The Investment Thread (stocks, bonds, real estate, retirement, just not gold)

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
WVUPharm2007 said:
Musk is far from all knowing. He's a man child with a physics degree that thinks he knows everything about everything.

But what is indisputable is that 0-60 in 2-flat at what a Plaid costs is an incredible value.

Electric is going to win in the end. It's inevitable. I get it. Engines make cool noises. Loud noise fun. But all technology becomes outdated eventually. This will include the internal combustion engine.

The biggest car dudes on the planet are shocked by how truly awesome the acceleration is. Like when Doug Demuro took it for a spin.

THERE
Click to expand...
There is a lot more to driving than 0-60 times, right? There is left turns, right turns, etc. There are top fuel, dragsters that do 1/4 mile in 3 sec. Can't get any cooler than that? right! Why would anyone want to dispute 0-60 in 2sec? And who exudes coolness more than Dougie Demuro? The king of cool!

I understand the future is electric, maybe hybrid more than electric. But who wins in that future? Not the car enthusiasts. Maybe the geeks.
Members don't see this ad.
 
RXDOC1986 said:
There is a lot more to driving than 0-60 times, right? There is left turns, right turns, etc. There are top fuel, dragsters that do 1/4 mile in 3 sec. Can't get any cooler than that? right! Why would anyone want to dispute 0-60 in 2sec? And who exudes coolness more than Dougie Demuro? The king of cool!

I understand the future is electric, maybe hybrid more than electric. But who wins in that future? Not the car enthusiasts. Maybe the geeks.
Click to expand...
Ain't nobody buying a track car to drive around day to day, though.

If you want to criticize them for and finish, I get it, but you have to admit that the plaid is an exceptional value.
 
The future is electric but I don't see them taking over anytime soon. Maybe by 2050 or 2060. All this talk about 2025-2030 is silly. Manufacturers can barely supply them for the next 2-3 years. The wait list for anything with a battery is a year+. There are hardly any public chargers anywhere. My local mall has like 6 chargers and they're always in use. Rolling blackouts are becoming more common. The power grid can't handle the current demand, what happens when everyone is charging at home? Not everyone owns a single family home. People in apartments and condos rely on the 2 available public chargers at the grocery store. The average person can't afford an EV.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Members don't see this ad :)
owlegrad said:
Isn’t gas already approaching $10/gallon in CA?

I suspect electric will accelerate VERY quickly with those kinds of prices.
Click to expand...

LoL at people who spend 30k-70k on an EV to "save gas money".

You can get a used Camry for 5k and it'll last 300k+ miles. There's still Hondas and Toyotas from the 90s on the road.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
mentos said:
LoL at people who spend 30k-70k on an EV to "save gas money".

You can get a used Camry for 5k and it'll last 300k+ miles. There's still Hondas and Toyotas from the 90s on the road.
Click to expand...
Have you ever owned a 5k car? You will forever be sinking money into repairs. I bet the true cost of owning that “5k” Camry will come out much higher in the end. And of course people just don’t want to own crappy old cars.

Having said that, there are of course many people who can’t afford a 35k car. They also can’t afford $10/gallon gas so something somewhere will have to give.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
owlegrad said:
Have you ever owned a 5k car? You will forever be sinking money into repairs. I bet the true cost of owning that “5k” Camry will come out much higher in the end. And of course people just don’t want to own crappy old cars.

Having said that, there are of course many people who can’t afford a 35k car. They also can’t afford $10/gallon gas so something somewhere will have to give.
Click to expand...
I owned a revolving door of Tauruses from 1999-2015. All were around that price. Definitely didn't sink that much into them.
 
  • Hmm
Reactions: 1 user
owlegrad said:
Have you ever owned a 5k car? You will forever be sinking money into repairs. I bet the true cost of owning that “5k” Camry will come out much higher in the end. And of course people just don’t want to own crappy old cars.

Having said that, there are of course many people who can’t afford a 35k car. They also can’t afford $10/gallon gas so something somewhere will have to give.
Click to expand...

