The totally off-topic thread

[Katie]

I will only negotiate on cars already in stock whether at dealer or nationwide.
Therefore When I sign any contract, I will insert into the contract the VIN number of the car that was subject of the negotiation and a clause that the contract is null and void if the car is not delivered.

Dealers will want you to agree to buy a car and sign a contract but will often then try to substitute another car - often a slightly older build date for the same price,

Beware if the dealer says it's a 2015 model. I always ask for the build date which could be 2014. The build date influenced the price I'm prepared to pay and is inserted into the contract as well.

I've had a contract voided when the dealer said that car was sold to someone else. He tried to substitute it but I said I would like to keep to the specific terms of the contract, get my deposit back first, then I'll renegotiate for another car.

Thanks for the ideas!

Do some research into State Gov car auctions.

<snip>
We've normally bought 1to 2 yr old cars (1 yr old Commodore Wagon, no damage at all - 46% off new price and 2 years warranty to sort out any issues). Two and a bit years later saw identical vehicle (same month build/colour) but 45K more kms for sale at car yard for what I paid for mine (and out of manufacturer's warranty then).

Gives you an idea of the mark-ups.

IMHO - never buy an out-of-warranty car.

Best purchase 2 yr old Citroen at 70% off. Ended up costing grand total of <$2,500/yr for the 4 years we had it. That includes servicing and difference in purchase/sale price.

Thanks, will look into it. We've had to rent a car now, so that will spur on my decision making. It's also helped us quickly decide not to get a Jeep Compass.

 

[medhead]

the evil, biased ABC did an excellent program on the 6 o'clock swill many years ago. A line that sticks was something like 'get a skinful before 6 then stagger home and bash the wife and kids.'

Whenever I go into the older Sydney pubs I think of all the filtered beer that has gone into the little gutter around the base of the bar.

 

[Major]

I think the First and Last near circular Quay was one of those early openers. I do remember lots of drinking offers as I left my shifts at the Mail Exchange, but was reluctant to show my amateur status.

I used to catch the Neutral Bay ferry and see suits exit the First and Last after a quick heart starter at about 8 am.

 

[serfty]

I use "about:blank" as my home page.

Saves time ...

 

[Flashback]

Well, I'm sorry.

And so you bloomin' well should be! :mrgreen:

Among the first to go, along with corporate and IT.

Not sure I agree with that on the IT front - someone needs to keep the back end ticking over as well as ongoing strategy for overall cost reductions etc. But then again, I'm just speaking from personal experience.

 

[medhead]

I use "about:blank" as my home page.

Saves time ...

That explains why work makes me have that instead of, oh I don't know, something useful like the clinical workstation or intranet homepage.

And so you bloomin' well should be! :mrgreen:



Not sure I agree with that on the IT front - someone needs to keep the back end ticking over as well as ongoing strategy for overall cost reductions etc. But then again, I'm just speaking from personal experience.

As with environment, my comment is not to say they axe the entire IT function. But they do trim the fat. The first fat goes from non production. They don't start by trimming the one guy who knows how to keep that million dollar pump running at the main bottleneck in the production stream. They make 2 ITs maintain the back end instead of the previous 3 or 4. (or 5 or 6 or 7).

 

[Flashback]

As with environment, my comment is not to say they axe the entire IT function. But they do trim the fat. The first fat goes from non production. They don't start by trimming the one guy who knows how to keep that million dollar pump running at the main bottleneck in the production stream. They make 2 ITs maintain the back end instead of the previous 3 or 4. (or 5 or 6 or 7).

That I would more agree with

 

[medhead]

That I would more agree with

The best laugh I ever had was finding my boss' justification for my position sitting on the printer shared by the whole building. "Medhead is a stinking pile of excrement, but we need to keep his position". I'm sure that judgement wasn't influenced by me highlighting his incompetence. But I did take satisfaction in having written evidence of his failure to understand a basic business process like justification of positions.

For those following at home, this was an S position! While not 35 years, my experience does suggest S is not immune from cuts, no matter how important it is taken to be.

 

[drron]

Freudian slip on tonight's news-

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Freudian slip on tonight's news-

What does Lucy have to say about that !!!!

 

[Pushka]

Haven't they admitted this was doctored?

 

[anat0l]

Haven't they admitted this was doctored?

Not really doctored, just the person typing out the bylines forgetting to put a space in, or the autocorrect somehow thinking that more often than not, the male sexual organ is intended rather than the two words (have no idea how that would work out).

Of course, maybe it was 'doctored', i.e. the typist is having a bit of a lark at work...

 

[jukebox333]

That'd be "doctored and nursed" wouldn't it?

 

[Flashback]

While we're on the mining talk - Australia's wealthiest woman has now slipped down the list: Forbes Welcome

 

[OATEK]

The best laugh I ever had was finding my boss' justification for my position sitting on the printer shared by the whole building. "Medhead is a stinking pile of excrement, but we need to keep his position". I'm sure that judgement wasn't influenced by me highlighting his incompetence. But I did take satisfaction in having written evidence of his failure to understand a basic business process like justification of positions.

For those following at home, this was an S position! While not 35 years, my experience does suggest S is not immune from cuts, no matter how important it is taken to be.

I regard the new passion for footnotes in tiny font a H&S issue!! My poor old eyes complain bitterly as i screw them up to read it.

 

[JohnK]

It's amazing how little things can change your life.

 

[Pushka]

It's amazing how little things can change your life.

Indeed. The straw sometimes.

 

[medhead]

Not really doctored, just the person typing out the bylines forgetting to put a space in, or the autocorrect somehow thinking that more often than not, the male sexual organ is intended rather than the two words (have no idea how that would work out).

Of course, maybe it was 'doctored', i.e. the typist is having a bit of a lark at work...

Actually I understand doctored to mean photoshopped - picture edited rather than a typist issue.

I regard the new passion for footnotes in tiny font a H&S issue!! My poor old eyes complain bitterly as i screw them up to read it.

It's WHS now[SUP]*[/SUP]. But if it's a small footnote there is no need to read it. I'm not selling you a frequent flyer program.


* an ironic[SUP]$[/SUP] small footnote to say at least that's what the WH manager tells me every time I say OHS.
$ possibly ironic because it's not actually small, neither is this one.

 

[JohnK]

Indeed. The straw sometimes.

The straw?

 

[drron]