On 7/14/2022 3:51 PM, Mike Gordon via olympus wrote:
<<And yes, we don't like our cars to be computer operated, but that ship has
long
<<ago sailed
Who said that? Not the point and using technology in cars had been low hanging fruit for
quite awhile. The point is the company is using rather underhanded "nibbles"
after the sale (I suspect to the unwary) to generate cash cows. T
I still don't get it. Sure, some article used the term "cash cow", but that's a financially ignorant reporter trying, as
you say, "to make for a more entertaining" article. But wait - they give you open ended use for $415, rather than the
prior year $500 to buy. How is that a cash cow? Opting for $18 /mo. may work out in their favor, depending on how long,
but that's about a fool and their money. The monthly option for anything is more expensive for long term use.
I'm crap at higher math. But I did an amazing amount of financial analysis for a Fortune 500 company, including
generating a value for thousands of owned and leased properties that went into an LBO. A big NY financial powerhouse
bought a major company based in considerable part on my analysis. A whole lot of high powered folks vetted it. I know
from financial analysis.
As I said, the only way this makes sense is if manufacturing costs go down by having only one seat option and one
installation option.
No, wait, if the forever option is not transferable to a new owner, and depending on the average holding period, some $
may come from that, as well. Now, that would be underhanded. Got a copy of the terms handy?
That is one of the oldest negotiating tactics in the book. I recall buying our Bimmer
and a nearby dealer to the one we were at had the exact car tricked out exactly as
preferred in a manual (does driving a manual correlate with some affection for MF?) in a
color preferred by the CAO. (Chief Aesthetics officer). " Oh, BTW, the mats are
extra at $400.00." The manager read my expression and said, yeah, we will throw
that in. He admitted that goes over like a lead balloon with frugal New Englanders.
The seat warmer subscription will NEVER fly in New England.
They'll buy boots that are 17% off, but not heated seats . . . Whatever.
I think you may have misconstrued my tone.
Simple B&W text, no emojis. Coulda fooled me. 😁
Feigned outrage makes for a more entertaining post. As long as the seat
warmer subscription model leads to someone else's tuckus being frozen, that is
only amusing if perhaps slightly irritating. Outrage needs to be preserved
for appropriate rare circumstances such as when your own tuckus has been frozen.
<<I like the Adobe model.
I prefer Topaz model. If don't get an upgrade everything works just fine. PS
certainly is better than it was and still worth the cost, IMO, but I don't
like that everyone wants a subscription for software that might be used a few
times a year.
It's all the same to me. Topaz has been regularly improving their products, I use them a LOT, and pay for the
subscriptions every time.
I don't think I am in the minority here.
<<<Spite. Nose. Face?
Not really. Again an attempt to jazz up my post but there are many reasons
the car just isn't on the next short list besides this. The low profile run
flat tires are a bad match for icy, pot holed NE roads. Probably have been
through 3 on each wheel. due to pot holes. ZERO trouble with the Tahoe tires
of course. (apples, oranges) The cars have very expensive parts and have
required dramatically more repair than our infinity. I think they are much
over-rated though do drive well on dry roads.
I don't have any sort of strong opinion on BMW these days, pro or con. I was
only commenting on the seat thing.
One son bought a certified used 2007 Audi A4. I've "inherited" it. It's been a few years now, and it's never failed to
get us where we are going and back.. Nice car, drives well, lots of lux features. I kinda wish it were a 2008, when they
slightly lengthened the wheelbase, for more leg room in the back. Maybe it picked an inch here or there in interior
room, too? Perfect size for Carol, who is the principal driver, only a tiny bit snug seeming for me.
With a son who used to work in the repair business, mostly for VW/Audi and drives a VW and a superior local shop, any
replacement is likely to be another Audi. It's better looking than the newer ones, and runs great with less than 80,000
miles, so it's got more years in it.
<<<Should that 95# teenage daughter pay for it?
Yes, if she doesn't wish to be super saddle sore after 6 hours in the saddle
for several days. No real way you could know that.
I most clearly remember a Mexican "saddle", a wooden A frame with a couple of blankets thrown over it. Now that was a
pain in the tukus, and nearby areas.
Fully Subscribed Moose
--
What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
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