Yes I just sold a 13 year old Accord with 185k miles for 5k. Nothing wrong with it, I just decided to upgrade since I have disposable income. The only major repair was a wheel bearing. Other than that just routine oil changes, tires, brakes and wipers. It still ran smoothly.

Before that I've had a 94 Accord with 158k miles, 93 Civic with 177k miles, and 96 Integra with 141k miles. No major repairs and all bought for under 5k.

If people wanted to buy an EV to save on gas then they'd get a Nissan Leaf for 20k after tax credit and rebates. But they'd rather spend 50-70k on a Tesla to "save gas money".

The high initial cost of EVs is a real barrier to entry. Just like owning a home vs renting, owning a home is cheaper in the long run but no one can afford the down payment. The average person can't afford the high cost of an EV, even if it saves them money in the long run. That's a $700-1000/month car payment!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
mentos said:
Yes I just sold a 13 year old Accord with 185k miles for 5k. Nothing wrong with it, I just decided to upgrade since I have disposable income. The only major repair was a wheel bearing. Other than that just routine oil changes, tires, brakes and wipers. It still ran smoothly.

Before that I've had a 94 Accord with 158k miles, 93 Civic with 177k miles, and 96 Integra with 141k miles. No major repairs and all bought for under 5k.

If people wanted to buy an EV to save on gas then they'd get a Nissan Leaf for 20k after tax credit and rebates. But they'd rather spend 50-70k on a Tesla to "save gas money".

The high initial cost of EVs is a real barrier to entry. Just like owning a home vs renting, owning a home is cheaper in the long run but no one can afford the down payment. The average person can't afford the high cost of an EV, even if it saves them money in the long run. That's a $700-1000/month car payment!
Click to expand...
Or a plug in hybrid. I'm still rolling around in my 2015 Fusion Energi. 20 mile range on EV (only about 18 miles these days). Good enough to get to work and back, either way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
WVUPharm2007 said:
Or a plug in hybrid. I'm still rolling around in my 2015 Fusion Energi. 20 mile range on EV (only about 18 miles these days). Good enough to get to work and back, either way.
Click to expand...

Prius Prime is an excellent deal too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
mentos said:
Prius Prime is an excellent deal too.
Click to expand...
That’s what I drive.

Every car I have owned that was out of warranty had upkeep repair costs but perhaps I was unlucky. The best was a Toyota Carola (sp) that lasted a long time before I upgraded. The repair costs for that were pretty reasonable. The worst was a Volkswagen New Beetle that is probably negatively coloring my opinion because I sank a crazy amount of money into that thing before letting it go.
 
owlegrad said:
That’s what I drive.

Every car I have owned that was out of warranty had upkeep repair costs but perhaps I was unlucky. The best was a Toyota Carola (sp) that lasted a long time before I upgraded. The repair costs for that were pretty reasonable. The worst was a Volkswagen New Beetle that is probably negatively coloring my opinion because I sank a crazy amount of money into that thing before letting it go.
Click to expand...

Toyota and Honda are the most reliable for ICE cars, at least the ones that are made in Japan are. I think the ones made in US and Mexico aren't as good. Scott Kilmer on YouTube always tell people to buy an old Toyota. He loves his 94 Celica.

In general, American and German cars are unreliable and expensive to fix. EVs are a whole new ball game however. I think Toyota EVs will still be reliable since their Prime vehicles are technically EVs but with smaller batteries. The Prius has historically been reliable and well built.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Members don't see this ad :)
@owlegrad

There will be a $35k ID4 next year:
www.caranddriver.com

2024 Volkswagen ID.4 Review, Pricing, and Specs

The all-electric 2024 Volkswagen ID.4 has an accessible starting price and up to 275 miles of driving range—plus the space rear passengers love in an SUV.
www.caranddriver.com www.caranddriver.com

$25k after incentives, that's cheaper than a CR-V, Rav4, Forester etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Thoughtfulsinner said:
Some other purchases of undervalued stocks I've made recently that I expect to at least double within 12-24 months:

