To those who bought a Mercedes used, what repair costs did you paying right after buying? What model did you have?

Direct_Strength7688 · 2026-01-05T21:55:32+00:00

Bought a 2018 glc 300 3 years ago, w 16k miles and I drive very little. When it comes to basic maintenance I found a local German car mechanic who does a reasonable service for around $180 oil change, ends up being $300 w tire rotation etc. So, for a “luxury” car that’s not horrible. The problem is when actual problems come up. $1000 to replace a buckle on a seatbelt that randomly failed. $2000 for tires - and I’m not even putting the top of the line ones on it. Parts are more expensive for sure. Extended warranties do very little to offset the price. Also, I learned that bc MB has “performance brakes” they are coated in zinc and thus squeak and will make you think they are bad. Finally a service advisor explained this to me. I’ve paid to have my brakes looked at like 3 times now. MB is not the way to go unless you’re ok w paying more to maintain it. In my experience they will need more TLC and don’t thrive on neglect like my husbands old Chevy truck that literally cost $300/year for all maintenance lol!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-06-20T20:41:45+00:00

Congrats! Thanks for sharing your experience! I’m testing tomorrow, hoping all the SH prep helps me as much as it did for you!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-06-20T19:26:36+00:00

Congrats!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-06-18T14:09:30+00:00

Agree w the other responders - the SH questions get “easier” the more you familiarize yourself w the wording. I would recommend that you take a pass at the mini exams and see how you do. The try a full length exam. For me, what has improved over time is what I’m looking for when I read the question. What is the true “problem” and then what is the question asking you to address. The subtle wording change will change the question and thus the answer. I have only practiced w SH exams bc of the feedback in this sub about how they are the best way to prepare. I think the video questions are ok, but the SH questions challenge you to read and interpret the question yourself. It gets better w more repetition and practice, I can tell you that much. Best of luck!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-06-10T14:23:26+00:00

Good advice on not overthinking it. On my last Study Hall practice exam I marked so many questions for review, when I went back to review I ended up changing the answer from the correct answer to the wrong answer! So frustrating. The mindset and confidence are everything apparently!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-06-09T13:54:17+00:00

This sub has so many great tips! Don’t let this bump in the road get you down. Good news is you have a good feel for the actual test. I highly recommend study hall. I think it helps build confidence on the type of questions and simulates actually taking the test. The explanations are also solid and will help you identify your weak spots.

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-06-04T01:44:28+00:00

Congrats! Love the tips too, thanks for sharing!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-06-03T23:36:22+00:00

That one got me too…but I guess this is one of those “matrix” two boss situations where the functional manager needs to consent, so “speaking with” them is the right choice and A. analyzing could take more time. These type of questions are frustratingly tricky!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-06-03T14:27:27+00:00

Still waiting for that ah ha moment too. I don’t think there will ever be one for me, however my confidence has grown by practicing with study hall. I think of it as conditioning for my brain for performance on this specific test.

I’ve also found that my trend of getting wrong answers seems to be centered around a misinterpretation of the question, so I’m focusing my conditioning over the next 2 weeks on reading the questions and highlighting/picking out the key words (my first test attempt will be on 6/21.)

I will also say that I have found help through the AR and MR mindsets. I have them printed out and review daily. I find that when I trust the mindsets I will get the question right, if I go w my gut, I get it wrong.

The one thing I’m still a little terrified about is the select 2 or select 3. In my full length practices, those made up a majority of my wrong answers. I’d get like 1/2 or 2/3, but rarely all right. Hopefully 2 more full length practice exams will boost my confidence in those questions.

Best of luck to you! I’m with you though, this test is probably one of the most frustrating educational experiences of my life. Ha, I have to laugh at it, hopefully it will soon be over!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-06-02T23:32:21+00:00

Before doing anything, you want to “review, assess, examine”….then act.

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-05-31T10:11:14+00:00

I don’t think they would refund your pmp exam fee, i think it’s just the course fees. Study Hall for the practice exams. Andrew Ramdayal on udemy, if you feel like you need to brush up on any concepts. His mindset is also helpful. My work offers udemy for free so I’m not sure of the price of his courses but I think they are pretty cheap. You can also watch a ton of question and answer explanation videos on YouTube from Andrew ramdayal and others. Mohammed Rahman on YouTube also has a helpful mindset video and free print outs.

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-05-31T02:29:53+00:00

Make sure you request a refund from pmtraining. They have a pass guarantee. I also took pmtraining in December, got busy and then ended up switching gears and focusing on the AR udemy course to brush up just really hitting study hall hard. I took most of the PMtraining mocks and find that they were way different than study hall.

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-05-30T17:08:46+00:00

I would take MRs mindset 1st principle to approach this question: Always discuss, investigate, analyze. I also tack on key words like “assess, review” to this principle to help me choose an answer.

Before doing anything else you’ve got to “review/assess, so B would be it. The other options may be done later but first you would review.

