(Updated) Yet another request for someone to talk me down... (E39 M5 related)

[Fenixgoon]

there there ZV, it's ok. I went to a local dealership the other day to test drive the pontiac GTO i wanted. someone bought it. i feel your pain

 

[JulesMaximus]

Well, I ultimately dropped out of negotiations for the M5. I wanted it, I still want it, but I decided to wait until I know what's going on with Law School. If I end up getting in, I'll postpone the M5 until I get out. If I don't, then I'll come back to the search.

Maturity and practicality suck. :\

ZV

Which is why I don't currently own a Lotus Elise...

 

[Zenmervolt]

Law school? For some reason I was under the impression you were an SAP consultant...or are you and you're just considering a different career. What type of law are you looking at?

Currently SAP consultant, but tired of having a career where nothing I do ultimately matters. When it comes down to it, what I do for my job is help build computer systems that are sub-optimal because companies insist on illogical features that don't actually help and instead increase the complication of the system for both users and administrators.

Well, not necessarily all the way, you can at least make some decent practical compromises. So you want an M5 and it's not within reach then go for a CTS-V, not your type? Then maybe an M3, don't want a coupe? Then go for an Audi S4, too small? Then maybe an RS6, don't want AWD then what about an MB? And the list goes on and on.

Not so long ago, fresh out of school I was so tempted to get an //M all my life I have wanted one, well at least if not an //M then I wanted a twin turbo 335i sedan or maybe a 535i, but I finally convinced myself that I would rather take the extra money and invest it in my future, so I scratched all that stuff off my list and settled for the best deal on a RWD 4 Dr sedan with decent power I could find that wouldn't suck to drive but wouldn't brake the bank either. Maybe you should look into that and put some desires on hold for now. The economy is semi-crappy anyways.

Honestly, I cannot think of another car that I'd prefer over the Volvo until I can get myself an E39 M5, so I'll just be waiting on that. And ordering some swaybars along with perhaps an ECU re-flash and an exhaust for the S70 to tweak it a little. You'd be surprised at the number of options out there for the 850 series and its direct descendants from places like IPD.

ZV

 

[StageLeft]

Most of my IT department are SAP workers, but all salaried. As I understand it the freelance SAP consultants can make some pretty darn good bank, especially if willing to travel. I know one who is buying an Audi R8 this year after wrecking his supercharged M3, although he also owns quite a few properties.

 

[PricklyPete]

Currently SAP consultant, but tired of having a career where nothing I do ultimately matters. When it comes down to it, what I do for my job is help build computer systems that are sub-optimal because companies insist on illogical features that don't actually help and instead increase the complication of the system for both users and administrators.

I feel you. I'm an SAP consultant as well, so I know all about the fun you are talking about. So what kind of law are you thinking about?

 

[fbrdphreak]

Currently SAP consultant, but tired of having a career where nothing I do ultimately matters.

I know that feeling. Not the SAP consultant, but wanting a career that actually means anything. Good money can only carry you so far. In fact, I'm expecting it to carry my fiancee through nursing school and then we can really start doing what we want to do

 

[Zenmervolt]

I feel you. I'm an SAP consultant as well, so I know all about the fun you are talking about. So what kind of law are you thinking about?

The kind that won't earn nearly the salary I could make if I stayed with SAP.

Specifically I'd like to get involved with Constitutional or Public Policy law. Ultimately I'd like to work for a think-tank or a non-profit foundation and work cases like Heller or Ricci v DeStefano.

ZV

 

[PricklyPete]

The kind that won't earn nearly the salary I could make if I stayed with SAP.

Specifically I'd like to get involved with Constitutional or Public Policy law. Ultimately I'd like to work for a think-tank or a non-profit foundation and work cases like Heller or Ricci v DeStefano.

ZV

Good for you, I can see where that would be very interesting. My sister is in her final year at Georgetown for Medical Law after working for 12 years as a nurse. Not quite as sacrificial as your plan, but she just felt she needed something more challenging than nursing and found medical law fascinating.

 

[RichUK]

The kind that won't earn nearly the salary I could make if I stayed with SAP.

Specifically I'd like to get involved with Constitutional or Public Policy law. Ultimately I'd like to work for a think-tank or a non-profit foundation and work cases like Heller or Ricci v DeStefano.

ZV

A SAP consultant working on one of my previous tactical projects was on £1400 daily rate. There certainly is money to be earned in the SAP world (if you're good enough).

This piece of work was change requested in and budget for this work came from another programme. Silly money, but there you go.

 

[Zenmervolt]

A SAP consultant working on one of my previous tactical projects was on £1400 daily rate. There certainly is money to be earned in the SAP world (if you're good enough).

This piece of work was change requested in and budget for this work came from another programme. Silly money, but there you go.

That sounds about right. I'm billed out at between $150/hour and $200/hour which is $1,200/day to $1,600/day. Of course, I don't see nearly that much, but if I stayed in I'd definitely be making very good money in 3-5 years.

