2016 Price Increases

[TimR]

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1470416550' post='3105901']


Nice 'French' villages?
[/quote]

Irony.

[mentalextra]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1470416770' post='3105902']
Lovely French villages, preferably without any French people in them. To paraphrase Bishop Heber: '[i]France; where every prospect pleases and only man is vile[/i]'
[/quote]

[stingrayPete1977]

You forgot 9/11 and the moon landings!

[Misdee]

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1470342737' post='3105407']
35 years? Who are these 'many'?

Many members of this forum might believe that, say, Fenders have been over-valued for 35 years, but if the market for fenders has sustained those prices for 35 years then I'd say that would be a pretty good indication of what those fenders were actually worth.

That's not to say that circumstances couldn't change such that their value suddenly plummeted, but I'm not sure that's the same as being overvalued in the past.
[/quote]

I say most of the last 35 years, because for the most of that time the pound has traded above it's current level. It has been unusual to get less than 1.5 dollars to the pound. A higher dollar rate favours American exports at the cost of transatlantic trade in the return direction. This suits certain vested interests, but does not necessarily reflect the true buying power of the respective currencies. Numerous economists have drawn attention to this discrepancy.

Regarding the UK retail value of brands such as Fender, goods are priced to a market, and you can't blame any company for trying to get maximum profit.

Except for Warwick. They are taking the piss.

[4stringslow]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1470416342' post='3105898']
It's probably for the best if we don't have interest rates at all. [i](Sticks hands in pockets, awaits arrival of Dad3353 bearing proposals for 'villages')[/i]
[/quote]

Now there's an idea, though current interest rates are almost non-existent anyway. I say that as someone who remembers those heady days of the 80s when mortgage interest rates were 12% or more and everyone moaned about how unaffordable they were. These days, borrowing has never been more affordable except 'the powers that be' conspire to make borrowing just as difficult by insisting on large deposits, which of course are mostly unaffordable.

An acquaintance recently had to renew his mortgage when his fixed rate period expired. As it turned out the new interest rate was slightly lower so his new repayments were slightly less . . . but his bank would not offer him a new deal because his loan to equity ratio was no longer within the bank's revised 'affordability' criteria. So he was turned down for a new mortgage on the basis of affordability even though he had a proven track record of being able to afford higher payments than those on offer! Such are the sorts of anomalies that can arise when the 'computer says no'.

Fortunately, said acquaintance was able to beat a path through the bank's automated 'help' lines and eventually have a conversation with someone with the sense and authority to realise the stupidity of the situation and eventually authorise the new loan.

Anyway, where were we . . . . ?

[mentalextra]

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1470428096' post='3105992']
. . . . . . . was able to beat a path through the bank's automated 'help' lines and eventually have a conversation with someone . . . .
[/quote]

The final part of the application process

[Dad3353]

Villages..!

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[gary mac]

This one has run it's course and with insults being added to the mix, enough is enough.