<HTML>In a message dated 7/1/02 6:50:51 PM Central Daylight Time, ANRPiano@aol.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">In the short term this might be cheaper, however when their supplier descides they no longer want to lease the pianos, as is happening more and more, they will find themselves in a heap of trouble. Andrew Remillard </BLOCKQUOTE> Andrew I think you might be confusing the piano loan program with a leasing program. The loan programs cost the dealer money. They literally let the school use the pianos for free, and sell those units at a great discount, for the chance to sell a whole bunch of pianos at the end of the year, to make up the loss in profits, and interest expense, of having those pianos in the school. With a lease plan, the dealer actually gets the money from the leasing company, as if he had made a sale. The leasing company then takes the risk of the school paying the bill every month, or year.   But, David, lets look at the figures. $1 million worth of pianos (about 80 of them), leased over 5 years comes to a little less than $20,000 a month. But this will have to go on forever. Over 20 years, that's $4,800,000. A technician cost $40,000 a year, or $800,000 for 20 years. So in 20 years, the school would pay $4 million for $1 million worth of pianos. David, if you think that is a good financial decision, let me tell you about some land I have in Florida I can lease you. Wim   </HTML>