Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with value

Is this creepy-looking steamer trunk a priceless antique?

Orb2069 — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:58:37 -0800

This trunk is a curb recovery - I was hoping to lightly scrub it to remove some of the surface rust and seal it - To keep that 'Silent Hill' look without having the rust rub off on everything. Will I be destroying a priceless antique? What's the best choice for sealing it while keeping it's creepy look intact? The interior is in better shape - The wood's intact, and apart from needing some new lining material, is fine. The drop-in trays are long gone, but the rails for them are still there. The exterior leather is rotted off - As far as the metal fixtures go, I haven't tried locking or unlocking it, but there's no key. The hinges work freely, however. The metals seem functionally intact, but this is probably never going to be a showroom piece.

Antique Bicycle Roadshow Filter

snsranch — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:58:25 -0800

What's your guess on how much this bike is worth. Someone is trying VERY HARD to get this bike from me and is willing to spend around $5k US. I think he's nuts, and I'm not letting it go anyway because I like it.

I'm very curious to know what you guys think and various bike forums are letting me down.

The bike: Bottecchia manufactured in '83 or '84. 12 speed road bike, metallic blue with all the original decals and badges. Some of the decals note that it's a replica of a bike that won the 1966 national championships in Italy or something like that. It's all original aside from tires and tubes and is in pretty darn good condition.

I purchased it new in Naples, Italy for about $300. I put a few hundred miles on it and then it went into storage. Forgive me for not posting photos, but it's still in storage and I haven't seen it in a couple of years.

I know there are some hardcore and knowledgeable Mefites Bikers and appreciate any facts or opinions you have!

Thanks!

New residents of Seattle. Please help us choose a neighborhood to buy a house.

valannc — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:35:59 -0800

Seattle region filter: We are new residents of Seattle, from New Jersey, enjoying our exploration of this wonderful city. We are house-hunting and have narrowed down our choice of neighborhoods. Any opinions or advice? Criteria:
- Commute is less than 30 minutes to South Lake Union.
- Quiet streets and beautiful light. We really like the light in the areas close to Puget Sound.
- Re-sale value. We have no kids, but we prefer good schools and desirable areas -- for resale value.
- Walkable friendly community.

Neighborhoods, in order of preference:
1. Richmond Beach. Wonderful quiet neighborhood seems like a retreat from the city. But not a bad commute. However, there is the Point Wells development looming. It could change the whole character of the community.
2. North Beach. I like the relaxed feel of the neighborhood.
3. Blue Ridge. I think it's a bit too spruce and upscale for us. But there are some beautiful houses.
4. Sunset Hill. What a lovely community! But the lots and houses tend to be small. Houses are selling quickly in Sunset Hill, despite the "buyer's market."
5. Magnolia. Shorter commute to South Lake Union, but homes are more costly, and the area is kind of isolated from the rest of Seattle.

Also, is there any advantage/disadvantage to living in Shoreline vs the city of Seattle?

Buying property with a water view... How can I confirm that the nice view will remain unobstructed over the years?

valannc — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:54:18 -0800

We are house-hunting in the Seattle area. Looking at property with water views. Willing to pay the higher price that comes with a view. But I'm reading some horror stories about how a neighbor will build a tower in front of your view, or neighbors who refuse to trim their tall shrubs. And then your view is obscured and your property value drops. How do I research this? How can I know if the viewshed is protected or not? What sort of monitoring would I need to do over the years? I will ask my realtor to research it, but I'd like to hear from people with experience with this issue.

Gaming system for around $800?

furiousxgeorge — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:06:35 -0800

I'm looking to get a new desktop PC for gaming purposes. I want to spend around $800. Where do I go for the best bang for my buck? I'm generally a pretty computer literate guy, but every time I buy a new PC I get lost in trying to figure out the best value between various options, especially with key things like the processor, RAM, and video card. There are a million options and I can't gauge what is better than what and what is good value for the money.

Got any tips for what I should look for, or even links to systems you would recommend?

