Hypothetical Questions

[SiliconMethod]

I saw both of these on another message board and thought I would share them with you over here since the answers provided can reveal much about your political persuasion and personal character. This was phrased as follows:

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Okay, these are completely fictional, purely hypothetical questions, with no correct answer.

1) Your college-age son and his best friend find a new apartment. Since the friend is a fitness buff he's made a deal, with property management, to provide fitness training to residents, knocking the rent of a $1200 apartment down to $800. Your son has done a budget, and he and the friend agree they can afford $400 each. How do you advise your son?

2) After a long trip, you notice that your new car is not running well. Before taking it to the dealer, under warranty, you discover that the trailer you used weighed twice as much as your car's rated towing capacity. This potentially voids the warranty, leaving you liable for an expensive repair. What do you tell the dealer?

How would you handle these situations, in real life? Can you see the issues, and if so, would you actually live by them?

(BTW, I have my own theory that your politics will say a lot about how you answer each question and how you would handle it in real life.)
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I'll give my own answers later, after some input.

[leyton]

1. My answer...

"1) Your college-age son and his best friend find a new apartment. Since the friend is a fitness buff he's made a deal, with property management, to provide fitness training to residents, knocking the rent of a $1200 apartment down to $800. Your son has done a budget, and he and the friend agree they can afford $400 each. How do you advise your son?"

I read this four times, the only dilemma I see is that the son is not working for his discount. I guess that perhaps my kid should be paying $600 and the friend $200, but if it's a deal they agree to, then it's legit. Give the other kid the better room since he's doing the training, but other than that, what's not to like?

"2) After a long trip, you notice that your new car is not running well. Before taking it to the dealer, under warranty, you discover that the trailer you used weighed twice as much as your car's rated towing capacity. This potentially voids the warranty, leaving you liable for an expensive repair. What do you tell the dealer?"

I guess I'd tell the truth. If I put the trailer on without knowing the towing capacity, it's my fault, isn't it?

[NMDemDist2]

2. i had #2 happen in real life

and took my car to my regular mechanic and had it fixed (he's lots cheaper than the dealer) Ended up with some serious tranny work done.

Re the rent thing, it would depend of if they are signing a lease. If no lease, no problem but my kid would have to be able to give his roomie some added cash or trade (for example, buy all the food from my son's part time job) to offset the roomie's time and effort for getting them a discount

[searchingforlight]

3. My answer.

Case #1

I feel if both friends go into the deal knowing what each's contribution is things will work well.

I would suggest to my son that he ask his friend for ideas on how my son can contribute to the deal to equal out the friend's contribution: i.e. being responsible for the cooking, cleaning or perhaps contributing a little more to the rent.

Case #2

I would have the work done and pay for it.

[doni_georgia]

5. Agreed!

I never take my car to a dealer for work - even with the warranty. My brother is a mechanic, and I'd have him fix the car.

About the rent - let the guys work out their own deal. I had a situation similar to that when I was in college. We found a great turn of the century house to rent that needed work. Rent was way too high. I made a deal with landlord to pull up carpet and refinish hardwood floors, paint, and fix up the place. One of my roommates was not HANDY in the least. She got the same cut on rent, but in exchange she did the rest of our laundry. Since I did most of the work, I got the master bedroom and bath. Worked for all of us.

[qazplm]

4. number two is self obvious

but number one to me seems to be a simple negotiation.

The benefit the other kid has is that he gets cheaper rent by having an apartment in the first place, so he needs your son.

If your son can afford to pay 600 well great, but odds are he cant. So they negotiate, and whatever they both determine is fair is fair. As someone said, it could be as simple as your son doing all the house cleaning in the common areas (dishes, vacuuming, etc) or giving up the best bedroom to the other kid.

[SiliconMethod]

6. Clarification

For case #1, both pay $400. Only the friend works as the fitness instructor, though. Also, this is one lease, not 2 individual contracts.

[napi21]

7. Don't know what my answers say about me, but they're diff. from

the others.

#1 I'd tell my son to go for it. I think it's good to get out on your own. I would however advise him to discuss what they each can agree to if things don't work out.

#2 First, I wouldn't have twoed a trailer twice as heavy as recomended! Part of owning a car is knowing how to use it AND abuse it! Having said that, I would probably not tell the dealer what I had done. I realize it's dishonest, but I must admit, I'd try to get away with it.

[trof]

8. "and his best friend"

In situation 1, that's the operative phrase, for me.
Best friends don't have a tit-for-tat relationship. Each helps the other in any way he can and gladly.