Cash for Clunkers - a Disgrace

[98 'Bird]

This is what the goverment requires to be done with so-called "clunkers". Seems people are confusing clunkers with vehciles that weren't intended to be economy cars. This was a perfectly sound running car. Looks like an early 2000s model. I've never seen anything so wasteful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjBilHH5z2A

[Joe 1320]

Politics.......

in order to stimulate new sales, remove used vehicles from the market.

[FroSSty]

What a waste...So how does that lower the carbon footprint of that vehicle? From production to destruction...

[Joe 1320]

What a waste...So how does that lower the carbon footprint of that vehicle? From production to destruction...

Ahhh...... really, you do understand the whole joke of it all.


Normally I stay out of political discussions, it's a no win situation. I'm going to break my own rule and make a comment.


The error of the current regime is to assume an ownership role of a manufacturing company, attempt to stimulate new production by removing alternatives from the market via government incentives under the guise of reducing dependancy on energy. Mark my words..........the result will be higher prices for used vehicles, higher repair costs as recycleable vehicles will be reduced, the consumer as a whole will be worse off. You'll see it within a few years down the road.

I'm done.

[98 'Bird]

What's more disturbing, just about every V8 automatic F-body from 1984 - 2002 qualifies as a 'clunker' due to its EPA rating. I could imagine someone "trading in" his or hers after being sucked in, not realizing it will have its oil drained and run until it seizes. It’s just sickening to me. The car could be a junker, or in mint condition. Either way, the car won't even see the junk yard; it must be crushed or shedder afterwards.

You can see it right here:
http://www.cars.gov/index.php/faq#category-14

This legistlation has been passed to sell as many new cars as possible, while removing as many older cars for resale as possible. It’s evil. It’s ridiculous.

Sell your cars outright if you must.

[TODD 2000 V6 CAMARO]

That disgusts me. There are so many single moms, elderly, and just plain poor people that can't afford a new vehicle, much less one as nice as that Jeep. And Obama Bin Laden thinks it's a good idea to do that to those cars instead of donating them. And how likely do you think it will be that these vehicles actually get properly recycled? Who knows. What a complete and total waste.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Officials Say Government Set to Suspend 'Cash for Clunkers' Program

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009...nkers-program/

[MN6WS6]

That is exactly what the government does NOT want you to do. We have several CFC vehicles at our lot, but they are all parked, because they have a fluid that is being sent so that the engine destruction can be done at idle. I don't know what it is because we haven't gotten any yet, but they do NOT want us doing what's in that video because of the possible hazards.

BTW, how stupid do you have to be to drain an engine of it's fluids and put it in the parking lot at WOT until it blows? HELLO!

I can tell you one thing. If somebody rolls in at our dealer with a Grand National or classic hotrod or performance vehicle, I'm opening my checkbook. So far we've gotten beat up trucks or Vandura's (GMC fullsize, typically "conversion" style). Anything cool comes in and I'll just buy it outright, but I really don't think that's going to happen.

Tremendous waste of taxpayer money though, no question or arguments from me. I'm surprised that particular Jeep didn't book at more than the CFC, must have had some other issues.

[3800_Firebird]

This program is a waste of taxpayers' dollars and should be stopped.

The problem here is that Obama Administration is now part owner with the UAW of GM. Obama also must show that it was worth all the money to save GM by having some success. The best way to do that is to cripple the used market and also the used parts market. That way you have no choice but to buy a new car, specifically a Government Motors vehicle. The government doesn't quite have the audacity yet to just outlaw used cars altogether, but this is testing the water in a more covert way. We may see it yet where by virtue of all used parts being destroyed, the turnover rate increases.

We shouldn't be sheep like this. We should be allowed to buy what we want when we want and for how much, and be able to keep for however long we want and have spare parts to boot. Why must government interfere so much?!?

Bottom Line: Idle or WOT with this crap, it's still an extreme waste of the most valuable part of the vehicle.

[Steel2686]

May not be an issue anymore. The administration is reviewing the program as it may have run out of it's funding...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090731/...h_for_clunkers

[Wild Willy]

These people can't even handle a single program about one issue, and people are dying for them to take over the whole country's medical system? A system that is responsible for about 1/7th of the country's entire GDP? Be afraid, be very afraid....

[FroSSty]

So far I have seen a couple of those advertising photos of cars in a dumpster and they both looked like smaller, more fuel efficient cars...

[98 'Bird]

House passes legislation to add $2 billion more pending Senate approval

Bottom Line: Idle or WOT with this crap, it's still an extreme waste of the most valuable part of the vehicle.

Yes, something like 60% the value of the car to auto recyclers. Then there's the parts industry, and the auto repair facilities, and the people who want to keep their cars who are all going to suffer with fewer replacement parts available like Joe said. And the latest is that government plans to extend the program by burning another $2billion of our tax dollars.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/01/bu...1consumer.html

It needs to be stopped.

[Joe 1320]

It gets worse....... now the government wants to spend tax dollars to entice people into trading their cars. Why the hell should my tax dollars be used so that some other spendy person gets a break on a new car?

[Mark B]

This whole situation is really getting to me. How could they think this was a good idea? REALLY!! Spending our tax dollars, destroying perfectly good cars, and then just scraping them. Can somebody tell me exactly what good comes from this other than selling new cars? It sure isnt the enviroment or reducing the amount of energy we consume. Think about it. How much pollution is generated by frying an engine like in those videos? Smoke coming out of the tailpipe, oil being spewed all over the ground, not to mention how much energy and materials used to build the new car. Plus, how much energy is used to scrap and recycle the steel? What a waste of money and resources.

And if we must have this program, why exactly do we need to blow the engine and immediatly scrap the car? If Obama doesnt want that car on the road, fine, put the VIN number on a list of vehicles that are not allowed to be registered/titled ever again. The cars can then go to junk yards where their parts can be reused on other cars. This is one of the worst ideas our government has ever come up with.