Videos of working cars destroyed, cash for clunkers

[emurt]

This just makes me sick. I drove my clunker cavalier around until it was no longer reliable enough for me. The kid I sold it to for $500 is still delivering pizzas with it 6 months later.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3qXvDDhUpE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oznHkx3cBQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL6WJx2hEVU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waj2KrKYTZo

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

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

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0IcIxhd8ks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DtsZE7o6_A

[pattyk]

I'm TOTALLY SICK! I COULDN'T WATCH IT AFTER 1 SECOND.

this program will fail

[camarozz]

Great another stupid ass program that the government wants to spend our money on that isnt working.

Has anyone actually gotten a car dealer to truly give them the trade in money? (in a normal situation)

I have tried, but every time I have run the numbers, the dealer still did not fully give me the trade in value. It is just a numbers shuffle.

[AutoRacer55]

Sounds like some cars that could have been used for Le Mons got wasted there.

[WhiteHatBobby]

Not just that, "Cash for Clunkers" has one agenda:

Get any family car off the road, and force as many people into the 2-seat microcars as they can. Microcars are worth the full $4,500 value.

Some of these cars had engines that could easily fetch aplenty. An Aurora V8 engine could easily be rebuilt and put into a racer -- the IRL used stock blocks in the early years.

This is greenie weenie agenda at work. Get rid of any car that is not compliant with the government's greenie weenie agenda and crush it. Hope everyone buys an expensive greenie weenie such as the 2010 Ford Focus electric car.

[bbt630]

What a joke.

[camarozz]

Yup, no thanks, I will keep my gas guzzler and not contribute to the national debt. As a matter of fact my 10mpg expedition is currently running, just idling in the driveway. Im contributing to the economy keeping my local service station in business.

[camarozz]

What a joke.

Dang, 17+ year old cat!!!! Ours is 15 this year, and I may have to live another two years with it... life just isnt fair!

[Souldire]

This just makes me sick. I drove my clunker cavalier around until it was no longer reliable enough for me. The kid I sold it to for $500 is still delivering pizzas with it 6 months later.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3qXvDDhUpE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oznHkx3cBQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL6WJx2hEVU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waj2KrKYTZo

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

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

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0IcIxhd8ks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DtsZE7o6_A
When I was delivering pizzas it was in a cavalier as well. It died after 8 months had to switch to being a waiter.

[mgifford]

Had the Reps. done anything like this, there would be hell to pay.

[WhiteHatBobby]

Remember currently the Democrats have a No Debate, No Discussion, We're the Gospel and You Accept It or Be Run Over government.

[LouC]

This just makes me sick. I drove my clunker cavalier around until it was no longer reliable enough for me. The kid I sold it to for $500 is still delivering pizzas with it 6 months later.<ToS Violating Video Links Removed>

Please do explain what any of this has to do with the CARS program?

How does any of this YouTube garbage prove the CARS program is bad, wrong, idiotic, stupid, or a failure?

[emurt]

At one point in my life I did not have enough money to pay for my last year at a top university. Leveraging the skills I had learned so far I got a high tech job that would pay enough money to get me back to school after a year of saving. Some things helped me along the way such as a friend who rented me a room for $100/month and my cheap clunker cavalier allowed me to drive to my job. When my cavalier blew its head gasket the same friend lent me a clunker he had so I could drive to work. I was able to save a bunch of money by driving his spare clunker and fixing the head gasket myself instead of paying someone else to do it.

Last year I paid more in federal income taxes last year than I was making at the high tech job that got me back to school. The government would be missing a lot of tax revenue if I did not have that early work experience and had not graduated from the school that I did. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity, part of that opportunity was the easy access to cheap clunker transportation that no one else wanted.

Part of the opportunity that I had is being destroyed one clunker at a time. How easy is it going to be to get cheap transportation when hundreds of thousands of cheap cars are being destroyed? Supply and demand, cheap transportation is not going to be so cheap after this.

[mdk190]

I think we should have as many clunkers on the road as possible. I think we should keep transferring our wealth to oil producing nations in the Middle East that dislike us, either overtly or covertly. Yay! Is this what conservatives are moaning about? Reducing our dependence on foreign oil is only bad when it is proposed by a Democrat.

[LouC]

Much whining about nothing going on here.

Cheap beater vehicles for people to drive are not going away any time soon if ever.

People need to get a grip on reality.

The Cash for Clunkers program has been estimated to have resulted in 200,000 new vehicle sales.

In 2007 there were 237,402,545 registered cars, trucks, vans, suv's etc. on the American roads.

The CARS program, if the press is accurate, accounted for taking .085% of those used vehicles off the road.

Of course the program can be credited with putting .085%, new today, but future used vehicles on the road.

OMG!!!!!!!

[LouC]

I think we should have as many clunkers on the road as possible. I think we should keep transferring our wealth to oil producing nations in the Middle East that dislike us, either overtly or covertly. Yay! Is this what conservatives are moaning about? Reducing our dependence on foreign oil is only bad when it is proposed by a Democrat.

Now, now, let us not make blanket statements about all Conservatives. :D

[mgifford]

I think we should have as many clunkers on the road as possible. I think we should keep transferring our wealth to oil producing nations in the Middle East that dislike us, either overtly or covertly. Yay! Is this what conservatives are moaning about? Reducing our dependence on foreign oil is only bad when it is proposed by a Democrat.

Of course that's it. And another of course would be that we should be drilling in our own country as well as off shore, but for the Democrats that won't have it. Remember pelosi not allowing our drilling here?

Oh, one more of course. Of course the Democrats are and have been in bed with the unions which control all the car makers, who in turn have totally screwed our "car economy" UP, by forcing regulations on car makers that can't be good and in fact are bad.

Want to talk about the $48.000 "electric car" that's coming up, the Prius, the other pieces of crap the unions and the inviro-wackos are pushing on us.

What about the reason the liberals are pushing getting rid of the clunkers in the first place? They want the gas guzzlers off the road so they can, again, force the cars on us that nobody wants. That's this gist of it. Crooked "Democrats, car unions and enviro wackos". Socialist Democrats are determined to change us into another France with the little 'dingy cars" and all. It won't happen

Again, remember when our illustrious Teddy Kennedy foiled a plan to place wind turbines many miles off Kennedy's sailing area? He said "he didn't want his view to be messed up by turbines as he sails". The sorry, lousy, crooked Democrats want all the old cars destroyed, so either you have a new one or you walk.

This incentive to get $45.000 off a new car will end up hurting the folks who can hardly pay their bills now, by having them trade in a paid for car and go into debt for 5 or 6 years. There's that "change we can believe in again", I believe now! If I wasn't very busy today I could say what I really think.