ZV

 

[PricklyPete]

That sounds about right. I'm billed out at between $150/hour and $200/hour which is $1,200/day to $1,600/day. Of course, I don't see nearly that much, but if I stayed in I'd definitely be making very good money in 3-5 years.

ZV

My company tries to negotiate around $200-225 an hour for a Senior Consultant like myself (but often get talked down or get weekly billing caps). Some of our specialists get billed out at the $300 range. I know the SAP Platinum consultant on our current project (actually from SAP the company) was billing the client at $400/hour. There is definitely money in SAP if you know what you're doing and either you or your company knows how to win contracts. We're a small consulting company...I can only imagine what the larger ones like IBM and Accenture bill with all the overhead they have.

 

[Koing]

Currently SAP consultant, but tired of having a career where nothing I do ultimately matters. When it comes down to it, what I do for my job is help build computer systems that are sub-optimal because companies insist on illogical features that don't actually help and instead increase the complication of the system for both users and administrators.



Honestly, I cannot think of another car that I'd prefer over the Volvo until I can get myself an E39 M5, so I'll just be waiting on that. And ordering some swaybars along with perhaps an ECU re-flash and an exhaust for the S70 to tweak it a little. You'd be surprised at the number of options out there for the 850 series and its direct descendants from places like IPD.

ZV

My 'Dream affordable' car has always been the E46 M3 , saved up a stash back in 2007/08 to get one but instead I put the deposit on a house in 09 instead. In hindsight it was the vastly better choice...I saved at least 12-14k on the car which is about half the price I paid 7 weeks ago compared to what I would have had to pay back in 07/08! It did pain me to not buy the car but you get over it. It makes it sweeter when you do actually get it

Koing

 

[Koing]

My company tries to negotiate around $200-225 an hour for a Senior Consultant like myself (but often get talked down or get weekly billing caps). Some of our specialists get billed out at the $300 range. I know the SAP Platinum consultant on our current project (actually from SAP the company) was billing the client at $400/hour. There is definitely money in SAP if you know what you're doing and either you or your company knows how to win contracts. We're a small consulting company...I can only imagine what the larger ones like IBM and Accenture bill with all the overhead they have.

About the same and FAIL on the NHS project...

Koing

 

[DivideBYZero]

That sounds about right. I'm billed out at between $150/hour and $200/hour which is $1,200/day to $1,600/day. Of course, I don't see nearly that much, but if I stayed in I'd definitely be making very good money in 3-5 years.

ZV

Pretty much the same Billing rate as me. I'm a BMC consultant and I bill @ £1260 a day. Again, I don't see £1260 a day, but I'm not hurting. The travel is getting on my nerves now though.

 

[RKS]

Well, I ultimately dropped out of negotiations for the M5. I wanted it, I still want it, but I decided to wait until I know what's going on with Law School. If I end up getting in, I'll postpone the M5 until I get out. If I don't, then I'll come back to the search.

Maturity and practicality suck. :\

ZV

If you aren't 100% sure what you/how you will use a law degree, you should not be going to law school.

 

[Zenmervolt]

If you aren't 100% sure what you/how you will use a law degree, you should not be going to law school.

I know exactly what I intend to do with my degree, I just don't know if I've been accepted by the school yet.

ZV

 

[Mursilis]

I know exactly what I intend to do with my degree, I just don't know if I've been accepted by the school yet.

ZV

Which school? And good luck. BTW, just FYI, the field of law is pretty flooded right now, but you will still have good prospects if you go to a top-tier school and get very good grades. For middle-of-the-pack graduates from average schools, it's a rude, rude awakening.

 

[Zenmervolt]

University of Washington. It's a Tier I school and really the only game in town for WA, OR, ID, and MT, though there's some incursion into southern OR by schools from the UC system as well as Stanford.

Really, for someone in Seattle, UW is the only school that makes sense unless one intends to move. There are several other law schools in the area, but none are of UW's caliber and all cost significantly more, especially when one considers the tuition reductions for in-state residents that UW offers. Also, UW has fantastic placement stats after graduation, even with the current economic conditions.

ZV

 

[DivideBYZero]

Can we keep this on topic please!


(lol)

 

[RichUK]

My company tries to negotiate around $200-225 an hour for a Senior Consultant like myself (but often get talked down or get weekly billing caps). Some of our specialists get billed out at the $300 range. I know the SAP Platinum consultant on our current project (actually from SAP the company) was billing the client at $400/hour. There is definitely money in SAP if you know what you're doing and either you or your company knows how to win contracts. We're a small consulting company...I can only imagine what the larger ones like IBM and Accenture bill with all the overhead they have.

The SAP consultant on my project was IBM. The programme of work he came from is burning in the region of £1 million a week (largely down to contractors). I'm managing a £5M software development project which has spanned over 4 years (I took on the project a year ago) – the strategic piece was put on hold and I’m finally closing down the tactical piece.

I’m a contractor on a pretty decent daily rate, but not quite £1400 decent, lol!