credit for clunkers

[eventhorizon66]

One thing just crossed my mind.( yeah thats all theres room for) The more that get turned in, the higher the value goes up on mine.

Yes but the fewer donor/parts trucks there are available.

[choptop]

Im afraid I have enough donors to last a long, long time. Pathetic, I know

[Lt.Del]

Well, we did it.  We capitalized on my tax money to benefit me for a change.

We bought a 09 Ford Escape.  Say what you want about Ford, but, they are the only Detroit company that didnt go begging to D.C. for tax money.

Man, that thing is sweet.  All Fords have this thing called SYNC where you can plug in a USB device, like a SD card reader full of mp3 albums, and it plays it directly.  You say a command like "play Van Zant" and it jumps to the Van Zant album.  Then say "play next track" and guess what?  well you can guess that.

It's awesome.  I can have up to 20 albums on one SD card and it will play random, by album, by artist, whatever you want.  The sound system is awesome in there too.  Stereio controls right on the steering wheel.  It also has bluetooth technology to speak and hear over the stereo you cell phone calls, etc..

You can tell Kit (I mean the Escape) to give you the upcoming winning lottery numbers too.  Can't wait to try that one out. 

She'll get 30 mpg too.  I aint used to that right there.  The 96 Cherokee we traded in didnt get anywhere near that.  We got the max. $4500 smackaroos for the Jeep. 

I gotta tell ya, I never had so much fun stripping out a vehicle before....the dealer said you can take whatever you want from the clunker, just make sure you can "drive" it to the lot.  I stripped out the speakers, amp, stereo, visors, spare tire, jack, instrument cluster trim....I was having fun.  Even took the 5lb sledge hammer to the doors....they dont care.  It will be at the crushers soon.   And to top it off, the dealers are supposed to drain the oil out the engine and run the engine 'til she blows.   Really!!  They have to be running to get there, but, cannot run when they send it to the recycling company.  And get this...no one, the dealer, recycling company, no one can take anything from the vehicle, not even a screw....no doors, windows, alternators, tail lights....nothing.  It all must be crushed.   That's obama's way to ensure old clunkers are leaving the roadways.     

[choptop]

I am afraid I will have to side with you on Ford. I have no intentions on buying anything else from Government Motors, but I have to admit the new Camaro is enticing.

[Lt.Del]

but I have to admit the new Camaro is enticing.

Man, I tell you, I was in the Ford showroom today for quite a bit of time drooling.  Drooling over a red 09 Mustang Shelby Cobra GT 500KR.  With a 5.4 litre, that puppy no doubt will haul ahhh, well, you know.  It's not a 428 Cobra Jet like days of old, but, with the super turbo charged, Fuel Injected, computer controlled engines of today, It has to be sweet.

I could picture myself shifting that six speed selector ripping up the roads.   I kept drifting back to that car.  Man, I could have that puppy.  Right next to it was a Carl Edwards signed Jack Roush Convertible Moostang that was almost as sweet. Check out this video...the two mustangs in the background, red=Shelby, Blue Roush Convertible were wet with my drool today...this video shows the exact same cars I was looking at today in the showroom.      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuTAX747ukQ&feature=related   or   http://www.roushmustangdealers.com/



I need to win the lottery.     

[Lt.Del]

I just thought of something.  I don't have to turn in the jeep until monday eve.  I remember hearing of catalytic converter thefts from shopping malls and stuff so the theifs could turn them in to a recycling center for the precious metals within them. 

I just may cut off the cat converter of this jeep before I turn it in,  Again, the only requirement is that it has to be running when pulled onto the dealership lot. 

This is what the jeep looked like last week.  Now, I have taken much interior stuff out and took a sledge hammer to the sides and stuff just for fun.

Does anyone know where to take a used cat to recycle?  I guess any metal place. 

   

anyone want these wheels and tires?   tires have 6,000 miles on them.  Good for another 50,000 or so..Bridgestone 225x70x16.  I bought 4 old jeep wheels/tires from a guy off craigslist today for $40 total so I can put the wheels/tires on the jeep and take off the good ones and resell these rims/tires.  I put them on with two lugnuts each so I can keep the other lugnuts.   Yeah, I am a miser.

[eventhorizon66]

I feel the same way about Ford and the new Mustang is sweet (ever since '05).  When I'm in the market for a new car/truck I'll definitely consider them.  I'm not sure I can say the same about GM, certainly not for Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep.  Too bad, though, if you want a Ford you have to go through a Ford dealership.  Now they are the worst.  In fact, if any of the big three want to improve sales/customer satisfaction, they should look toward shaping up the dealers.