[mdk190]

Of course that's it. And another of course would be that we should be drilling in our own country as well as off shore, but for the Democrats that won't have it. Remember pelosi not allowing our drilling here?

Oh, one more of course. Of course the Democrats are and have been in bed with the unions which control all the car makers, who in turn have totally screwed our "car economy" UP, by forcing regulations on car makers that can't be good and in fact are bad.

Want to talk about the $48.000 "electric car" that's coming up, the Prius, the other pieces of crap the unions and the inviro-wackos are pushing on us.

What about the reason the liberals are pushing getting rid of the clunkers in the first place? They want the gas guzzlers off the road so they can, again, force the cars on us that nobody wants. That's this gist of it. Crooked "Democrats, car unions and enviro wackos". Socialist Democrats are determined to change us into another France with the little 'dingy cars" and all. It won't happen

Again, remember when our illustrious Teddy Kennedy foiled a plan to place wind turbines many miles off Kennedy's sailing area? He said "he didn't want his view to be messed up by turbines as he sails". The sorry, lousy, crooked Democrats want all the old cars destroyed, so either you have a new one or you walk.

This incentive to get $45.000 off a new car will end up hurting the folks who can hardly pay their bills now, by having them trade in a paid for car and go into debt for 5 or 6 years. There's that "change we can believe in again", I believe now! If I wasn't very busy today I could say what I really think.


You cannot blame Democrats solely for not wanting to drill off shore. I remember Jeb Bush pushing very hard against having off shores oil rigs all off the coast of Florida in fear that it would ruin the lucrative tourist industry.

Democrats want to make us France. Good grief, where do you people come up with this tripe?

[mgifford]

You cannot blame Democrats solely for not wanting to drill off shore. I remember Jeb Bush pushing very hard against having off shores oil rigs all off the coast of Florida in fear that it would ruin the lucrative tourist industry.

Democrats want to make us France. Good grief, where do you people come up with this tripe?

OK, all the Democrats and Jebbie!

[The Girl from Ipanema]

<snip>

In 2007 there were 237,402,545 registered cars, trucks, vans, suv's etc. on the American roads.
<snip>

And I'm pretty sure that every last one of them is sitting still eastbound on 2-44 when I'm trying to get home. :doh:

[LouC]

And I'm pretty sure that every last one of them is sitting still eastbound on 2-44 when I'm trying to get home. :doh:

:think:

As a matter of fact...

[dbs944]

They looked pretty serviceable - give some poor family the car they may need to get to work. Recycle the parts to keep them out of landfills.

Seems pretty sad to me.

[ModerateVoice]

I've been saying the obvious about this for two days.............there are plenty of people who's personal economics would be stimulated by being given a car.....these people can use that car to get a better job, to go to school, use one of these old trucks or vans to start a business (which might create even more jobs).

......but noooooooooooo! They are bad for the environment and they offend liberals so let's crush them.

I could rant for hours on all the ways this program is ****ed up six ways to Sunday........and this is coming from a guy who used to run dealerships for a living.

[chip]

I think we should have as many clunkers on the road as possible. I think we should keep transferring our wealth to oil producing nations in the Middle East that dislike us, either overtly or covertly. Yay! Is this what conservatives are moaning about? Reducing our dependence on foreign oil is only bad when it is proposed by a Democrat.

Theres no reduction in our dependence on foreign oil by this program.

[LouC]

They looked pretty serviceable - give some poor family the car they may need to get to work.

The last thing a "poor" family needs is a clunker.

Poor families need good, cheap to operate, dependable cars.

However I guess one goal of the program, people totally missed, is to permanently get the clunker off the road.

Recycle the parts to keep them out of landfills.

The cars are being as recycled as much as possible, some parts are being removed for resale before going to the crushers and shredders, the rest goes to the recyclers.

Seems pretty sad to me.

Seems pretty darn clever.

Too bad the federal government is involved in a program they shouldn't be involved in, in my opinion.

[mdk190]

Theres no reduction in our dependence on foreign oil by this program.

More fuel efficient cars on the road means less oil we are using. Less of our wealth is being transferred over to the Middle East. Seems pretty cut and dry to me.

[LouC]

Theres no reduction in our dependence on foreign oil by this program.

Likely there will be an increase in direct driver fuel usage under this program.

I sure as heck would be driving more (burning more fuel) if I had a new dependable car, heck yeah.

Road Trips! :dance:

[LouC]

More fuel efficient cars on the road means less oil we are using. Less of our wealth is being transferred over to the Middle East. Seems pretty cut and dry to me.

I understand that is the goal, however that will not be the result, I am willing to bet on that.

[chip]

The last thing a "poor" family needs is a clunker.

Poor families need good, cheap to operate, dependable cars.



Like maybe a 1997 Volkswagen Passat Wagon?

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c113/ChipV/1997VWPassat.jpg

[mrclean]

Had the Reps. done anything like this, there would be hell to pay.


In a million years, the Reps would never come up with an idea this good.


Suck it up losers!

[LouC]

Like maybe a 1997 Volkswagen Passat Wagon?

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c113/ChipV/1997VWPassat.jpg

That car doesn't look that old.

[LouC]

In a million years, the Reps would never come up with an idea this good.


Suck it up losers!

Sure the Republicans in office would have, they have proved they are every bit as willing to engage in non Constitutionally backed redistribution of wealth as the Democrats are.

All the American people are the losers, are you an American?

[mrclean]

Sure the Republicans in office would have, they have proved they are every bit as willing to engage in non Constitutionally backed redistribution of wealth as the Democrats are.

All the American people are the losers, are you an American?

Not all the American people. Not the auto dealers, not the new car buyers, and not the people who want old pieces of **** off the road.

Just the whiney conservatives who can't get anything to go their way anymore.

[chip]

That car doesn't look that old.

That year and make was deemed a clunker, you know one of those cars that is the last thing poor families need.

[LouC]

Not all the American people. Not the auto dealers, not the new car buyers, and not the people who want old pieces of **** off the road.

Just the whiney conservatives who can't get anything to go their way anymore.

My God are you really that ignorant of where the money is coming from for this latest program? :eek:

As Nero fiddles some on the Left dance in the street to his tune taunting those on the Right, those who see the flames consuming this nation.

[LouC]

That year and make was deemed a clunker, you know one of those cars that is the last thing poor families need.

So?

All I said is the car doesn't look 12 years old.

Of course I don't now and never have kept up that much with cars and styles.

Of course it isn't the looks of the car that determines the "clunker" factor now is it?

If people are worried about poor people needing cars and not being able to get one because of this program then I would suggest putting up or shutting up.

[troy]

I was bothered when I saw perfectly good vehicles being destroyed. I also watched a couple of stories of scrap dealers who were rightfully concerned about not being able to recycle and sell parts there is a market for.

