Stories from the Sales Frontlines

Replying to: jkinzel (May 11, 2008 3:55 pm)

Now, how environmentally concerned are you?
 
Now, multiply your estimate by 100,000,000 vehicles and repeat the question.
 
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

Replying to: jkinzel (May 11, 2008 3:55 pm)

If you keep the car 10 years the difference will be $2625.00 and 700 gallons of RUG.
 
If we get technical, the savings will be less than that as you have to present value that amount.
 
Still it doesn't make sense to buy a car that only gets 3MPG better as in the example provided. You save less than $2625 over 10 years, but you're going to have to pay a lot more than that to get your brand new vehicle. It doesn't make economic sense.
 
Now, if you want to buy it to save 700 gallons of gas over 3 years, that's def. a good reason.

Replying to: mackabee (May 11, 2008 3:15 pm)

Replying to: dino001 (May 11, 2008 3:37 pm)

BTW, at 25 mpg, 5 mpg more translates to $300/year at 15K miles and $3.5/gal.
 
‘dino’, turn your slide rule lights on when you start calculating. Even with a 6 inch slide rule you can interpolate that the dollar amount is $350 not $300. The rest of your math is correct, or close enough, so I assume you turned the lights on after the first calculation.
 
The fuel cost curve is a hyperbola approaching infinity at 0 mpg, so drops are large at low mpgs and small at high.
 
There is no denying that you proved your point here.
 
After being here for 10 years, I see manufacturers and merchants insulting intelligence of their customers and getting away with that over and over again. Marketing and advertizing is almost everything here.
 
I have never lived anywhere else other than the GREAT USA nor do I ever have any intention to do so. However, I’ve heard similar comments from people who came to this GREAT country after living elsewhere so I have to believe this. The only explanation other than the water is, ‘we like to hear what we want to hear’ and because it works most of the time a lot of people don’t want to think. Then we have an economic disruption like the ‘home foreclosure crisis’ we’re in now because people forgot how to think or weren’t paying attention to 5th grade math.
 
People do crazy stuff all around the world, but it's really astonishing how easy people buy into trends here. Almost unbelievable.
 
It would be nice to have everything but even WE can’t do it right all the time.
 
Rant finished
 
Mine too.
 
Edited: see above, Teach made me do it.
 
jmonroe

Replies to this message:
• richard64 (May 12, 2008 6:38 am)
  • chikoo (May 12, 2008 6:46 am)
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  • traindriver (May 12, 2008 6:51 am)
    • obyone (May 12, 2008 8:34 am)
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• dino001 (May 12, 2008 9:11 am)
  • jmonroe (May 12, 2008 10:06 am)

Replying to: jmonroe (May 12, 2008 6:09 am)

"I have never lived anywhere else other than the GREAT USA nor do I ever have any intention to (do-sic) so."
 
You might change your mind after the 2008 elections.
 
Richard

Replies to this message:
• chikoo (May 12, 2008 6:46 am)
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• traindriver (May 12, 2008 6:51 am)
  • obyone (May 12, 2008 8:34 am)
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Replying to: richard64 (May 12, 2008 6:38 am)

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• richard64 (May 12, 2008 9:04 pm)
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Replying to: richard64 (May 12, 2008 6:38 am)

You might change your mind after the 2008 elections
 
Yeah, I don't think anyone could survive Bush 3.0.

Replies to this message:
• obyone (May 12, 2008 8:34 am)
• snakeweasel (May 12, 2008 1:51 pm)
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Replying to: traindriver (May 12, 2008 6:51 am)

Replying to: jmonroe (May 12, 2008 6:09 am)

Yes, it's $350. Sorry. So?
 
However, I’ve heard similar comments from people who came to this GREAT country after living elsewhere so I have to believe this. The only explanation other than the water is, ‘we like to hear what we want to hear’ and because it works most of the time a lot of people don’t want to think. Then we have an economic disruption like the ‘home foreclosure crisis’ we’re in now because people forgot how to think or weren’t paying attention to 5th grade math.
 
You totally nailed it! This is a Great country - big part of its greatness was achieved BECAUSE it made it possible for people without 5th grade math skills rather than shutting them out. It finds a way to make them more productive and engaged for promise of life that is better than their actual paycheck. You and I it's not really true, but they don't. In other places people hear "don't even try". Here they hear e.g. "yes, you can buy $300K house on $35K wage" and they believe it. Since belief is half of achievement, some actually do achieve it. It's one of those great contradictions.
 
Like you said - works most of the time.

Replies to this message:
• jmonroe (May 12, 2008 10:06 am)