AMWD at 47
CAL at 19
PLCE at 49
BGCP at 3.95
BERY at 57
GFF at 18
Click to expand...
Since April 9th..
GFF 18 -> 32.79 +82%
CAL 19 -> 28.67 +34%
AMWD 47 -> 52.4 +11%
BERY 57 -> 59.42 +4%
BGCP 3.95 -> 3.24 -18%
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
mentos said:
@WVUPharm2007

New Chevy Bolt for 26.5k

www.thedrive.com

2023 Chevy Bolt Is Now Nation's Cheapest EV at $26,595

Just as competition begins to heat up in the EV space, the Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV are getting massively discounted up to $6,300.
www.thedrive.com www.thedrive.com

This is the new model year without the fire issue.
Click to expand...
No rebate though, right?

Still. Very nice price. The Cadillac XTS I have books for $27k somehow even though it's a 2014. Crazy that I could make a straight trade.
 
WVUPharm2007 said:
No rebate though, right?

Still. Very nice price. The Cadillac XTS I have books for $27k somehow even though it's a 2014. Crazy that I could make a straight trade.
Click to expand...

No $7500 federal tax credit but your state probably has a rebate. Mine is $2500 for EVs even if there's no tax credit.
 
mentos said:
No $7500 federal tax credit but your state probably has a rebate. Mine is $2500 for EVs even if there's no tax credit.
Click to expand...
I am guessing the odds of West Virginia having a rebate is minimal (unless he is not longer in that state)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I'm going to start to DCA 1k/week into VTI. I have 60k cash in Roth so it'll take me about 14 months.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
For those watching on the side waiting to pull the trigger like I once I was, go right ahead. This is the opportunity.
 
Chrish said:
For those watching on the side waiting to pull the trigger like I once I was, go right ahead. This is the opportunity.
Click to expand...

Weak rally. I want SARK below 60 or SQQQ below 50 again.
 
I added more short term SPY puts.
 
The S&P peaked around 3225 before Covid. Still a while before we hit bottom.
 
I don't try to time the market (DCA'ing weekly between 403b, Roth, and brokerage), BUT I have been allowing myself to buy extra on days the market is down >3% to scratch the itch.

You only lose money if you sell.
 
Watching Bitcoin hit 19k at 1am…. Anyone think now is a good time to buy?

I find it interesting that it seems to me etherium is out tanking Bitcoin.

I still think we have a ways to go..
 
Wow, it's down like 70%. And people are suicidal over the S&P being down 20, lol.

Bitcoin is never going to become the world currency. The central banks won't, and shouldn't, lose control of their money supply. They will create their own digital currencies. It was priced as if it was worth more than gold, which is ludicrous.

It has utility as a means of moving money on the black market and will continue as such. This adds legitimate value.

It has value to the weirdo ultra libertarian types that think they are ushering in a new world order with their home brew world currency. These people will never sell. They will go down with the ship. With smiles on their faces. That adds value. Not much, but some.

Now where does this correlate to value in dollars? I have no idea.
 
I won’t touch crypto with 10 foot pole.. if you want to gamble put it in Tesla..
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
JustFillIt said:
Watching Bitcoin hit 19k at 1am…. Anyone think now is a good time to buy?

I find it interesting that it seems to me etherium is out tanking Bitcoin.

I still think we have a ways to go..
Click to expand...

I wouldn't buy until 15k. Crypto bull cycles are every 3-4 years so don't expect it to be green for a few years or more.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
WVUPharm2007 said:
Wow, it's down like 70%. And people are suicidal over the S&P being down 20, lol.

Bitcoin is never going to become the world currency. The central banks won't, and shouldn't, lose control of their money supply. They will create their own digital currencies. It was priced as if it was worth more than gold, which is ludicrous.

It has utility as a means of moving money on the black market and will continue as such. This adds legitimate value.

It has value to the weirdo ultra libertarian types that think they are ushering in a new world order with their home brew world currency. These people will never sell. They will go down with the ship. With smiles on their faces. That adds value. Not much, but some.

