credit for clunkers

[Irish_Alley]

OK i have to rant about all this also
1 there giving our us money to other country's i know about free trade but who will pull us out of this slum were in???
2 so many good parts going to put more people out of business junkyard will see less cars the car should be donated to "good will", churches and other needy people what about helping them
o if your going to trade in a car they shouldn't just scrap them right there they should try to help who they can that need it then scrap what they don't need even if they give parts to junkyards to help them out there basically taking more money from junkyard and cars from people who need them and giving outsiders more money thats whats dragging us down. our 1 dollar is slowly meaning less and less due to greedy people.
one more thing i was told about a conspiracy with insurance people back when the scrap metal was soooooo high people scraped old vehicles then. the conspiracy was insurance agency's wanted top get all older vehicles off the road and only having newer vehicles on the road, if the car was older than 8 years old if it got into a fender bender i would be totaled. now i thought maybe it was just something someone was thinking but now with this allot of people are getting there hands dirty while they can but all that money they will be lining there pockets with ain't going to mean crap. kind of sad but greed will drag us all down........
  sorry bout the improper grammar but had to get it all off my chest

[Stewart G Griffin]

One good thing about the program is it is "stimulating" new car sales in a big way.   However, ultimately, is the consumer really benefitting?   Even if one did trade their F-350 in for a corolla(or similar) they would have to drive probably 200,000 miles before breaking even on the gas savings.  That's just breaking even---this is before any benefit is seen.   i'm not even taking into consideration interest on the money if you just kept it or put it in the bank.

i know that there are other benefits, such as you get to own a new car and that brings dependability etc.  But my feeling is, let's not get picky.   Of course, if you have money and you really want a new car,  then go for it....i guess?


i think a better program would be "cash for diesels,"  or "cash for electrics" or something;   i think we need to educate people on maybe "alternative" approaches to transportation.  (note: when i say alternative, i don't nessesarily mean it in the way that everyone else uses the term)

What would happen is that we--the gov't would credit 1/2 towards the purchase of any diesel powered or electric (whole or part) powered vehicle and yes a trade in would be required, but the trade in would not have to be junked--the trade in could be used for other sorts of benefit.

What this does is not only benefit the buyer, but educates everyone towards "better" alternative means of transportation.    (yes, i know diesel and/or electric is not nessesarily better than gas, but go with me for a minute, plus it's better than the existing program..........)

[ccz145a]

Get the govt out of the car business. All this micro-managing and diddling is bound to have unforseen effects that will have to be fixed with what? another govt program? sheesh!

[Stewart G Griffin]

Well yes, ulitimately i agree that the gov't should stay the heck out of the car business.  But IF we are going to have to "cash for______whatever" programs, they should be progressive and positive.

All this cash for clunkers program is doing is short term fix which ultimately isn't going to work.

[78 Chevyrado]

Let's see, GM lost (approx, i think)  $38 billion.
The govt' lost more than 10 TRILLION.

Who should be giving financial advice to whom, if either one.


There's no reason to expect people to suddenly switch over to the newer technologies.  When cars first came out, how many people still used horses and for how long?  It will take a while, but if they make good products, people will buy them. 

Just because they are electric of hybrid cars, why should they look like one?  Get the range up where electrics would be usable for a long trip and I'd get one, as long as it didn't look like an electric car.  Offer a hybrid camaro or mustang or challenger that looks just like a regular gas engined one and they would sell.  plenty of people buy pony cars and don't hot-rod them.  I could stand a hybrid mustang a lot more than any prius you could possibly point out to me.

[low budget]

Just found this on Craigs List...



http://columbus.craigslist.org/pts/1316226960.html

I didn't think they could do this...

[78 Chevyrado]

who knows, everytime someone has the rules figured out they alter it around and change things.   I guess they can do it, the govt would bust them for that easily.

now, who round here can bust out the govt?  whoop their little fannies back into shape?

[Lt.Del]

i have since heard that the reason the dealerhips must seize the engine prior to recycling company picking the vehicle up is because the recycling company (salvage yeard, etc) CAN remove parts for resell to recoup some of their money in addition to the metal recycling money.

[fitz]

 I'm starting to see the trickle down effect of "cash for clunkers".
 I just came from the Manhiem New England Thursday night used car auction. Every Thursday night they usually sell about 300-400 older high mile vehicles to  licensed used car dealers.
  On a typical Thursday night they usually have 5-10 1988-2000 trucks (full size pick ups,blazers yukons,tahoes,and suburbans). Last week they only had 3 of these trucks run through and I didn't think too muck about it. Tonight they had just 1, a 88 2W.D pick up with 377K on it that sold for $200.
  It could just be a coincidence but these trucks would be the typical vehicle getting traded in as a clunker for $4500. They are gas guzzlers that are 10-21 years old and would never sell for $4500 in the real world.
  It's sad to see because allot of these trucks,although well worn, still had some life left in them.

[choptop]

Sgt Del is one of the few that I know that actually benefitted from this. Most of it boils down to selling cars to people who are already broke, and now deeper in debt because of this great governtment program. Kinda like selling houses to people who couldnt afford them, then now they are being forclosed on. If you were in the market for a new car, this is perfect, but thats not the case in alot of situations. Especially around here. Alot of people are unemployed in this area and talking them into getting a $400_$500 car payment,not encluding insurance, when they had a car that was paid for is stupid. I predict alot of repos in the near future. Way to stimilate the economy by breaking everyone financially. I guess the governtment wants us all to join them in their imaginary budget.

[Lt.Del]

putting it on another scale, let's imagine, cash for huts.

Take your house that is nearly (or is completely) paid for.  It may have a mtg of say $500 or $700 depending on how long you have lived there.   Trade that house in for a new $400,000 house that the govt will put the downpayment on because you traded in your almost paid for house, or at least one you could afford.
Your new mtg is $4,000 month. You will now be forclosed on in about two years.   

Headlines:
Next big job growth will be for Repo Men.  Give it two years, you'll see.

 

[bmaier]

I drove by the local Chevy dealership here and they have multiple lots around town. Well in one lot I saw the "clunkers" and I instantly became sad. There are many nice cars/pickups lined up out there. Majority in pretty good, even some in excellent, shape. There were even some 87-91's in there 

[choptop]

SgtDel, you didnt mention the fact that now your old house will be demolished because it isnt energy efficient enough.

[fitz]

Good news.
I was at the junkyard today dropping off a parts car and they had a few suburbans (95,96,99) marked clunker. I talked to the counter man and he said they do get to strip them for parts.
I don't know what the arrangements are to determine which junkyard gets these clunkers (who owns them, the dealer or the government?). But it looks like they will become parts cars afterall.

[Lt.Del]

But it looks like they will become parts cars afterall

yep, parts cars minus the engines.

The govt puts out a list of recycling centers who will go to the dealers to pick up the vehicles after the dealer seizes up the engins so that cannot be sold out right and be back on the highway next week.