• 🍉 Albert 🍉@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    at uni I got a laptop, it was the cheapest 2 in 1 tablet laptop thing. it was ok but did like it, so next month I returned it and got one that was 200£ more expensive, wasn’t satisfied either, so next month I did the same.

    I did it like 4 times until I ended with a surface 2. which served me though my degree.

    I’m curious how long I could have done that

    although for practical purposes, it would only work with Chromebooks, as installing and setting up every month is a bit of a pain.

    • GrapheneOSRuinedMyPixel@sh.itjust.works
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      5 days ago

      installing and setting up every month is a bit of a pain

      Repent of your sins and turn away from imperative ways, for the Kingdom of Reproducibility is at hand. Convert your heart to NixOS and accept Its grace; this is not a suggestion, but a command for your eternal soul.

    • Diurnambule@jlai.lu
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      7 days ago

      With you user name my brain translate your upvotes as down vote. I have to do a double take each time when wondering why the down vote. This is a good way to keep training the brain to not believe first takes

    • finitebanjo@piefed.world
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      8 days ago

      I think the meme hinges on the idea that the dealership has to do business with him. The dealership has every right to never do business with him again.

    • PhilipTheBucket@quokk.au
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      8 days ago

      If he just had his buddy do the second part of the story instead, it would have been believable. But, it would have missed the emotional payoff that way.

      • thedirtyknapkin@lemmy.world
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        7 days ago

        would only work if buying in full and would still require a messy title transfer and taxes when he gives the vehicle over.

        the best way would be to have the non-buyer do the first part then the person that actually wants it do the second.

        that said, it would still probably give you a big hit to your credit score unless buying outright, and if you can afford to buy the cat in cash you probably don’t need to be running two man cons for a discount in the first place.

        • LoreleiSankTheShip@lemmy.ml
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          3 days ago

          I mean, depending on the price of the car, the discount could very well be worth it, regardless of how much money you already have.

  • UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml
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    7 days ago

    Dealerships are just another middle man leech that needs to be cast off if we are ever to find peace in this life.

    But people seem to have low standards, and they remain.

    • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
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      3 days ago

      Dealerships are a reasonable middleman to exist. They provide a legal entity within the state, which is useful for resolving conflicts. They simplify logistics for manufacturers by having set places to deliver larger amounts of cars, and handle issue that arise from shipping more reliably than singular customers.

      There are downsides to them, but none of them actually get better by removing dealerships and having people deal with GM or Toyota directly where there’s even more power imbalance.

    • Potatar@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      I really believe, if you cannot buy a “internal rocket launcher powered go machine” on your own, you shouldn’t have it.

      I’m sick of people using dangerous technology without knowing anything about it. I’m not asking people to be able to build it… just know the gas laws at least.

      • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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        7 days ago

        I don’t really understand how that improves safety. I guarantee you don’t know how your computer works because no one knows how a computer works.

        It’s all too damn complex now.

        • Agent641@lemmy.world
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          7 days ago

          I’m not eligible to use my lungs because the gas diffusion physics at work are baffling to me.

        • Potatar@lemmy.world
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          6 days ago

          I do know how a computer works though, at least the abstract idealized computer. I really hope I know because my last long term project was about machine learning models (not how to apply, but how to improve models), otherwise…

          How it improves safety: Knowing the limits of the system you use is quite useful wouldn’t you agree? Knowing why brakes can fail, and in which conditions would be a lifesaver for example.

          Maybe it’s ADHD dude, I learn what I use.

          • nieminen@lemmy.world
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            5 days ago

            How does this relate to a dealership? Someone already mentioned, they’re just a greedy middleman, and provide no benefit to the consumer in the modern day

      • markovs_gun@lemmy.world
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        6 days ago

        Lemmy is weird as fuck have you ever bought a car? What exactly do you think goes on at a car dealership? Do you think they make you take a class on how to operate a car when you buy one?

      • StuffYouFear@lemmy.world
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        7 days ago

        Was a Honda mechanic for a very long time. The base level knowledge of how stuff just works always surprises me. 90s level and earlier cars you could fix alot on your own. 2003 and beyond though, cars are too damn complicated. For mechanics working on them, the labor rate never went up to match the complications with the new crap they put out.