This program may provide temporary relief for manufacturers and dealers, but what happens when it ends? Or does it end?

[troy]

I was bothered when I saw perfectly good vehicles being destroyed. I also watched a couple of stories of scrap dealers who were rightfully concerned about not being able to recycle and sell parts there is a market for.

This program may provide temporary relief for manufacturers and dealers, but what happens when it ends? Or does it end?

[troy]

I was bothered when I saw perfectly good vehicles being destroyed. I also watched a couple of stories of scrap dealers who were rightfully concerned about not being able to recycle and sell parts there is a market for.

This program may provide temporary relief for manufacturers and dealers, but what happens when it ends? Or does it end?

[Claymore]

The 4x4 vehicles could be used by the military, police, border patrol ,or forestry. The vans need to be painted neon green and used to drive illegals back across the border. Sell the rest of the cars to third-world dealers (Detroit, Cleveland, St.Louis,,,)that could use them.

[chip]

So?

All I said is the car doesn't look 12 years old.

Of course I don't now and never have kept up that much with cars and styles.

Of course it isn't the looks of the car that determines the "clunker" factor now is it?

If people are worried about poor people needing cars and not being able to get one because of this program then I would suggest putting up or shutting up.

No it isnt the looks, but saying "The last thing a "poor" family needs is a clunker." is ridiculous. Id bet many poor families would love to have many of these vehicles.

Instead of destroying these cars for political reasons they very well could have went to people who actually need cars.

[LouC]

I was bothered when I saw perfectly good vehicles being destroyed.

Why does that, which has been going on since the mass production of cars started, suddenly bother you?

I also watched a couple of stories of scrap dealers who were rightfully concerned about not being able to recycle and sell parts there is a market for.

Perhaps that was stories from scrap dealers who weren't "in the know" yet?

That means a lot of paperwork will be filled out by people like David Rawls at businesses like Tiger Auto Salvage. "You have to register the car within seven days of receipt. Then you have to dismantle and crush them out within 180 days of getting them on the premises here."

When the clunker arrives at the salvage yard, the engine is already supposed to be disabled. Dealers will pour a water and sand mixture into the engine, causing it to seize.

The program allows salvage yards to pull off parts such as wheels and lights. "Yes, we can take off the parts and sell them," Rawls said.

Hazardous materials like mercury switches are disposed of safely. The body, engine and transmission are then destroyed. "We'll call in a crusher that will come in and smash the car down," said Rawls.

The program, designed to get many gas guzzlers off the road and rev up the auto industry, will be a boon for salvage yards who can sell the parts and scrap metal.

"I think we'll get more cars, more stock to deal with," predicted Rawls.


This program may provide temporary relief for manufacturers and dealers, but what happens when it ends?

Then everything goes back to normal, hopefully, despite the Federal Governments interference in the natural order of things.

Or does it end?

Probably not until an administration change.

[mrclean]

My God are you really that ignorant of where the money is coming from for this latest program? :eek:

As Nero fiddles some on the Left dance in the street to his tune taunting those on the Right, those who see the flames consuming this nation.


"Flames consuming this nation"

How dramatic! :))

[LouC]

No it isnt the looks, but saying "The last thing a "poor" family needs is a clunker." is ridiculous.

No that is not ridiculous.

The last thing a poor family needs is a clunker, they need good, dependable, cheap to operate cars.

They don't need cars they can't afford to insure, keep up, or fuel up.

Id bet many poor families would love to have many of these vehicles.

I bet many poor families would love to have brand new Mercedes.

If people are going to whine about this program allegedly preventing the poor from having cars then I call that pure hypocrisy if those same people aren't giving their "good" clunkers to the poor so that the poor will not do without.

Instead of destroying these cars for political reasons they very well could have went to people who actually need cars.

The cars are being destroyed for the same reason cars are destroyed day in and day out because they are junk and surplus and not worth keeping.

They could have gone to the people who need cars despite the government.

[LouC]

"Flames consuming this nation"

How dramatic! :))

It was a pretty good dramatic figure of speech wasn't it? :dance:

But seriously applauding this program for its "in your face" partisan merits while ignoring the bigger picture of the true cost is not really wise.

I am against the program because I truly believe the Federal Government should not be amassing debt for all to give a very small group of people some temporary and wholly artificial benefits.

Had any President, including President Obama, gone to the private sector and brokered a cash for clunkers deal with the money coming voluntarily from the private sector to fund it, then I would be dancing in the street, singing praises to him or her.

Had I been in on this deal I would have definitely considered the people who still can't afford to give up their clunker or those people who don't even have a car but need one.

Something we discussed in another thread.

[MikeJF]

...If people are going to whine about this program allegedly preventing the poor from having cars then I call that pure hypocrisy if those same people aren't giving their "good" clunkers to the poor so that the poor will not do without.

...The cars are being destroyed for the same reason cars are destroyed day in and day out because they are junk and surplus and not worth keeping.



dude, ever hear of something known as the free market? Here's how it works- private individuals and businesses decide what they buy, when they buy, and when they sell. If an owner has a old product that still works (or even not), someone in the FREE MARKET just may want to actually buy it and use it. It's their choice. If there is no demand for old products (in any condition), then the owner trades it in or junks it, because the owner can't find a buyer.

When the gov mandates to a private business that a product must be junked and not be resold, there is no FREE MARKET any more.

[LouC]

dude, ever hear of something known as the free market? Here's how it works- private individuals and businesses decide what they buy, when they buy, and when they sell. If an owner has a old product that still works (or even not), someone in the FREE MARKET just may want to actually buy it and use it. It's their choice. If there is no demand for old products (in any condition), then the owner trades it in or junks it, because the owner can't find a buyer.

When the gov mandates that a product must be junked and not be resold, there is no FREE MARKET any more.

Oh bull.

This is not really impacting the used car free market.

It is if anything bringing more reusable and recyclable parts onto the free market for people who are keeping their alleged "clunkers" and not upgrading.

Using the latest statistics from 2007: There are 237,402,545 million used cars, trucks, vans, and SUV's on America's roads.

The estimated number of clunkers that will be removed from the roads in this first $1 billion of CARS program money is 200,000 cars, that is only .085% of the available used car market.

And that .085% is not going away permanently but is being replaced with future "used" cars on a one to one basis.

So I say again "Bull".

[countmein]

I was talking to a salesman last week. The dealership was putting this program on hold. They had sold a number of cars with this program and a number of the "deals" were rejected by the government.

