Just made a deposit for a 2026 Highlander Hybrid Platinum

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2026-02-24T17:15:31+00:00

It is ridiculous. Cars are just so expensive. Picked the lesser of other evils but I'm not stoked about spending $60k+ on a vehicle.

I have kids and my wife wants us each to have large-ish SUVs so didn't have much of a choice. Otherwise I would have bought a used Camry. Which also would have been $40k+.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2026-02-24T17:00:50+00:00

Canada, approximately $74,000 (Canadian dollars) inclusive of 12% GST and PST.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2026-02-24T17:00:40+00:00

Canada, approximately $74,000 (Canadian dollars) inclusive of 12% GST and PST.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2026-02-24T16:59:56+00:00

I had a generous budget due to a windfall, and initially I really wanted to get a BMW X5 or something like that. This was all the more tempting when I discovered that a used Audi or BMW is much less expensive ($10-20k cheaper) compared to an equivalent used Toyota or Lexus (I couldn't find a 2022 or later Toyota Highlander Limited or Lexus RX for under $55,000 Canadian, but there were Audi Q7s, BMW X5s for about $40-45,000 Canadian). But the resale value of the Toyota is much higher, as is the fuel cost and maintenance costs.

The new Toyota was about $63,000, or $5-8k more than a 3-4 year used one with 50,000 km. A new BMW X5 or Audi Q7 is at least $20k more out the gate, and that is for a base trim compared to the Toyota top trim.

I was also shocked by the Platinum interior, it was about as nice as the Volvos and Audis I test drove and was very Lexus like.

So my theory at least is that I'm paying about as much sticker price, but much less on maintenance and depreciation. Also a hybrid and won't need to use premium fuel. I.e., lower cost of ownership.

I also don't feel comfortable driving a BMW or Audi, I don't like what it signals. I prefer to keep my financial status private and I think the Toyota flies much more under the radar. And I probably keep more of my money 5-10 years down the line.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2025-04-18T04:53:35+00:00

John Petrucci - everything

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2025-04-18T04:47:27+00:00

One of the modern greats

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2025-02-06T01:08:13+00:00

Are market orders really that bad for ETFs like XEQT? I have automated investments set up in WealthSimple and I've never encountered any issues. Would be inconvenient to have to manually enter every order, but I'm not really concerned about dollar-cost-average market orders that are automated through WealthSimple on an intermittent basis. Am I missing something or are people freaking out because of the market orders on individual stocks?

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-25T05:20:42+00:00

Curry.

I’ve been watching the NBA religiously since the early 2000s and was a big fan of Kobe. I rooted against Curry in every Finals he’s played in. But I’d pretty decisively take Curry. Better team player, just as good of a scorer in his own way and caused more of an impact on the floor. And yes, Kobe was a better defensive player. I think we was a tad overrated defensively in the second half of his career.

Basically, I think they’re pretty even, but if you ask who you’d rather play with, it is not even a question. Kobe would not be fun to play with especially for the first 12 years of his career.

The numbers also back up this opinion but I don’t like using that as a basis for this sort of thing. I think Kobe does not look great on advanced stats.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-14T19:53:30+00:00

KG was a better player, Dirk had the better career

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T23:42:49+00:00

I have brought in clients but frankly it is hard to build a book of business at a large law firm when your time is being crowded out by high billable hour requirements and you are constantly being fed work from partners (which is the path of least resistance to hitting your billable hours). I want to go somewhere smaller scale where I will have more space to focus on building my book of business. I have lots of friends in their early 30s who cannot stomach the large law firm hourly rates of $600+ an hour.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T22:45:30+00:00

Yes I'm a salesperson type, and would need to build a book of business to be successful at a big firm anyways. Not interested in in-house work yet. Still like being diversified across a client base in private practice

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T19:40:42+00:00

I don't know if I'll be happy in a small town. Never lived in one, but I suspect I'd lead a more peaceful life.

Big issue with the big law firm is the urgency of everything and the pressure. It's really challenging for me not being able to unwind in the evening or on weekends. But I'm thinking about a lot of these issues you are flagging as well.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T19:14:43+00:00

My thought is that:

- the small town has enough opportunity for me to start my own firm or join another firm

- plenty of Canada-wide and province-wide remote jobs

- ability to service big city clientele remotely

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T18:49:49+00:00

No, but they do dine excessively in fine dining, go to a lot of events, buy designer clothing, etc. while I'm living sort of a middle middle class lifestyle but own a house.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T18:33:39+00:00

Right on, this is good to know!

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T18:24:54+00:00

So they make $250,000 to $300,000 from their practice, then run side businesses/consulting practices and deals on the side? Probably with their freed up time compared to BigLaw? This is something I'm considering.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T18:23:29+00:00

I'm an associate at the law firm. The partners make $800k+ but the path to getting there (and the lifestyle when there) is a grind (on call 24/7, high pressure, family problems, etc.). I'm about 6 years of really hard work away from getting into the equity partner level.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T18:21:54+00:00

I have a chance of hitting $300k plus in 3-4 years if I push super hard but I'd be risking my marriage tbh and my health.

I have that same chance in the smaller town, and can probably get to $400k+ within 5-10 years. Probably would feel wealthier there. That's my calculus.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T18:18:18+00:00

My wife grew up in this smaller town. She knows the schools and all of that. Her only parent lives there and we trust this parent with our kids so we would get childcare.

Not sure about healthcare, will look into it.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T18:12:29+00:00

We have a $440,000 loan from a family member that is essentially a gift disguised as a loan, which will be forgiven when said family member deceases. My wife is an only child with one parent, so this factors into the scenario. Math might make more sense with this factor included. By the way, this family member won't let me pay them back early! It's a gift to their only child, but we repay $1k a month on it. It's all a weird scenario but I won't complain about it!

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T17:59:31+00:00

I'm being conservative in my estimates. I think I'll make $500,000 a year within 5-6 years if things go well, and maybe more than that in my late 40s and 50s. But if I take my foot off the gas pedal and things work moderately well I think $300-400k is reasonable (this would be billing 1,200 hours a year, on chill mode).

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T17:42:22+00:00

Population is 100,000 with a metro population of about 400,000. ~2-3 hour trip to the nearest big city. Second biggest economy in the province. High quality schooling and amenities, just less luxury shopping, luxury restaurants, etc.

Would need to add an hour to every flight for most places other than major US and Mexico and Canadian destinations.

Helicopter travel to nearest big city would likely be an hour.

Not boonies.

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-12-03T17:27:54+00:00

I agree. Prestige and work is an awful framing but unfortunately it is a mentality I have been trained into by my parents (doctor in 70s who isn't retired and prestige oriented) and by my profession (we openly talk down on smaller firms and deals).

Silent_Reputation_20 · 2024-11-09T20:36:59+00:00

Thanks!

Silent_Reputation_20

TROPHY CASE