[crazedhick3]

Glad to hear what you did Del.. Gives me a few ideas.  I should just switch the doors from my 77 pickup to the 89 burb before she goes.  I guess they will bolt up.  any difference on the hinges? 

[levisjohnson]

Well...since the government owns some of the car companies, Obama is now a car salesman.  If the dealership blows the motor, then they can not sell to a small wholesale lot for people who only have a few hundred bucks to buy a car.  Obama is trying to increase his stock value in GM.

Oh, one other thing, if you are going to get a newer car...pay cash for it if you can.  The average car payment is $484/month over 82 months.  If you were to invest (over the long term...ignore current economy...it will get better) that from age 25-75, you would have $5.6 Million.  Hope you like the car...even if I am half wrong.

[Lt.Del]

one other thing, if you are going to get a newer car...pay cash for it if you can.  The average car payment is $484/month over 82 months

I have to differ on your opinion there.  If you had cash, say $21,000 cash to pay,  I would still finance it 0% (what we got) over 60 months.  Or even the alternative, 1.9% for 72 months.  I'd rather take my lump sum cash and invest it and stretch payments as long as possible for NO INTEREST.   Why pay all now, versus pay it over 5 years with no interest?  Invest your money up front in bonds or stock market.  You also build up your credit rating that way.

Now sure, if we decided to pay cash out right, they would have come down about $1000 off the price....big deal.  In five years, that $21,000 in the market or bonds will more than make up for that grand.

If the dealership blows the motor, then they can not sell to a small wholesale lot for people who only have a few hundred bucks to buy a car.  Obama is trying to increase his stock value in GM

I agree.  He is trying to get older, gas guzzlers off the road.  Also, he is trying to put money back in Detroit.  Two good things.  However, by using my tax money to do it, or rather my yet-to-be-born grandkids' tax money to do it, I don't agree.  That one billion dollars today he is using will end up costing my grandkids 30 billion when the Chinese cash in some of their assets with us next generation or two.  But then again, what's billions of dollars when we are talking budget shortfall of $1 trillion?  that is $1,000,000,000,000.00  this year alone

[dumbucket1]

In my area honda and toyota are advertising real hard for you to bring your clunker to them instead. So much for sending money to detroit.

[Lt.Del]

In my area honda and toyota are advertising real hard for you to bring your clunker to them instead. So much for sending money to detroit.

Yeah, I know, there are those who swear by other countries' cars, however, I will not sell my country out no matter what.  I will do my part in keeping profits in this country.

This Ford, the company of which did not ask for a Federal penny, has a 7 year bumper to bumper warranty.  That's a long time.  I ain't giving Japan or Germany my money (I know, many of the parts are made in Taiwan or Indonesia and China-but what am I to do) .  Most of the money stays in this country.  I wish we could get excise taxes on imports, but, that is another story and the beginning of WWIII, but, that is what we have gotten ourselves into.

[fitz]

 And to top it off, the dealers are supposed to drain the oil out the engine and run the engine 'til she blows.   Really!!  They have to be running to get there, but, cannot run when they send it to the recycling company.  And get this...no one, the dealer, recycling company, no one can take anything from the vehicle, not even a screw....no doors, windows, alternators, tail lights....nothing.  It all must be crushed.   That's obama's way to ensure old clunkers are leaving the roadways.     

It will be interesting to see how the Government goes about enforcing these rules. If the dealer is supposed to seize the motor how will Obama Know if it ran when it was turned in?.
Unless the Government puts Clunker Inspectors an the recycling plants I can see plenty of room for shady deals to go down.
The cat on the jeep is worth about $50. If you search on Craigslist in your area under Automotive Services You should find a few cat recyclers.

[Lt.Del]

how will Obama Know if it ran when it was turned in?.

It's up to the dealers to see you drive it in to the dealership lot.  I drove my jeep up to the lot this evening and breathed a big sigh of relief that it made it as soon as I turned into it.  Legally, all it has to do is drive in it.  I turned off the engine and gave the key to the dealer.  $4500, not bad.  I stripped a lot from it.  I even took the passenger seat out of it with it electric motors still attached for adjusting heigth, back angle, forward/back on track.   That leather seat sure feels good sittin in it on the ground.

I have no idea what I am going to do with it.  Sit it in front of my camper on camping excursions?  I dunno.  I oughta put a 12 volt battery next to it and run the red and black wire to it so I can make it lean back and sleep in it sittin in front of the campfire or something.   

[Captkaos]

shoulda pull them both out and put a bucket in its place...