As we discussed this, he confirmed my thoughts; this is going to "hit" the average American looking to purchase a new car by the end of the year. This particular salesman works at a Toyota Dealership. He said that Toyota cut back their production by over 20% four or five months ago. A month ago, you couldn't have walked through their lot because it was so full, and they were expecting more deliveries. Now Friday, you could have played a football game on their lot, their new car inventory is gone, the trade-ins have been destroyed, and they aren't expecting a huge delivery any time soon. What happens when supply drops that drastically? You guessed it, prices are going to skyrocket. A car I could have bought Friday (my oldest turns 16 in Dec and we are starting to look) for $14,000 will cost me at least $17,000 by the end of the year. Now we, like everyone else will be looking for a decent used car, but once again, because demand will go up, so will the prices. Now tell me how hard up people are going to afford a decent car to get to work?

[LouC]

I was talking to a salesman last week. The dealership was putting this program on hold. They had sold a number of cars with this program and a number of the "deals" were rejected by the government.

As we discussed this, he confirmed my thoughts; this is going to "hit" the average American looking to purchase a new car by the end of the year. This particular salesman works at a Toyota Dealership. He said that Toyota cut back their production by over 20% four or five months ago. A month ago, you couldn't have walked through their lot because it was so full, and they were expecting more deliveries. Now Friday, you could have played a football game on their lot, their new car inventory is gone, the trade-ins have been destroyed, and they aren't expecting a huge delivery any time soon. What happens when supply drops that drastically? You guessed it, prices are going to skyrocket. A car I could have bought Friday (my oldest turns 16 in Dec and we are starting to look) for $14,000 will cost me at least $17,000 by the end of the year. Now we, like everyone else will be looking for a decent used car, but once again, because demand will go up, so will the prices. Now tell me how hard up people are going to afford a decent car to get to work?

We have supply and demand working.

Hard up people are always hard up finding a decent car to go to work, no change there.

People quit buying new cars because of this economy so they hung on to their older cars.

So of course used car prices went up because the supply went down.

When new car sales eventually rebound, and I predict they will despite the bad influence of the government, new and used cars will again start to fill the lots and prices on used cars will moderate.

[MikeJF]

Oh bull.

This is not really impacting the used car free market.

It is if anything bringing more reusable and recyclable parts onto the free market for people who are keeping their alleged "clunkers" and not upgrading.

Using the latest statistics from 2007: There are 237,402,545 million used cars, trucks, vans, and SUV's on America's roads.

The estimated number of clunkers that will be removed from the roads in this first $1 billion of CARS program money is 200,000 cars, that is only .085% of the available used car market.

And that .085% is not going away permanently but is being replaced with future "used" cars on a one to one basis.

So I say again "Bull".

I don't care what percentage of this gov program interferes with the free market, .085% or .000001%, it should not be interfering at all. And if this program is such a small percentage of the overall market, what possible good can it do for any purpose?

[mgifford]

In a million years, the Reps would never come up with an idea this good.


Suck it up losers!

It's unbelievable that anything the liberals do, the constituents lick up like candy. I think that's the most disgusting thing about the left, they love what the Dems. do no matter what or whom it hurts. Liberalism is a "mental Disorder".

[MikeJF]

lets' see what might be coming next...

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old clunker PC or laptop, that you bought in 2006?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old tube CRT monitor?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old analog TV and VCR players?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old lawn mower?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old incandescent light bulbs?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old water heater?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old washing machine and dryer?

-gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old refrigerator or freezer?

This nonsense is ridiculous.

[LouC]

I don't care what percentage of this gov program interferes with the free market, .085% or .000001%, it should not be interfering at all. And if this program is such a small percentage of the overall market, what possible good can it do for any purpose?

See that is the thing I hoped would come from my post.

It really isn't interfering with the market.

The overall number of registered cars stays the same.

It is great PR for the Democrats and President Obama especially with the fawning or uniformed and unengaged electorate.

That is what it does, just look at post # 30: http://forums.hannity.com/showpost.php?p=58720371&postcount=30

[LouC]

...This nonsense is ridiculous.

Yes it is, but people like it.

[mgifford]

I would imagine that there are plenty of cars being scrapped that I could choose a ride from. From the remarks being posted here, I'd say that the liberals have done something that is RIDICULOUS, however, we're stuck with it. Oh well!

[LouC]

I would imagine that there are plenty of cars being scraped that I could choose a ride from. From the remarks being posted here, I'd say that the liberals have done something that is RIDICULOUS, however, we're stuck with it. Oh well!

Yes the Democrats along with some Republicans have done something ridiculous.

The number of Republicans in the House that voted to add more money to the program nearly doubled from the number that voted for the original plan.

Let us see if the numbers change in the Senate since it looks like the "people" like it.

[mgifford]

Yes the Democrats along with some Republicans have done something ridiculous.

The number of Republicans in the House that voted to add more money to the program nearly doubled from the number that voted for the original plan.

Let us see if the numbers change in the Senate since it looks like the "people" like it.

The Reps. are no better to me when they do stupid things than the Dems. which always do stupid things. Junk yards make money every year by providing people who can't afford a new car, with parts to repair their old ones. This market will vanish very quickly.

[mrclean]

The Reps. are no better to me when they do stupid things than the Dems. which always do stupid things. Junk yards make money every year by providing people who can't afford a new car, with parts to repair their old ones. This market will vanish very quickly.


Good!


More room for golf courses.

[dbs944]

Sure - a clunker is probably not needed. Those sure didn't look like clunkers. Even so...

Clunker -
$1,500 / year for maintenance
400/ year for insurance
100/ year taxes
0/month car payment
200/year depreciation

Cost - $2,200/year

New Car
1500 one time to get it off the lot (taxes, title etc)
200 / year maintenance (warranty maintenance is expensive)
800/year insurance
800/year personal property tax
4000/year car payment
2500/year depreciation (average over 3 years)

$1500 + $8300/year

[mgifford]

Good!


More room for golf courses.

All I can afford are clunkers now, so good?

[LouC]

The Reps. are no better to me when they do stupid things than the Dems. which always do stupid things. Junk yards make money every year by providing people who can't afford a new car, with parts to repair their old ones. This market will vanish very quickly.

The junk yards are not going away.

There were 237,402,545 million registered cars, trucks, vans, and SUV's on the road in 2007.

An average of about 8 to 9 million new cars were being purchased a year as of 2007.

The program is estimated to have accounted for the exchange of 200,000 thousand cars so far (only about 40,000 thousand confirmed sales).

200,000 thousand is .085% of the total potential used car market.

The CARS program is temporary.

The junk yards are not going away.

[sgtmac_46]

Had the Reps. done anything like this, there would be hell to pay.

Oh, you better believe it!

[chip]

No that is not ridiculous.

The last thing a poor family needs is a clunker, they need good, dependable, cheap to operate cars.