Now where does this correlate to value in dollars? I have no idea.
Click to expand...

Yea I agree with this.

I suppose I have just come to the conclusion that sometimes crypto is worth buying for no other reason really than to make money.

To me - crypto is a measure of the worlds willingness to just throw money into a pile in the hopes that everyone else will do it too. And you know what - there are times where millions of people are very willing to do it.

It’s almost like a pyramid scheme without any sort of merchandise that someone ultimately gets stuck with. Same concept with NFTs.

There is no denying that there is tons of money to be made in crypto. And, I would also agree that there is no denying that the “crypto” itself is practically useless.

I think we are entering a time where very few are willing to throw money into the pile.
 
I would argue that there is tons of money to be lost in crypto but I wish everyone well in their speculation.

Being willing to buy something you think is worthless because someone else will pay you more for it…you think that is going to end well? I do not.

Another issue with crypto is “which one?”. Anyone who follows the space knows it overrun with rug pulls and scams. So pretty much just bitcoin then? Fair enough but then people should say that instead.

Why is any one coin better than any other? How do you predict future value?

Also, much of the narrative around bitcoin/crypto is just false. Limited supply? It’s infinitely divisible so supply is unlimited, never mind that it is literally minted from nothing. Private? Anyone can view the entire history of the ledger. Secure? It’s so secure you can lose everything by forgetting your passcode.

Even the name is misleading. You can’t call something currency that can’t even be used as such. The whole thing is ludicrous and it’s stupid that people are going along with it.

I have been wrong before about crypto so ultimately time will tell but I just don’t see it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
KCAB said:
How are you investing in this bear market/high inflation environment?

A bear market takes on average 2 years to recover. So, where are you putting your money?

I am still putting money into my tax saving accounts (401 k, HSA) but not my brokerage account. I have some cash but with 8-9% inflation, I don’t want to hold it too long. I have been thinking about buying a second home (condo) but only if I can pay most of it in cash to manage risk.
Click to expand...

I've been staying the course with 401k and HSA but cashed out my taxable and Roth a couple months ago when VTI was 226. I've only been trading a little in my Roth, buying short positions on rally days: SARK, SQQQ, TSLA puts and SPY puts. It's been working so far. I don't risk more than 10% per trade. I go 1-2 months out for puts and it eventually goes green. I'm down big on crypto, just holding those heavy bags and wish I never touched it. Any excess cash goes into Ally savings account but I would like to save up and buy a rental if the real estate market ever cools down.

People seem to think we've hit bottom or close to bottom but I've lived thru 2008 which took 6 years to recover. I don't see how anyone can think this is the bottom after only 5-6 months. Day 1 of the recession was literally last week.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
KCAB said:
How are you investing in this bear market/high inflation environment?

A bear market takes on average 2 years to recover. So, where are you putting your money?

I am still putting money into my tax saving accounts (401 k, HSA) but not my brokerage account. I have some cash but with 8-9% inflation, I don’t want to hold it too long. I have been thinking about buying a second home (condo) but only if I can pay most of it in cash to manage risk.
Click to expand...

No changes mainly. Still maxing 401k, HSA, and putting a small amount in taxable on the side. I am holding more cash than normal in case the market tanks so I can load up. Cutting back (trying) on unnecessary expenses and trying to save more $ since gas/groceries are insane.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

P
Real estate investment/speculation
Replies
35
Views
3K
mentos
mentos
CetiAlphaFive
What's with the obsession with crypto and stocks that a certain personality type of pharmacists have?
Replies
17
Views
2K
RxPreceptor
RxPreceptor
A
Is this real? 300k income as a pharmacist?
2
Replies
50
Views
6K
pharm B
pharm B
Lexington2012
Rite Aid just filed for bankruptcy
Replies
9
Views
1K
RxPreceptor
RxPreceptor
sunnyandseventytwo
Easy job where you don’t do anything or real job with real responsibilities?
Replies
17
Views
1K
Dred Pirate
Dred Pirate
Top