Mostly I just play WoW and I would like to play with the video settings turned all the way up and have a decent frame rate in Dalaran.

What used acoustic guitars are under valued?

magikker — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:42:48 -0800

I'm looking to buy a used acoustic guitar that didn't hold it's monetary value. Which brands should I look for? Let me explain. A Martin or Gibson which cost 2 grand ten years ago is still worth 2 grand (or more) on the used market. A Tacoma that cost 2 grand ten years ago now sells for under a grand used. It's still a good guitar, but now it is a steal for what you are getting.

I'm not looking for a good monetary investment, as I don't expect to be reselling it. I want a good undervalued player's investment. Are there other brands,models,years that are selling for a lot less than what they are worth in terms of quality?

How do i use Michael Porter's value chain analysis for an airline company (not aircraft)?

red_rika — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 01:14:58 -0800

How do i use Michael Porter's value chain analysis for an airline company (not aircraft)? Hi there, I am just wondering how do i associate the value chain analysis for an airline company? I am mainly focusing on the primary activities (inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing & sales and service).

Thank you in advance.

Pricing a domain sale to a non-profit org

kalapierson — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:16:33 -0800

I'm talking with a non-profit org that wants to buy a domain I've owned for years and haven't used at all. It's time to name a price. Ideas? The domain is a short English word ending in .org (it's not my primary domain unfurl.org, but it's on the same scale of length/simplicity).

It would be a great domain for this non-profit to own because they're using an oddly spelled form of the word as their current domain, and my domain is the real English-word form. (I doubt it's recognizable from that description, but just in case: for their privacy, please don't speculate here about their current name.)

So I emailed them yesterday saying, hey, wanna buy this domain because I haven't been using it and if it were yours you could redirect visitors who misspell or misremember yours? They emailed back saying they are "definitely interested" but "as a nonprofit [their] funds are limited." They want me to tell them a price.

I do still have notions that I would like to use this domain, so it has value to me; but I also support this org's mission, and I accept that cash is more useful than holding onto the domain, in terms of supporting the work I'm actually doing right now.

They are an arts org that's administered by (funded by) a major private university. Do you have ideas about where I should research this question, or what price I should quote? Feel free to email me or message me if you want to talk in private. Thanks!

Best Value at Sephora

amicamentis — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:59:12 -0800

Ladies – Which Sephora products are really worth it? I was given a gift card for my birthday, and would like to use it to purchase some makeup or other girly things that are a higher caliber than what I am used to.

Question: what products are available there that are worth every penny?

My makeup regime consists of light powder, eyeliner + mascara, and occasionally eyeshadow. I apply lip gloss during the day but have not given up on the idea that someday I might find a great lipstick.

I know that Sephora carries other commodities (skincare, perfume), but those are usually much more expensive and I don’t want to spend a crazy amount above what will be covered with the gift card, which has about $50 on it.

On the flip side, are there any tools or products that are available at Sephora but definitely not worth the price? Or is it all subjective? I live in NYC, by the way, so the stores carry a fuller range.

Help me get wine out of my house

skylar — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 09:46:34 -0800

How do I get a case of wine valued and sold? I have a case of 1978 Chateau Meyney Prieure Des Couleys Saint Estephe, which has been kept in a dark cellar. I've gently lifted one bottle and there's no sign of it looking grody. However, I'm not a drinker and have no idea what quality the wine is, what the value might be, or how I might sell it. I'm based in London, England. Any advice gratefully accepted.

Are there any significant disadvantages to going to medical school in the Caribbean?

SeizeTheDay — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:17:14 -0800

Are medical schools in the Caribbean a respectable alternative to the traditional route of going to school in the US? I know a young person who recently got accepted to, and is now destined to goto, a Caribbean medical school in lieu of finishing a traditional undergraduate degree in the US and applying here. I have some major concerns because I'm more of a traditionalist in the academic sense, and I'm very afraid that their education will be subpar and would put them at a significant disadvantage to tradional medical school graduates.