They don't need cars they can't afford to insure, keep up, or fuel up.



I bet many poor families would love to have brand new Mercedes.

If people are going to whine about this program allegedly preventing the poor from having cars then I call that pure hypocrisy if those same people aren't giving their "good" clunkers to the poor so that the poor will not do without.



The cars are being destroyed for the same reason cars are destroyed day in and day out because they are junk and surplus and not worth keeping.

They could have gone to the people who need cars despite the government.


Sorry but many of the cars destroyed werent junk. They were destroyed because the govt was stupid enough to offer $4500 for them.

[mgifford]

Oh, you better believe it!

GW tried to take a small amount of power from DC and allow us to put 2% of our SS in a private account. That went over like a turd in the punchbowl.

[LouC]

Sorry but many of the cars destroyed werent junk.

By program parameters they were.

They were destroyed because the govt was stupid enough to offer $4500 for them.

They were destroyed because it was a requirement of the CARS program which it would seem the American people voted "thumbs up" for with their feet (and wallets) by pressing the gas pedal on their clunkers, as defined by the program parameters, to go to the dealership and exchange their clunkers for either a $3500 or $4500 discount on a new vehicle, in what has been a great PR success for the Democratic party now in control of our country.

[Claymore]

lets' see what might be coming next...

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old clunker PC or laptop, that you bought in 2006?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old tube CRT monitor?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old analog TV and VCR players?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old lawn mower?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old incandescent light bulbs?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old water heater?

- gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old washing machine and dryer?

-gov rebate (your tax$) to trade in your old refrigerator or freezer?

This nonsense is ridiculous.

Your old houses or mobile homes?

[Claymore]

It's unbelievable that anything the liberals do, the constituents lick up like candy. I think that's the most disgusting thing about the left, they love what the Dems. do no matter what or whom it hurts. Liberalism is a "mental Disorder".


Yes, exactly. They have no common sense.
The 4x4 vehicles could be used by the military, police, border patrol ,or forestry. The vans need to be painted neon green and used to drive illegals back across the border. Sell the rest of the cars to third-world dealers (Detroit, Cleveland, St.Louis,,,)that could use them.

[LouC]

Yes, exactly. They have no common sense.
The 4x4 vehicles could be used by the military, police, border patrol ,or forestry. The vans need to be painted neon green and used to drive illegals back across the border. Sell the rest of the cars to third-world dealers (Detroit, Cleveland, St.Louis,,,)that could use them.

Third world dealers, (Detroit, Cleveland, St.Louis,,,) :))

[HeyJude]

They looked pretty serviceable - give some poor family the car they may need to get to work. Recycle the parts to keep them out of landfills.

Seems pretty sad to me.


Yes, very sad! Absolutely GOOD cars, destroyed!
It makes me sick!
I have an old Jeep Cherokee, 1988, still runs good after all these years.
My brother is driving it to work and back. Without the Jeep, he'd be without a job. I'm tellin' ya, GONE are the days when you could find a drivable vehicle for $1,000. If I were to sell my Jeep, it might bring 6-7 hundred bucks, maybe. It will die one day, but it's gonna die a natural death, not get "murdered" by Bolama & Co.

I'd like to know, how are poor people going to be able to buy a car now?
Young people and college kids can't afford payments either, so what will be left for them to buy??
My first car was a piece of junk, but it got me to work and back, I would have been in huge trouble without it.

I dunno, I think this program is gonna bite Americans in the butt. Not just the billions of dollars, but the lack of usable vehicles for folks who desparately need them.

[HeyJude]

I've been saying the obvious about this for two days.............there are plenty of people who's personal economics would be stimulated by being given a car.....these people can use that car to get a better job, to go to school, use one of these old trucks or vans to start a business (which might create even more jobs).




Absolutely, why the heck don't they give the cars away?? Or charge a small fee? It's INSANE to destroy usable property like this. If I were a poor person, I think I'd be crying my eyes out, this program is outrageous.

[Claymore]

Absolutely, why the heck don't they give the cars away?? Or charge a small fee? It's INSANE to destroy usable property like this. If I were a poor person, I think I'd be crying my eyes out, this program is outrageous.


They should GIVE these good, useable cars to all the poor, ignorant people that voted for BHO & Co as a 'loyalty gift' from the new socialist regime. :rolleyes:

[HeyJude]

They should GIVE these good, useable cars to all the poor, ignorant people that voted for BHO & Co as a 'loyalty gift' from the new socialist regime. :rolleyes:


Better to give them away than kill them. See King Solomon, Old Testament.

Did you see the Volvo they killed? WOW, it was a pretty car, looked new. That engine did NOT want to die. It took 4 solid minutes to kill it. I would have LOVED to have took that car home. That car could have easily gone another 200,000 miles or more.
It's just CRAZY!!

[LouC]

...I'd like to know, how are poor people going to be able to buy a car now?

No differently than before.

Young people and college kids can't afford payments either, so what will be left for them to buy??

Any of the millions and millions of used cars this program will never affect.

My first car was a piece of junk, but it got me to work and back, I would have been in huge trouble without it.

And that will not change for people under this program.

I dunno, I think this program is gonna bite Americans in the butt. Not just the billions of dollars, but the lack of usable vehicles for folks who desparately need them.

There won't be any lack of usable vehicles because of this program.

[concernedcitizen]

I would say the program appears to be working...

http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/07/28/2009-07-28_clunkers_rolling_in_deals_rolling_out.html

"We're knocking the cover off the ball," said Brian Benstock (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Brian+Benstock), vice president and general sales manager of Paragon Honda (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Paragon+Honda) and Acura (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Acura+Motors) in Woodside, Queens (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Woodside+%28New+York%29).
"Saturday, we had a showroom full of people and we've done 33 deals," he said.


Benstock said that of the first 23 deals:
- 10 customers qualified for the $3,500 rebate, a four- to nine-mile per gallon improvement over their old car's performance.
- 13 people got the $4,500 rebate because their improvement was more than 10 mpg.
- 16 mpg was the average for the clunkers traded in.
- 27 mpg was the average for the new cars sold, a 60% improvement, Benstock said.
"The savings on gas alone will put more money into the economy because hopefully consumers will spend that money on other things," he said.

[WhiteHatBobby]

The other thing is the engine shops that deal with businesses pay the price with CARS. Destroying the engines means the supply of engines for business trucks goes down, and that means higher prices for GM, Ford, and Chrysler small-block (302-400 CID V8) engines that business trucks use. Destroying business trucks makes no sense. If you're a business, would you spend $40,000 on a new truck for business or spend $1,000 on a refurbished 350 V8 powerplant if the engine goes on your business truck?