        • applebusch@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          7 days ago

          That’s intentional. They don’t really want anyone to fix their cars because they see it as bad for their bottom line. The best outcome for the car manufacturers is to make a car that is completely irreparable, forcing even a minor failure to require full replacement. The problem, as always, is capitalism.

          • piccolo@sh.itjust.works
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            7 days ago

            Its not exactly intentional… but its just convient coincidence. In order to get every ounce of fuel efficiency from an ICE to meet the current envorimental regs, the engine is loaded with hundreds of sensors and computers. But, what is intentional is the manufacturers do not release their diagnostic tools, so only “authorized” mechanics can only trouble shoot problems.

          • ryedaft@sh.itjust.works
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            7 days ago

            Saab went under because they weren’t making enough money from repairs, right? There may be a similar problem with electric engines but I’m sure the car manufacturers will find a way to make them shitty so they can make money.

        • BeeegScaaawyCripple@lemmy.world
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          7 days ago

          yeah i miss my 89 nissan. that was a dream to learn mechanics on. i could fit my whole arm in that engine compartment without taking anything out. now we drive a hybrid and i can change the wiper fluid and tires and that little spark box frightens me a little.

        • applebusch@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          7 days ago

          That’s intentional. They don’t really want anyone to fix their cars because they see it as bad for their bottom line. The best outcome for the car manufacturers is to make a car that is completely irreparable, forcing even a minor failure to require full replacement. The problem, as always, is capitalism.

  • optional@sh.itjust.works
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    7 days ago

    That’s standard procedure here. It’s called Tageszulassung (one day registration): Dealerships register new cars on their own name for one day, so they’re able to sell them as “used”. This allows them to sell the car with a higher discount than they’re normally allowed to, according to their contract with the manufacturer.

    For the customer it means they get a better price, but otoh they have to take the car as it is and can’t choose which extras they want. For the dealership it means they can sell more cars, making them eligible for bulk discounts themselves. And the manufacturer is also somewhat ok with that because they sell more cars without being forced to lower the catalogue price.

  • seathru@lemmy.sdf.org
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    8 days ago

    I bought my own return back off amazon warehouse for a fraction of the price, does that count?

    • kamenLady.@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      I think it qualifies.

      In Brazil, back in the 80s, i bought cheap older LPs and changed the price tag to that of a new LP.

      Then i would exchange them for new records. So i always got new stuff for half the price.

      It worked until i had each one my school friends go to the store once to reclaim the replacement, after i did it the first time.

      It only worked in that specific store, because of the way they tagged the prices on the LPs.

      Does this count somehow?

  • 𞋴𝛂𝛋𝛆@piefed.world
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    8 days ago

    No new cars have 0 miles. They have all been driven in transit at various stages. No one cares that you drive one like this. Carfax is garbage nonsense anyways. All that shows is the state record which likely wasn’t processed within 30 days. Most dealers are on a monthly or quarterly cycle anyways. Like with my auto body paint business most of my dealers paid my purchase orders monthly, some quarterly. That sucks because I had to float the funds in between, and automotive paint has enormous overhead relative to profit margin. I doubt any dealer is filing paperwork on any sale immediately. The 30 day window is likely just formalizing the filing window that already existed, and likely coincides with an increased filing window for dealers. No dealer really cares about individual sales like this anyways. The thing everyone cares about is volume and turnover rate. Everyone also knows only fools with too much money buy new or from dealerships. New cars burn tons of money from day one, and almost all used cars at lots are lease returns or repos. In both cases the car is beat and unmaintained. No one I worked around at many dealerships owned a car off the lot. I went to wholesale auctions as an agent a few times and it is a joke of a clown show. I started buying stuff off Craigslist to sell to dealers on the side when business was slow, because much better cars can be found this way and for better prices than auctions without the nonsense constraint of never being able to drive the auction cars prior to sale. I have never owned a car that sold for less than I paid for it initially, which is a brag few people even think about or realize is possible. You just need to know how to spot a deal, and cool rare cars people will still want to drive in the future.