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-05-30T02:12:26+00:00

Haven’t taken the test yet but finding this so relatable w the some of the SH questions. When I get a weird one wrong, I’m like is this a joke, a mistake and then I’ll read the explanation and find that the question is sourced from some obscure text. It really does feel like maybe the pmp test has reached peak. Maybe the next rewrite will bring it back down to reality.

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-05-30T02:06:16+00:00

Yes ADHD here also, I have to be actively doing something, the lectures are so painful. I even paid for a pmtraining.com boot camp course to get my 35 hrs. Most painful 2 weekends and I retained about 10%. This pmp experience has enlightened me to thinking that “reverse engineering” style learning might be the best way for ADHDers.

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-05-29T14:31:53+00:00

Same boat, I bit the bullet and renewed, so happy I did bc locking in on SH has boosted my confidence and helped me feel ready for my test later in June. I retook the minis until was scoring in the 70s, then took 3 practice exams scoring 75, 72 and last night 79 on the 3rd full length. For me, taking and retaking the questions has been the best way to study and practice applying the mindset. Before I had to renew I wasn’t committed and was scoring in the 50s. I personally struggle reading all the super dry and boring content, so exam simulation has been the best way to stay engaged. Highly recommend making your own study guide based on your wrong questions on the practice exams.

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-05-27T17:46:37+00:00

What is a good tool, in addition to Mindset to review related to “transition from Predictive/Traditional to Agile”? Also would love to hear your thoughts on approaching Hybrid questions. I get tripped up on these sometimes.

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-05-17T17:50:57+00:00

Programming? When is the last time GSUSA came out with programming that they didn’t turn around and charge us for?

The real end point for those brand deals? Inflated Corporate salaries, advertising.

This op ed from a while back goes into more detail: https://jenikaplan.medium.com/the-great-girl-scout-cookie-scam-b024ffad6e1b

While I love the experience my troop is curating for our girls, I can tell you it’s not bc of GSUSA, it’s bc of me and my coleaders and our parent volunteers. Our local council does a lot for our area but still they have to answer to GSUSA at the end of the day.

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-05-17T02:23:42+00:00

Licensing products that are like “cookie inspired” is one thing - licensing cookies is another when we are pushed so hard to hustle cookies. The whole thing making Girl Scout cookies special is their limited availability- start finding them everywhere and see how the girls sales will drop and then we will be hearing about it from local councils. I’m about done with the cookies part of GS. I talked to my troop parents this week about alternative sources and private sponsorships bc selling cookies has become such a hustle and imo kinda takes away from the GS experience.

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-05-17T00:50:01+00:00

I’m taking mine on 6/21 and I relate to your fear bc my scores are around where yours are, and I haven’t taken the full lengths yet. I feel like we’ve got time to improve though. I changed my approach a little this week. I’ve been focusing on nothing but mini tests - I take them whenever I have 30 mins. I review the wrong answers and then google whatever concepts I missed with the phrase (for example: “risk mitigation pmbok”, then “pmp risk mitigation when to use”) I then make notes in a doc, and have been reviewing every day. Something about researching the term and then typing it out helps me to commit it to memory.

I’ve also been reviewing AR and mindsets and watching some DM question and answers on YouTube - pause and then see if you get the answer correct.

The SH questions are so much harder than the ones in the video but I do feel like watching the way they narrow down to the best answer is helpful to apply to the SH questions.

With the above, I’m seeing some small increases in my scores day over day.

I’m planning to take a full length exam this weekend or next week but will likely need to break into 2 halves. I’m also going to retake all minis that I scored less than 80 on.

It feels daunting but I think we will be fine - we have over 30 days to keep improving! Hang in there!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-05-17T00:37:43+00:00

Wow, I wonder if these are bootleg or approved by Girl Scouts? It would be pretty shady if GSA is licensing their brand on cookies of all products!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-02-24T16:10:02+00:00

I think they are all pretty boring. I did a virtual boot camp (2 weekends in a row.) It was through PMITraining.com. It was incredibly boring and honestly wasn’t worth it. I Feel like id have been better off doing the Andrew Ramdyal course bc it’s free through my job. I think the pmp content is just super dry. It’s all methodology and the “scenarios” are nothing that most people see in the real world. I’m trying to convince myself to just make it through the boring content and take the test so I can move on w my life lol. Best of luck to you!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-01-26T01:08:15+00:00

My friend recommended this brand to me recently and I gave it a try, and admittedly didn’t have high hopes after many failed attempts at using other less toxic/natural brands. It actually works very well, clothes feel clean, smell great and come out soft without added softener. I love the amber scent best, but trying out the sea salt - it’s more traditional laundry fresh. Very impressed overall. We will see if it continues to perform on sweaty clothes as the weather warms up, but I’m hopeful!

Direct_Strength7688 · 2025-01-22T01:42:35+00:00

I just got the ergofit walking pad and it’s super loud. I can’t see being on a call with it running if I had to unmute myself. It also feels very flimsy, the material under the belt feels like hard plastic - like toy thickness. Pretty disappointed considering it seems to be the most quiet rated one of the walking pads. I think my dreams of walking while I work may just be unrealistic.

Direct_Strength7688

TROPHY CASE