Here's what I know: 1) They still need to apply to, and get accepted to, a residency program in the US following med school. 2) It's a tougher climb to get into residency. 3) They will not graduate with an undergraduate degree, and could put them in a disadvantage should they decide that being a doctor isn't for them anymore.

What I don't know: 1) Does the fact that the school is located in the Caribbean really matter (i.e. is the education actually subpar)? 2) Are there any professional disadvantages that doctors here can attest to? 3) If there's really no downside, why don't more people do this? (or do they, and I'm just unaware) 4) Is my concern justified, or am I simply being an overly traditional academic?

Why are these Hot Wheels more valued?

punkfloyd — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:42:07 -0800

Calling all Hot Wheels Redine experts. Does anybody know why the 1973 "Snake" and "Mongoose" cars that are stamped with 6969 are worth much , much more than cars with a different number? Not looking to sell, I just want to understand logic behind value.

Old Car: How to decide on repair vs. replace?

Juffo-Wup — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:39:05 -0800

I drive a 1992 Toyota Camry with just over 203,000 miles on it. As far as I know, the car is in good mechanical condition except that the rear struts are in fairly desperate need of replacement. How do you calculate the payback period for repairing an old but paid-off car, and how might you use this information to help decide whether to repair the car or buy a newer used car? The Camry is paid off, starts reliably and runs smoothly and quietly. It burns about three quarters of a quart of oil every 3,000 miles, but its rear struts are shot. They make rattling noises going over even the mildest of bumps and over the past few months, the car's ride has become increasingly rough because of this.

So far, I have only obtained one estimate on repairing the rear struts and that estimate was $1,200. That sounds high to me and I plan to get one or two more estimates but regardless of the actual cost, I don't know how to compute the payback period of such a repair. (I'm also not sure that a 'payback period' is what actually needs to be computed in order to make an informed repair vs. replace decision.)

If I were to purchase a newer car, I would most likely buy a 2002-2004 Toyota Corolla, for which I would pay about $10,000. Given my credit rating, I expect the monthly payment on a 4-year $10,000 loan to be about $250. My monthly insurance payment would also increase by about $50, resulting in a net monthly car payment increase of $300. I could afford this but would prefer not to pay it if I don't have to; that is, if it wouldn't cost me even more money to keep my current car running. I expect that I could sell my car in its current condition for about $1,000, which I could use against the first three months' payments or as a down payment, lowering the loan's principal by $1,000.

My initial line of reasoning was as follows: If I pay $1,200 to repair my car, and the car works for another 4 months without needing any further repairs, I will have broken even on the repair since $1,200 divided by 4 (months) is $300. I soon came to realize that this line of reasoning assumes that the car would become undriveable within 4 months if I do not have it repaired. I do not know whether this is the case but I suspect that if push came to shove, I could probably drive the car to and from work (40 miles round trip) for at least another four months without repairing it, letting the ride become rougher until the car possibly shakes some other vital component loose into a state of total malfunction.

As far as other maintenance goes, I replaced the battery and flushed the engine's coolant last year, flushed the transmission fluid (because the torque converter lockup mechanism was sticking; the flush completely fixed this) and replaced the radiator (its plastic end-cap had cracked open) about two years ago, installed new rotors and calipers on the brakes about two years ago, had the air conditioner's condenser replaced about four years ago, and replaced the timing belt at 150,000 miles. I replaced the front struts about 5 years ago as they had gone bad. I'd say the tires have about 25,000 miles left on them.

If I drive the car until it literally dies, I guess I'd be on the hook for the cost of towing it to a junkyard as well as a couple days' rental until I could obtain a newer car. If I preemptively buy a newer car, I feel like I'd be unnecessarily making large insurance and loan payments.

Is there some general formula that can be used in situations like this to help indicate whether a repair is worthwhile? I would also appreciate any specific advice any of you may have.

