Competing for Customers and Capital

July 20, 2017

The Ultimate Honda

I posted an ad on Facebook to sell my Honda. Right click on Facebook and select "Open link in new in window" to review my ad. Here are the highlights:

2005 Honda Civic Hatchback Si
Five photos taken in June, 2017
Viewed 65 times
One expressed interest in buying
Several asked "Why should I pay the cost of a new one for your old Honda?"
Zero to 60 in 7.2 seconds
Price $25,000 Or Best Offer
Manual 5 speed shift on the dashboard
i-VTEC DOHC
Only 12,800 original miles
Been garaged most of its life
I'm the original owner
Have all the original papers from Honda Finance: bought on 4.26.05, paid $19,272.

The following table compares 2006 with 2005 models on all dimensions. The three-door hatchback began in March 1984 as part of Honda's NCE (New Concept Engine) program. It was motivated by Ikuo Kajitani's vision of Variable Valve Timing for Power and Fuel Economy. He "had become convinced that Honda's next engine should offer a mechanism that could alter the timing of valves." To achieve this result "...the team adopted valve timing and lift settings that were comparable to Honda racing engines in order to enhance volumentric efficiency. The improved output resulting fom that technique actually served to improve performance at high speeds. Additionally, measures were taken to reduce intake resistance. At last, the goal was reached, with a full160 horsepower at 7,600 rpm and a redline a 8,000. The VTEC engine had finally revealed its complete performance profile" ... in the 2005 three-door hatchback. It was time to move on to the next phase.

Feature/Spec	2006	2005	Difference
Vehicle Type	Coupe	Three-door hatchback	New Body Style
Wheelbase (in.)	104.3	101.2	3.1
Length (in.)	174.8	165.7	9.1
Width (in.)	68.9	66.7	2.2
Height (in.)	53.5	56.7	-3.2
Engine	2.0-liter i-VTEC DOHC	2.0-liter i-VTEC DOHC	New components
Horsepower @ rpm	197 @ 7800	160 @ 6500	+37 hp (23%)
Torque (lb.-ft.) @ rpm	139 @ 6200	132 @ 5000 rpm	+ 7 lb.-ft. (5%)+1200 rpm
Redline (rpm)	8000	6800	1200
Transmission	6-speed manual	5-speed manual	+ 1 speed
Fuel Economy city/hwy	22/31	26/31	-4
Emissions	LEV-2	LEV-2	Same
Weight (lbs.)	2877	2782	95
Tire Size	P215/45 R17	P195/60 R16	Larger wheels and tires
Passenger Volume (cu. ft.)	83	84.7	-1.7
Leg Room (in.) Front/Rear	42.6 / 30.3	42.2/33.0	0.4
Hip Room (in.) Front/Rear	53.0 / 49.2	51.2 / 48.4	2.25

My 2005 Honda Civic Hatchback i-VTEC is The Ultimate Honda ... the only remaining original vehicle with low milage and a clear genetic record. That's why its worth $25,000 or best offer.

Posted at 08:30 PM in Autos | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jan 10, 2021

How to get started in personal investment?

Personal investments will help you set aside finances for reaping benefits later on in your life after you have retired from work. Investing can guarantee you a happier ending; the goal of investments is to put your hard-earned money into multiple investment vehicles with the expectation that these will grow over the years. But, as a beginner, you may feel intimidated by the prospect of making personal investments; so, how should you go about it?

Tips on ways to get started with personal investments:

Start early: The best way to make personal investments is to begin as early as possible because this will fetch you the best possible returns. Compounding ensures that your bank balance keeps growing over time. For instance, you may choose to invest in stocks. While such investments are risk-laden, you have plenty of time for the money to overcome different ups and downs, and grow steadily. So, start investing, even if it is only in small amounts.

Decide on amount: Your next task is to determine how much you wish to invest; you must have well-defined goals and stick to these. For instance, most people think of retirement as a goal and aim to invest part of their salaries annually to lead a rewarding post-retirement life.

Create an account: You cannot start investing without an account. Those who do not have 401(k) can opt for a traditional retirement account. For those who wish to invest for other goals, you need a brokerage account. It is possible to withdraw money from such accounts at any time. Most online brokers, that provide both regular brokerage accounts and IRAs, do not ask for minimum investments to create accounts.

Trading platforms: To trade securely, you should seek the best trading platforms available. Choosing one is not easy and you need to consider multiple factors like security, ease-of-use, variety of investment options available, and fees and commissions. It should include best trading sites of 2021. Any good broker will offer more than just help to make trades; it is advisable to identify one that provides quality research materials that will help you become a smart investor. Finally, look for trading platforms that guarantee round-the-clock supports through chats and phone calls.

Understand investment options: Before making investments, you must know what each type of investment entails and what the risks are. Stocks, for example, will give you ownership shares for a company; they can be bought for share prices. Bonds are loans provided to a government entity or company that will repay you within a stipulated time-period; you are entitled to interests during this period. Bonds are less risky compared to stocks but yield lower returns. Mutual funds, on the other hand, are a cluster of many investments where you do not need to pick out bonds and stocks but buy different types through a single transaction. Like mutual funds, ETFs offer many individual investments together but these are traded like stocks and bought for share prices.

Choose an investment strategy: This is important to stick to your investment goals. When savings goal is for retirement you can put your funds into stocks. For short-term goals, it is best to keep money in a savings account which is less risky than investing in stocks. If you are unable to make a choice, you can create an account vis-à-vis a robo-advisor that will use algorithms to handle your portfolio.If you're serious about investing in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, you should choose for robot-driven trading, which uses algorithms in the background, to perform profitable trades. Crypto-robots such as Anon System allow you to perform test trading. To get a better start in the trade, look at the Anon system test findings and user experiences. This system has a good user-friendliness rating.