Update Season X - "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Vol. I."

[Joe Biden 2020]

Yes, exactly. Bushie's family is well-off by any standards, and for rural Oklahoma, they are living like royalty.

No, not so.  They're just very average - living pay-check to pay-check.  Having a few old beaters isn't a sign of being 'well-off'.

They just bought a brand new car.

Her old car was about to cost mucho dollar in repairs.  It was time to put it out to pasture or start wasting money on repairs.  We hadn't bought a car since 2007 and this was our first brand new car since the early 80's.  They want to pay it off before Dad retires.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

See! They're doing fine! My family hasn't bought a car since 2007 either. He and I are on the same level financially, and I can afford to have a girlfriend. I just choose badly.

[Joe Biden 2020]

We normally keep our cars for 8-12 years.  The car we just traded in lasted nearly 8.  Dad's SUV has over 250,000 miles and is a 1998.  We bought it in 99.  We plan to put another 100,000 on it if we can.

[Joe Biden 2020]

As of this morning, I was down to 258.2 lbs.  I seem to take 3 steps forward and 2 steps back.

[Lief 🗽]

You're taking 0 steps forward and 0 steps back because your weight has plateaued because you're still eating unhealthy food.

But we're all over the diet storyline. Have you talked to Allison again?

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Have you talked to Allison again?

I'm hoping he calls her on his lunch break, as long as he doesn't have a moutful of food when he calls, of course.

[Torie]

Yes, exactly. Bushie's family is well-off by any standards, and for rural Oklahoma, they are living like royalty.

No, not so.  They're just very average - living pay-check to pay-check.  Having a few old beaters isn't a sign of being 'well-off'.

They just bought a brand new car.

Her old car was about to cost mucho dollar in repairs.  It was time to put it out to pasture or start wasting money on repairs.  We hadn't bought a car since 2007 and this was our first brand new car since the early 80's.  They want to pay it off before Dad retires.

No consideration was given to buying a car a couple of years old with low miles on it I take it. That is what I do. I bought my Lexus when it was two years old with about 18,000 miles on it, up in Big Bear (thus the low miles, because there is really nowhere to drive up there that is very far, except down the mountain and into Mordor). There was a delay in driving up the mountain to pick the car up, because that Spring it snowed for four straight weekends, and I don't do snow chains. Instead of buying a new Lexus  costing 60K, the one I got cost 35K. I still have it, 8 years later, so the car is now 10 years old. Wasting money that one really does not have to waste, seems to be a veritable art form there in Midwest City, doesn't it?

[opebo]

No consideration was given to buying a car a couple of years old with low miles on it I take it. That is what I do.

That's really extraordinarily parsimonious of a rich man like you!  And it is precisely what I used to do.  Back in the 50s-70s my parents always just bought new cars as they simply had no time to worry about saving money, and had so much income that the cost of a new car was an insignificant expense.  By the 80s however, when I was 'coming up' as they say, I suggested just the policy you espouse, and did the 'car hunting' for them.  Ever afterward we drove huge American luxury cars (usually General Motors) which cost virtually nothing, in perfect condition with very low miles, purchased from the elderly.

[Torie]

Opebo, I have told this to you before, but I prefer up to a point to camouflage my financial status (not here of course, because I prefer as it were to let it all hang out in this hood, so folks get some sense of the whole person). It creates a barrier that I don't want in my life.  Things don't have much meaning to me anyway. Never have for some reason. Experiences (mental and physical) and friendships do.

[opebo]

Opebo, I have told this to you before, but I prefer up to a point to camouflage my financial status (not here of course, because I prefer as it were to let it all hang out in this hood, so folks get some sense of the whole person). It creates a barrier that I don't want in my life.  Things don't have much meaning to me anyway. Never have for some reason. Experiences (mental and physical) and friendships do.

Well in that case - its still a Lexus.

[WalterMitty]

used car chat should be moved to a separate thread.

no offense torie or opebo, no one reading this gives a damn about your car buying habits.

[opebo]

no offense torie or opebo, no one reading this gives a damn about your car buying habits.