He's no blue blood, but it's still worth something.

kendrak — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:29:03 -0800

What's the value of blood donations? Is some blood worth more than other blood? My partner has been a blood donor for half of his life, and recently he's been classified as a "rare donor". Apparently his blood is perfect for some baby, so he only donates when asked to (as opposed to quarterly like before). He's noticed that since he became a "rare donor", the people at the blood bank have been nicer to him and he thinks it's because they get more money for his blood than a normal donation. I wonder if this is actually true. Would extend to normal donations, such that a donor with O- would bring more money to the blood bank than AB+?

I think he's sort of crazy, but he has got me wondering and it's starting to bug me. I did read this Freakonomics blog post about blood donation, but it is more about compensation for donors and less about the actual value of the bood.

How does new value created by industry and economy become cash?

SlyBevel — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:47:15 -0800

(Possibly Advanced) Economics Filter: How does new value created by industry and economy become money? This question is NOT: "How are freshly-minted dollars sent into circulation?"

It IS: When the industry of a country (we'll use the US here) produces more valuable good and services than there is physical currency to satisfy demand, how does that country's mint get the currency into the hands of those who are entitled to it?

I'm sorry that I'm having a hard time wording this question well. Here's where my confusion comes from:

The US constantly produces more currency. Much of that replaces currency that is removed from circulation due to wear or obsoletion, but in aggregate, I'm assuming that there are more $100 bills in circulation today than there were in, say, 2002. It's granted that the Federal Reserve banks send currency to your local bank so that you can withdraw cash, but that money was already in your hands in another form. Your employer/customer had it stored until you were to be payed, so it didn't come directly from the Treasury.

So how do NEW dollars...ones that are generated by the economy, not yet backed by currency, and then demanded in currency...get distributed?

How to compare currencies' subjective value?

nobody — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 14:30:09 -0800

I understand that trading between currencies is what sets their exchange value, but is there a standard way of determining how each currency feels to people living in each currency's native country/ies? This may have been asked here recently, but I couldn't find it. In case it's not clear what I'm asking, an example would be whether a pound feels twice as valuable to someone living in London as a dollar feels to someone living in New York (assuming neither travels outside their home city). My guess would be that a pound in London feels more valuable than a dollar in New York, but not twice as valuable. And my guess is that a Euro to a Berliner feels about equal to a dollar to a New Yorker, but is there a way to quantify the comparative subjective value? Are there conversion tables for this like there are for exchange rates? Is there something economically significant about a discrepancy between two currencies' exchange value and the comparison of those two currencies' felt, local values?

Should I sell my signed Harry Potter book?

jonty — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 13:02:56 -0800

Should I sell my signed copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"? I'm proud of it, but not attatched...yet. I won a ticket to the official 'Midnight Signing' of the new book in London. By sunrise I had met JK herself and was the pleased-as-punch owner of a signed copy of the book.

So here’s my dilemma: I’ve been offered $5000 by a well known book dealer, and I'm tempted.

Help me rationalise the situation - it's just a book, isn't it? I know I'm fortunate to have this option at all, but am I selling too soon? Will it appreciate in value? Am I going to regret it in ten years time?

Finding the value of a century old violin?

Monkeyzulu — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 19:31:54 -0800

I have an old violin that I can't find the value for anywhere. Can someone help? The label says: Williams Artist/ No. 701 1890. Thanks

I want to have value past my mundane existence?

crewshell — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 02:21:25 -0800

Lady Li posted a question (2 below this one) searching for this quote... "Most people can't think, most of the remainder won't think, the small fraction who do think mostly can't do it very well. The extremely tiny fraction who think regularly, accurately, creatively, and without self-delusion – in the long run, these are the only people who count." How do I become one of those people who count?

How to judge the value of a used motorcycle?

jclovebrew — Thu, 03 May 2007 13:15:45 -0800

How do I assess the fair value of a used motorcycle? I'm shopping on craigslist for my first motorcycle. A lot of the bikes on there seem to be priced high relative to the Kelly Blue Book value. When asked, some of the owners claim the premium is based on something like a fancy custom paint job, or the bike being an excellent condition hard-to-find classic. Not sure if I buy this. If the bike is rare and expensive, wouldn't that be factored into the blue book value?