Of course I'd rather spend a grand, let the small businessman who's rebuilding these engines do his job, and he'll take my blown powerplant, break it down, and either recycle the metal or build a refurbished powerplant to sell to another business. Which will last longer, a new truck or a new 350 from a local engine man? And besides, many of the new fuel-efficient cars will require a timing belt change very early. Ignorant people who don't know that will forget, and the engine will blow up after the warranty expires.

[Drawz]

Yes, very sad! Absolutely GOOD cars, destroyed!
It makes me sick!
I have an old Jeep Cherokee, 1988, still runs good after all these years.
My brother is driving it to work and back. Without the Jeep, he'd be without a job. I'm tellin' ya, GONE are the days when you could find a drivable vehicle for $1,000. If I were to sell my Jeep, it might bring 6-7 hundred bucks, maybe. It will die one day, but it's gonna die a natural death, not get "murdered" by Bolama & Co.

I'd like to know, how are poor people going to be able to buy a car now?
Young people and college kids can't afford payments either, so what will be left for them to buy??
My first car was a piece of junk, but it got me to work and back, I would have been in huge trouble without it.

I dunno, I think this program is gonna bite Americans in the butt. Not just the billions of dollars, but the lack of usable vehicles for folks who desparately need them.

Please, whatever problems this program may have, we are in no danger of running out of old, cheap cars.

[Drawz]

Better to give them away than kill them. See King Solomon, Old Testament.

Did you see the Volvo they killed? WOW, it was a pretty car, looked new. That engine did NOT want to die. It took 4 solid minutes to kill it. I would have LOVED to have took that car home. That car could have easily gone another 200,000 miles or more.
It's just CRAZY!!

Volvo does make a fine automobile. My father owned a 73 wagon that topped a million miles.

[mgifford]

Yes, very sad! Absolutely GOOD cars, destroyed!
It makes me sick!
I have an old Jeep Cherokee, 1988, still runs good after all these years.
My brother is driving it to work and back. Without the Jeep, he'd be without a job. I'm tellin' ya, GONE are the days when you could find a drivable vehicle for $1,000. If I were to sell my Jeep, it might bring 6-7 hundred bucks, maybe. It will die one day, but it's gonna die a natural death, not get "murdered" by Bolama & Co.

I'd like to know, how are poor people going to be able to buy a car now?
Young people and college kids can't afford payments either, so what will be left for them to buy??
My first car was a piece of junk, but it got me to work and back, I would have been in huge trouble without it.

I dunno, I think this program is gonna bite Americans in the butt. Not just the billions of dollars, but the lack of usable vehicles for folks who desparately need them.

My wife and I drive a 1992 Toyota. It has 227000 miles and isn't bad, I guess. However, if it stops running then is when I stop driving. Five years ago I got very sick and am now disabled. My Disability/Social Security check affords me, after paying my bills, a couple of trips to Micky D's and two tanks of gas for the month.

Last month the VA found that I wasn't paying the money that I owed them for my "prescription drugs", so they notified the SS and had them take $300.00 out of my check.
No warning, but a few days, so we had to try to live on, paying our bills, two trips to Micky D's and no gas. That has been such a problem for us all month.

If our car (which was given to us) were to tear up tomorrow, I'd be in trouble. I couldn't even get to the VA for my appointments. So, that also means that I couldn't find another car to drive. There wouldn't be any used ones to choose from and I couldn't afford them anyway now that the crushings are going on and prices are going up.
People in America for years have depended on these used cars that are being crushed.

[gdoane]

Please, whatever problems this program may have, we are in no danger of running out of old, cheap cars.

No, what is in danger is GOOD old, cheap cars.

This program reached the people who buy new and take care of their things. It didn't (and couldn't) reach the slobs who neglect oil changes, fluid inspections and the like.

THESE CARS ARE NOT THE CLUNKERS WE WERE LOOKING FOR!

This is another Obama Jedi Mind Trick! This program is not removing half-dead menaces from the highway because it targets the people who can qualify for new car financing. It doesn't target the deadbeats who are driving a beater like they stole it.

[Andrew_980]

They demolished good cars, bmw, volvos,ect, so that wealthy folks could get a new car and the auto makers could gain a few bucks at our expense. Wastefull, stupid, and costly. Yay change.

[LouC]

...People in America for years have depended on these used cars that are being crushed.

There will continue to be used cars, used cars are not going away, this program is not destroying the used car market.

[HeyJude]

Volvo does make a fine automobile. My father owned a 73 wagon that topped a million miles.


That's amazing! Just to contrast, one of the videos showed a Jeep being destroy, and it took about 25 seconds to kill the Jeep.:D Compare that to the 4 minutes for the Volvo. A very good and tuff engine, Volvo is fantastic.

[Apatriot]

Not just that, "Cash for Clunkers" has one agenda:

Get any family car off the road, and force as many people into the 2-seat microcars as they can. Microcars are worth the full $4,500 value.

Some of these cars had engines that could easily fetch aplenty. An Aurora V8 engine could easily be rebuilt and put into a racer -- the IRL used stock blocks in the early years.

Then the owners should do that, if they can get more than $4500 for it.

This is greenie weenie agenda at work. Get rid of any car that is not compliant with the government's greenie weenie agenda and crush it. Hope everyone buys an expensive greenie weenie such as the 2010 Ford Focus electric car.

It's still voluntary. Nobody is making anybody turn in a working clunker and buy a new car. It's a choice. To me, this is a better stimulus than a lot of the other stuff.

[mgifford]

There will continue to be used cars, used cars are not going away, this program is not destroying the used car market.

You swallow anything the liberal Democrats tell you to.

[gdoane]

There will continue to be used cars, used cars are not going away, this program is not destroying the used car market.

The program might not but the administration behind the program sure might.

It shows a snobbish attitude that these cars (and all cars like them) should not be on the road. Only new, fine, shiny cars with the Obama seal of approval should be on the roads.

The government didn't only segregate the cars they say are bad, they also segregated the cars they said were good. If they did that to people there'd be tar and feathers tonight.

The government has no business telling people which cars are good and which cars are bad.

[WhiteHatBobby]

"Good" cars, Obama Approved for CAFE Rules:
Ford Focus
Nissan Versa
Toyota Prius
Scion xA
Toyota iQ (not available in the US)
Nissan Altima Hybrid
Mazda Atenza line hybrids
Smart Fortwo
Honda Fit
Honda Insight

Bad: All trucks and SUV's.

An interesting take:

http://www.racejournalonline.com/index.php?page=read&article=468

[LouC]

You swallow anything the liberal Democrats tell you to.

:))

Can't refute so you go the attack route.

FYI I am a Conservative and I am against the CARS program.

[LouC]

The program might not but the administration behind the program sure might.

