ticket. If I was caught in my BMW I can guarantee I would have been grilled, ticketed and proven guilty in court.
Take care.
Paranoid? Perhaps, but have always bought new & never had more than 7 on the OD.
Question for all: On an ordered car, what miles on the OD might cause you to balk?
So, are you then considering the HS250H (available in summer of 2009 I believe)? Are you giving any thought to the new RX450H? I know that you were going the get the new Prius, but something must be appealing to you about the Lexus hybrids coming up.
Good luck with the in-laws
For a car I ordered, I expect under 10 miles. The 330 xi I ordered had 7 miles in Dec. 2005 when I drove it off the dealer lot.
Regards,
OW
I was thinking of you when I recently posted that pic of the Lexus HS250h. 4-door sedan and its size seems ideal... slightly larger than the IS, but smaller than the ES. You can bet it will have the typical Lexus interior and build quality.
Tony mentioned that a hybrid vehicle might be at greater risk for getting tickets, but as much as I like and respect Tony, I have to disagree. I think that the majority of hybrid owners tend to drive them conservatively... it sort of goes with the territory. When in a BMW twin-turbo, you tend to drive it fast, but when in a hybrid, the emphasis is on fuel efficiency, and I believe there is simply a greater tendency to drive within normal limits. IOW, driving style tends to correspond with the the nature of the beast.
I'm glad you are hanging in there. It's a much more challenging world we all live in, and I am going to try everything I know to make life successful in '09... but it will admittedly be an uphill battle. I hope everyone here gets through the next couple of years without too many battle wounds. I think there are still some nasty unexpected surprises yet to come, and many more victims from this financial disaster. And, some may not yet realize they are vulnerable.
I've mostly been driving my F150 around lately. Things have changed so much, so quickly, sometimes I don't think I'm the same person any more.
I've certainly become more humble, and ya' know, that's not a bad thing.
TM
As I posted a long time ago, my car came in maybe a week or so early, and by chance I saw it there...They did drive it twenty miles or so, and I haven`t forgotten ....It may sound petty, but I don`t want you to be disapointed if this same thing happened to you....I promise if it had fifty miles on it I would not have taken delivery, and wouldn`t have an Audi today...Now if the car had been on the lot, and it had fifty miles on it --no problem--...Figure that one out
As perhaps you know, my two last cars have been BMW (a 530d and currently a 335d). Both were in the dealer lot. When I saw them there for the first time their odometer read 3.1 miles and 2.3 miles respectively. (I knew the fully equipped 335d was laying in the lot/stock for a few months by then; I got a nice price discount because of this.)
No change happened from first inspection to the moment I ordered any of these cars. I understood that the these 3.1 miles and 2.3 miles were mainly the result of factory tests, or so I was told.
Later, when I took delivery of the cars the odo read a total of 12.2 and 8.1 miles respectively. The dealer had prevented me that before delivery both cars were going to be checked and road tested. (I hadn't previously test driven these particular cars but other similar from the stock that the dealer has reserved for that.)
All this was perfect to me. I would have been happy also with a few more miles in the odometer provided that any road test had been made by an experienced driver or a prospective client with the experienced driver/dealer seated behind.
Before that I had had my last Citroen (Xantia Activa Turbo with Sport Hydropneumatic Suspension). This car was a CPO car with 281.4 miles in the odometer when I first saw it and 21.6 more miles after mechanical inspection and road test. I lived happily with her up to 151,053 miles. Shortly before that she had become prone to mechanical failures and I trade her in for the 530d.
You can say I am glad with my BMW dealer.
Regards,
Jose
So let's get all this straight because it really needs to be on paper:
You're looking for a Lexus hybrid as potentially a new vehicle,
Tag's in a Ford truck and may look at a Lexus hybrid
I'm in an MB GL450
Now what oddsmaker would have ever called that?
Happy New Year to you.
Rock, personally I'll balk if the car has anything more than 10 miles on the odo. Local Audi once told me that there'll be at least 5 miles on the odo due to official testing session.
You're like a family member of mine who surprisingly visits us every other Christmas or Thanksgiving gathering.
Hope we hear from you more often then just those two days. How about Easter Day or Columbus Day too?
You left out the New Year.
Yep, you're all like family. Wishing you all the very best.