Cash For Clunkers

[tt11758]

Tell the truth, what DO you honestly think of the "Cash For Clunkers" program?

[runstowin]

Just more socialist transfer payments.

[Kid Shelleen]

Just more socialist transfer payments.

10 Ring!!!

[blackwolfe]

Heard a little about this on the radio today.  Some are real "clunkers and not worth much.  Others are good cars.  All have to be desroyed and scrapped.  The guy being interviewed sais they have a parking lot full of good working cars.  They have a guy draining the oil from them and then running the engines until it siezes.  What a waste.  At least salvage what is usable.

When this buying binge is over sales will slump dramatically again for some time.

[WatchManUSA]

My fear is that we have another entitlement program on our hands.

[Sponsor]

[MikeBjerum]

There is a new twist that has shown up caused by the way the system works.  The deal must be made and the car destroyed before the application for the program is submitted, and this is leading to a few issues:

1.  Some people are getting cold feet not being sure if they will get the money or not and back out on the deal (wise financial thoughts ... too late), and when they go back to the dealer their old car is destroyed;

2.  Some deals are denied and the dealer contacts the buyers, but their old car has been destroyed;

3.  There are even a few cases where someone made the deal and left on vacation.  Now the deal is denied and they can't reach the buyer.  When they finally reach the buyer the old car has been destroyed and the new car has many miles on it (family member that is a dealer heard from a neighboring dealer that they had just tracked down a buyer that has made it to the west coast and has over 2,000 on a car they don't want if the application is denied ... the reason they tracked them down is that the application was denied ... oooooops).

I understand that if these cars are supposedly wasteful that they want the drive trains taken out of commission.  So, the idea of destroying the engines and transmissions is acceptable ... painful but I can live with it.  However, after getting all the info about the only things that can be salvaged is the radiator and condensers (there are a few other items, but they aren't worth trying to salvage).  No body panels can be salvaged, so there are many good late model cars that are being crushed or shredded rather than being used for collision repair.  It appears that our green leaders are worse than their throw away parental generation that raised them.

BTW - My '99 S-10 two wheel drive with v-6 qualifies for the program as long as I don't go to a 1500 or 2500 (the one I really want), but I can get a 4wd Colorado.  This is truly stupid!  I know on paper I would be getting a "greener" truck, but in reality I would be burning more gas not to mention the waste of energy to produce a pickup to replace a perfectly good one.

Call the program what it is - Socialism, where we are all given something to put us on the same level of materialism.  The only thing that is missing is the requirement that we participate, but I'm sure that is coming if we don't play nice on our own.

[ericire12]

Cash for clunkers? How much ya give me for my wife?

[MikeBjerum]

Cash for clunkers? How much ya give me for my wife?

I got a new shotgun for my wife last year 

[MikeBjerum]

I'm waiting for a similar program for guns.

I've got a real nice Beretta 9000 that just doesn't fit me well; I'd love to have another M&P; but all the 9000's that are selling on gunbroker for $300 to $400, and that are going out of the gun shops for $450 (used) are only worth $150 as a trade in ... even if you are looking at a $1,500 or higher new gun  

I'd gladly give my 9000 to someone and take a better fitting gun home.  I'd hate to see any gun shredded, but since I have never become attached to this one a new one would soften the blow    Heck ... I'd even take a Glock in the deal.

[Teresa Heilevang]