It shows a snobbish attitude that these cars (and all cars like them) should not be on the road. Only new, fine, shiny cars with the Obama seal of approval should be on the roads.

The government didn't only segregate the cars they say are bad, they also segregated the cars they said were good. If they did that to people there'd be tar and feathers tonight.

The government has no business telling people which cars are good and which cars are bad.

The Federal Government has no reason or more importantly no mandate by the Constitution to be in the car business.

I have said that repeatedly.

Just because I am against this CARS program it does not mean I am going to engage in uninformed histrionics to argue against it.

[mgifford]

:))

Can't refute so you go the attack route.

FYI I am a Conservative and I am against the CARS program.

:rolleyes:

[HeyJude]

No, what is in danger is GOOD old, cheap cars.

This program reached the people who buy new and take care of their things. It didn't (and couldn't) reach the slobs who neglect oil changes, fluid inspections and the like.

THESE CARS ARE NOT THE CLUNKERS WE WERE LOOKING FOR!

This is another Obama Jedi Mind Trick! This program is not removing half-dead menaces from the highway because it targets the people who can qualify for new car financing. It doesn't target the deadbeats who are driving a beater like they stole it.


Bingo. The videos show mostly nice cars being destroyed. If they really wanted to stimulate the economy, they should have done something CONstructive, not DEstructive with the so-called clunkers. It's just such a total WASTE. There are a lot of fine charities out there that would have been very happy to receive those cars. Or they could have been given to our military wives. Lots of military families are barely making ends meet, and a good used car could be a Godsend for many of them.

Wake Up America!

[HeyJude]

.........

An interesting take:

http://www.racejournalonline.com/index.php?page=read&article=468


Great story, one I can relate to. My old Jeep was the first "brand new" vehicle I ever owned. Lots and lots of memories surround that Jeep, I could write a book.

[LouC]

Bingo. The videos show mostly nice cars being destroyed. If they really wanted to stimulate the economy, they should have done something CONstructive, not DEstructive with the so-called clunkers. It's just such a total WASTE. There are a lot of fine charities out there that would have been very happy to receive those cars. Or they could have been given to our military wives. Lots of military families are barely making ends meet, and a good used car could be a Godsend for many of them.

Wake Up America!

The only people guilty for those cars not going to charity are the owners of the cars who took them to the dealerships.

[Apatriot]

"Good" cars, Obama Approved for CAFE Rules:
Ford Focus
Nissan Versa
Toyota Prius
Scion xA
Toyota iQ (not available in the US)
Nissan Altima Hybrid
Mazda Atenza line hybrids
Smart Fortwo
Honda Fit
Honda Insight

Bad: All trucks and SUV's.


While the above were preferred by Obama, the following are the true criteria (emphasized in bold (from cars.gov):


What is the value of the credit for the purchase or lease of a new passenger car?

The value of the credit for the purchase or lease of a new passenger car depends upon the difference between the combined fuel economy of the vehicle that is traded in and that of the new vehicle that is purchased or leased. If the new vehicle has a combined fuel economy that is at least 4, but less than 10, miles per gallon higher than the traded-in vehicle, the credit is $3,500. If the new vehicle has a combined fuel economy value that is at least 10 miles per gallon higher than the traded-in vehicle, the credit is $4,500.

What is the value of the credit for the purchase or lease of a new van, pickup truck or SUV?

The value of the credit given for the purchase or lease of a category 1 or 2 truck also generally depends on the difference between the combined fuel economy of the vehicle that is traded in and that of the new vehicle that is purchased or leased. If the new vehicle is a category 1 truck that has a combined fuel economy value that is at least 2, but less than 5, miles per gallon higher than the traded-in vehicle, the credit is $3,500. If the new category 1 truck has a combined fuel economy value that is at least 5 miles per gallon higher than the traded-in vehicle, the credit is $4,500.
If both the new vehicle and the traded-in vehicle are category 2 trucks and the combined fuel economy value of the new vehicle is at least 1, but less than 2, miles per gallon higher than the combined fuel economy value of the traded in vehicle, the credit is $3,500. If both the new vehicle and the traded-in vehicle are category 2 trucks and the combined fuel economy of the new vehicle is at least 2 miles per gallon higher than that of the traded-in vehicle, the credit is $4,500. A $3,500 credit applies to the purchase or lease of a category 2 truck if the trade-in vehicle is a category 3 (work) truck that was manufactured not later than model year 2001, but not earlier than 25 years before the date of the trade in.






In other words, you can get the credit while buying a truck or SUV.

[mgifford]

Maybe the liberals will turn a debacle into a good thing, but I doubt it. Three Billion and it's all a failure, then we can sit back and watch the very most moronic politicians ever to live to try to give the HC System a go. LOL!

Hey Liberals, do any of you realize that Obama is the CEO of GM and he needs to get the very good used cars out of the way so the "bama mobiles" can be spread across America, with their electric selves. Have we Americans lost our minds or have we simply gone nuts? You know that Obama has confiscated all "nutcrackers" right.

[WhiteHatBobby]

Cash for Clunkers and the federal crusher laws (which are related, since Cash for Clunkers cars must go into the federal crusher) has been something Democrats have wanted for years. This isn't new. I remember SEMA has been fighting this for nearly a decade. In 2002, SEMA fought against a federal crusher.

And this Keynesian idea comes from foreign countries, and this President believes we should no longer be sovereign, but instead be running foreign laws. By having us adopt foreign laws for the auto industry, that's why we have this idea.

Anything we do is bad, anything other countries do is a gospel for us, is the idea of today's liberals.

[gdoane]

The Federal Government has no reason or more importantly no mandate by the Constitution to be in the car business.

I have said that repeatedly.

Just because I am against this CARS program it does not mean I am going to engage in uninformed histrionics to argue against it.

Why not? The stupid Federales were uninformed when they PASSED it.

There's no consideration given to the vehicle situation or use in CARS at all. For example, my 2008 F-150 gets a combined gas mileage of 16 MPG, a "clunker" class gas mileage but-but-but the commute put on it is only 75 miles per month because I live about 8 minutes drive from where I work. I burn about 5 gallons per month driving to and from work at 16 MPG. Even if I took my bicycle or the bus to work (I've done both several times) I'd only be saving 60 gallons of gas PER YEAR.

I'd say the majority of so-called clunkers are probably driven about the same or less. If there were consideration given to the program, it never would have passed because the idiots who voted for it would realize they're snaring low-use and second vehicles that aren't even on the road for a thousand miles per year. They're getting retirees who don't drive much and two-car owners turning in their second vehicle.

Uninformed is right. These legislators don't live in the real world, they don't know the score and everything they do is beyond uninformed and well into the realm of sheer stupidity.