Is there any resource I can use to assess fair value? I know edmunds.com has something called True Market Value (TMV) that spits out a price based on a number of variables. That has been helpful for me in car shopping and selling. Is there a similar resource for motorcycles?

If I can tack on a couple of side questions - What other resources should I be looking at in addition to craigslist? And, would it be worth it to buy a used bike from a dealership? I'm in Seattle if that makes any difference.

How does Half Price Books determine the trade in value of books/cds/dvds?

snowleopard — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 21:27:09 -0800

How does Half Price Books determine the trade in value of books/cds/dvds? I took a box of books to Half Price Books the other day, and they offered my $5 for the lot after looking them over for only a minute or so. How did they come up with that figure? Do they look up the isbn of every book on Amazon.com or ABE and offer 1/4 the going rate? Or is there some other formula that's super secret and mysterious, a closely guarded secret among the longhaired hippie guys that populate the behind-the-counter area of my local HPB?

Also, is there any way I, a mere mortal, could access whatever secret formula they use and thus determine what I'm likely to be offered for my box of books before I make the arduous quest to the store?

Will this Wendell?

wendell — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 06:50:51 -0800

Should I 'sell' my online identity? Or maybe just rent it out? Communication from another MeFite (not a lurker but not not a familiar MetaPersonality) complaining after I stopped updating my "Photoslop" photocomics has led to an interesting offer. Believing that they could do a better job of being "wendell" than wendell, this person is offering to pay me for most of the unused or under-used domains I own. But this person also wants my "wendell" persona, including the WendellWit.com blog and my accounts at MeFi and elsewhere as "wendell" or "wendellwit", believing that it carries some value in goodwill that would make the sites more successful. It never worked that way for me, but the other party thinks it's important. I could then go back to MeFi and other places with a new nick and reveal myself as "the Old Wendell" but not use anything with "wendell" as part of a username while the "new" wendell would keep their true identity totally secret. Based on a good suggestion I got elsewhere, I'm pushing for a kind of "licensing" contract that would give me the chance to take it all back later if the New Wendell turns out to be a bigger loser than the Old Wendell (which I consider definitely possible). But based on all our communication and my research on this person, I don't expect to be embarrassed by anything they'd do with my "name". (If you didn't know, Wendell is not my REAL name) This does not involve a sell-my-soul amount of money, (and the more strings I put on it, the smaller it gets) but it is tempting, partly just for the chance to 're-invent' myself while somebody else keeps my old 'name' going. But still... it's weird.

Should I make the deal? (The person wants to start at the beginning of a month, which means either Tomorrow or May 1st) Would YOU take such an offer? Are there any legal issues I should be seriously thinking about? Is this person nuts? Am I nuts?

There's got to be more than two...

cubby — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:39:32 -0800

What objects gain value through use and time? Some things gain value over time, like wine or rare books. But they lose value by being used -- and so many collections are dedicated to preserving objects in pristine condition. There are a few things that actually become more valuable, or even more useful, the more they are used. I can only think of two examples: the cast iron skillet (the nonstick seasoned surface gets better with each use) and the Yixing teapot (the unglazed clay absorbs oils from tea each time it is used, enhacing the flavor of each subsequent brew and making the pot more collectable - previously). Can anyone think of other examples where the value and/or utility of an object increases with both time and use?

How much for the blood diamond?

dobie — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 19:52:13 -0800

I just watched the film Blood Diamond and am currently wondering just how much would that very sought after diamond actually be sold for? I've never even set foot inside a diamond store so I am clueless. it seems like it must be worth a lot, what with all the jungle trekking and blood shed.

I believe that pink diamonds are worth more... But like, how much are we talking here?

Experts say Brand X is now significantly less distinguishable from name brands!

goodnewsfortheinsane — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 11:40:11 -0800

For which products or services is it worth it to buy name brand instead of generic brand? When will brand X do just as well, or even better?