Sheesh, Mitty.  Torie cares about my car buying habits, and I care about his.  So, that's not 'no one'.  You don't have to read every post.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

no offense torie or opebo, no one reading this gives a damn about your car buying habits.

Sheesh, Mitty.  Torie cares about my car buying habits, and I care about his.  So, that's not 'no one'.  You don't have to read every post.

I  have to agree.  It's far superior to Inks' drivel.

[WalterMitty]

the problem is torie has to constantly remind us that he is a rich.

we get it...

[© tweed]

Yes, exactly. Bushie's family is well-off by any standards, and for rural Oklahoma, they are living like royalty.

No, not so.  They're just very average - living pay-check to pay-check.  Having a few old beaters isn't a sign of being 'well-off'.

They just bought a brand new car.

and I'd still like to hear about the financing they used to pay for it, how much money down, etc.

[WalterMitty]

Yes, exactly. Bushie's family is well-off by any standards, and for rural Oklahoma, they are living like royalty.

No, not so.  They're just very average - living pay-check to pay-check.  Having a few old beaters isn't a sign of being 'well-off'.

They just bought a brand new car.

and I'd still like to hear about the financing they used to pay for it, how much money down, etc.

my guess is very little money down.  interest payments are probably sky high.  and i bet they got it financed at the car lot rather than at a bank or credit union.

[Torie]

the problem is torie has to constantly remind us that he is a rich.

we get it...

Now we are using the royal "we." You in a bad mood today?  This thread is all about drivel as far as I am concerned. Plus, maybe not everyone knows that buying a car used with low miles, is a good financial strategy. I know this may be hard for you to believe, but many of my posts are designed to try to help folks (granted they all don't necessarily do, but that is the intent). Get it?

[opebo]

Having a few old beaters isn't a sign of being 'well-off'.

They just bought a brand new car.

and I'd still like to hear about the financing they used to pay for it, how much money down, etc.

my guess is very little money down.  interest payments are probably sky high.  and i bet they got it financed at the car lot rather than at a bank or credit union.

Its a new car, so those usually come with very low interest financing, no?

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Having a few old beaters isn't a sign of being 'well-off'.

They just bought a brand new car.

and I'd still like to hear about the financing they used to pay for it, how much money down, etc.

my guess is very little money down.  interest payments are probably sky high.  and i bet they got it financed at the car lot rather than at a bank or credit union.

Its a new car, so those usually come with very low interest financing, no?

0-4% usually.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Yes, exactly. Bushie's family is well-off by any standards, and for rural Oklahoma, they are living like royalty.

No, not so.  They're just very average - living pay-check to pay-check.  Having a few old beaters isn't a sign of being 'well-off'.

They just bought a brand new car.

and I'd still like to hear about the financing they used to pay for it, how much money down, etc.

my guess is very little money down.  interest payments are probably sky high.  and i bet they got it financed at the car lot rather than at a bank or credit union.

$4,000 down, sub 4% interest, and full GAP insurance through State Farm.  Payments ~$540 for 72 months. (I can't recall if it was a 60 or 72 month term).

[Joe Biden 2020]

Anyway, another day is in the books.  I am nearly finished with LAP 9 and should take the LAP 9 test around 9:00 tomorrow.  That means after lunch, I will be able to start LAP 10.  He may add that project back in if he can find the specifications for the project.  I kind of want to do one honestly.  It would be a great portfolio addition.  It would push my finish date back to April 8, but I will spend that week getting some really good practice at my drawings and drafting.  If he decides to leave it out, then I have no objections, either as that means I can move forward.  The project is designed to take a week, if he can find what he's looking for.  I should be able to finish LAP 10 by the end of the day Thursday and LAP 11 by lunch Monday.  I'll either be ready for the project or the final test for Course 3 at that time.

[opebo]

My god, $540/month car payments for 72 months, even after $4,000!  I realize I'm out of date on car prices, but what was it, a Mercedes?

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Did you talk to Allison today?

[Joe Biden 2020]

Did you talk to Allison today?

Not yet.

[Joe Biden 2020]

My god, $540/month car payments for 72 months, even after $4,000!  I realize I'm out of date on car prices, but what was it, a Mercedes?

It a 2014 Ford Escape.