If liberals want to get cars off the road, there's a simple solution... let Senator Ted Kennedy drive them.

[LouC]

Why not? The stupid Federales were uninformed when they PASSED it.

There's no consideration given to the vehicle situation or use in CARS at all. For example, my 2008 F-150 gets a combined gas mileage of 16 MPG, a "clunker" class gas mileage but-but-but the commute put on it is only 75 miles per month because I live about 8 minutes drive from where I work. I burn about 5 gallons per month driving to and from work at 16 MPG. Even if I took my bicycle or the bus to work (I've done both several times) I'd only be saving 60 gallons of gas PER YEAR.

I'd say the majority of so-called clunkers are probably driven about the same or less. If there were consideration given to the program, it never would have passed because the idiots who voted for it would realize they're snaring low-use and second vehicles that aren't even on the road for a thousand miles per year. They're getting retirees who don't drive much and two-car owners turning in their second vehicle.

Uninformed is right. These legislators don't live in the real world, they don't know the score and everything they do is beyond uninformed and well into the realm of sheer stupidity.

If liberals want to get cars off the road, there's a simple solution... let Senator Ted Kennedy drive them.

You are right, I used the word "reason" improperly, their ignorance certainly is "reason" for the programs existence.

I should have clarified my words by adding the modifier "sensible" and said, "The Federal Government has no sensible reason or more importantly no mandate by the Constitution to be in the car business."

I read in an article this morning that the overall average of mpg increase for the new cars over the old cars is 9.6 mpg.

Some may rejoice at that figure, but it really means nothing towards less pollution or less fuel usage and the silly notion this will lead to less dependency on foreign oil.

As I predicted I believe this will actually increase fuel usage.

If my only car was newer and more fuel efficient I would be driving far more than I am, probably triple or quadruple the number of miles I drive.

I imagine that will be the case with a lot of these clunker exchanges.

[WhiteHatBobby]

And I wonder how many older trucks will be turned in to buy the tiny microcars or minicars, when two or three years later, these cars will be junked because of engine failure caused by failures to replace the timing belt, which according to the local mechanic, will cost over $200 in labour costs to replace, and is required every 2-3 years?

Many of these new fuel-efficient cars come at an expense. Take away the frames, the backbones of the cars, to save weight. To make power and save fuel, most new engines are interference engines with timing belts, which are structurally weaker but more efficient, but require replacement at shorter intervals, and the belts, tensioners, and other parts of the engine timing are designed to make them less reliable than their timing-gear or chain and sprockets equipment of the past.

[mgifford]

And I wonder how many older trucks will be turned in to buy the tiny microcars or minicars, when two or three years later, these cars will be junked because of engine failure caused by failures to replace the timing belt, which according to the local mechanic, will cost over $200 in labour costs to replace, and is required every 2-3 years?

Many of these new fuel-efficient cars come at an expense. Take away the frames, the backbones of the cars, to save weight. To make power and save fuel, most new engines are interference engines with timing belts, which are structurally weaker but more efficient, but require replacement at shorter intervals, and the belts, tensioners, and other parts of the engine timing are designed to make them less reliable than their timing-gear or chain and sprockets equipment of the past.

This whole deal was designed to make the unions happy and to make sure that cars which last 10-12 years and at the same time are very serviceable are sent to the graveyards... so the unions and their "bed partners" the Democrats can build only small, unreliable and ugly pieces of junk for us.

[mgifford]

Rush today was saying that the WH wants us to report anyone (by name) to them that sends negative information to the people concerning the NHC joke. Wonder what the WH will do with the names and addresses of those who are against Obamacrap? I've never in my lifetime heard of the "Imperial federal Government" asking for names of anyone who opposes a bill that's being stuffed down our throats! Doesn't that sound familier from the past? Hmmm!

[MikeJF]

This whole deal was designed to make the unions happy and to make sure that cars which last 10-12 years and at the same time are very serviceable are sent to the graveyards... so the unions and their "bed partners" the Democrats can build only small, unreliable and ugly pieces of junk for us.

yep and this is just the beginning. I heard that the Obama admin wants to stop people from texting on their cell phones while driving. This is a good goal that no one can deny. However, what they really want is control of your car, how you drive, where you drive, how far you drive, and I suspect to even controlling IF you can drive. And to do that, why not use your cell phone?

I suspect that we will see legislation to control these new 'efficeint' cars with your cell phone! If you are driving, you will not be able to text on your cell. The new GM, gov run, will come out with highly touted new 'smart' and 'efficient' cars, that are tracked remotely by the gov, and even possibly controlled, either through your cell phone or other means. It's part of controlling what you do, the energy you use, etc.

[mgifford]

yep and this is just the beginning. I heard that the Obama admin wants to stop people from texting on their cell phones while driving. This is a good goal that no one can deny. However, what they really want is control of your car, how you drive, where you drive, how far you drive, and I suspect to even controlling IF you can drive. And to do that, why not use your cell phone?

I suspect that we will see legislation to control these new 'efficeint' cars with your cell phone! If you are driving, you will not be able to text on your cell. This is all the beginninf of what will be called the new GM, with new 'smart' and 'efficient' cars, that are controlled or tracked remotely by the gov.

But, they will also be cars which Americans don't want. When you speak of control, control is a very funny thing that causes people to go crazy wanting to use it.

[WhiteHatBobby]

This whole deal was designed to make the unions happy and to make sure that cars which last 10-12 years and at the same time are very serviceable are sent to the graveyards... so the unions and their "bed partners" the Democrats can build only small, unreliable and ugly pieces of junk for us.

You forgot the biggest lobby -- the environmentalists.

The top 10 vehicles junked were trucks and SUV's, as envisioned by the liberals' "War Against Sport-Utility Vehicles". It's actually the environmentalist lobby playing a bigger role than industry. The greenie wenies have wanted to discard SUV's, and since Pelosi bullied through that 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act that automakers warned would lead to bailouts (all three took government cash later or were seized in order to comply with the microcar agenda), the ends do justify the liberals' means.

Various Ford Explorers were tops on the list of being junked, and that's no surprise. Ford announced they're phasing it out to put an end to the SUV Mania of the 1990's and crossovers are fast replacing them -- they are weaklings that fit the liberal mould of looking like one but are really cars with none of what made people buy SUV's in the first place. They've also been criticised by being too "feminine" for men familiar with trucks. Ford ironically took the $5.9 billion in government money to shutter the plant that made the Explorer and use that plant to make what the government wants -- the electric Focus.

Cash for Clunkers' success is of social engineering, in that the left has wanted us to eliminate our trucks in favour of the tiny cars they envision us driving. This programme has helped push the environmentalist utopia closer to fulfillment. I've destroyed cars when they've been hit by trucks, so I know what liberals want.