My cash for your clunker....

[Gonzo]

Ok, I know the side benefit of the CARS program is people start spending money again. But I Have a question for our Environmental friends (that own big v8 boats) here on the site.

If the programs intent was to lessen our footprint on the environment and dependency on foreign oil. How does trading in and demoing our older cars do this. In the rules it says no cars over 25 yrs old. Well if catalytic converters became mandatory in 1981 aren't we only getting about 6 yrs worth of non emissions controlled vehicles off the roads? Also don't you have to expend a great deal of energy either here or abroad to produce cars, or do they grow on trees and we pluck them by hand? and I am guessing the car crushers run on farts and rainbows. I see the obvious sell more cars and try to get the auto industry we own out of the toilet bit. But I cant see the logic in the rules when it comes to the environment. Don't get me wrong, if I weren't thinking ahead and already driving an older vehicle that's great on gas I would probably take advantage of it, instead I am just once again paying for someone else's inability to take care of themselves (happy to do) and others who are can but wont (makes me angry).

I'm sure I'm stupid, always am when it comes to President Obama's policies after all how can a democrat be wrong about the environment... or anything else for that matter... but I still don't get it.

Enlighten me.

[Slinkyredfoot]

Neither do I...seems to me it maybe sort of like the mortgage meltdown that got all of the crap started with the banks and the entire mortgage market selling people on the idea they could afford homes, short term. Who knows, who is to say that with the economy in the toliet like it has been for the last several months that people will not be able to afford these new car payments, and defalt on car loans, and the auto industry will spiral out of control even more than it already is, just like the mortgage market did.
All I see is more fiscal debt and the long term effects of what is going on will only get worse for our children and grand children. Not to mention some pretty decent trade in vehicles, from what I have seen that are destined for the car crushers, that some less fortunate people would be anle to afford and enjoy. Beats the crap out of me....I have always beleived the less government intervention in peoples lives is the best for the people.....

[Gonzo]

thats a good point on the new car payments, on top of the high mortgages... etc... etc... Hadnt thought of that.

[Hoosier Bob]

I the "Going Green" was so important why not offer the programs for motorcycles? Why crush the vehicles? I was in a dealer today. There was an extremely nice Cadillac from 95 or so. Very nice vehicle. On the front it said "Do not touch! Destroy!" I am very sure some poor family would find a use for this vehicle. At the very least donate them to a church or Goodwill. What a bunch of crap! We will see how many of these deals actually fund with bogued up ins forms and what have you. How many of these deals will have to be unwound?

[TMCNo1]

Originally Posted by Gonzo

thats a good point on the new car payments, on top of the high mortgages... etc... etc... Hadnt thought of that.

From what they have shown on the NBC station here about the dealers and junkyards, the junk yards buy the clunkers after the dealers drain the oil and pour in a sealant to destroy the engines and parts are sold by the junk yards for up to three months, then the clunkers have to be crushed. Anybody seen any of that?

[Slinkyredfoot]

Originally Posted by TMCNo1

From what they have shown on the NBC station here about the dealers and junkyards, the junk yards buy the clunkers after the dealers drain the oil and pour in a sealant to destroy the engines and parts are sold by the junk yards for up to three years then the clunkers have to be crushed. Anybody seen any of that?

Yes, there was a local Dodge dealer owner on TV the other day that says they pour some kind of crushed glass material into the crankcases of these trade ins and run them till the engine locks up...what a waste

[JimN]

Originally Posted by Gonzo

Ok, I know the side benefit of the CARS program is people start spending money again. But I Have a question for our Environmental friends (that own big v8 boats) here on the site.

If the programs intent was to lessen our footprint on the environment and dependency on foreign oil. How does trading in and demoing our older cars do this. In the rules it says no cars over 25 yrs old. Well if catalytic converters became mandatory in 1981 aren't we only getting about 6 yrs worth of non emissions controlled vehicles off the roads? Also don't you have to expend a great deal of energy either here or abroad to produce cars, or do they grow on trees and we pluck them by hand? and I am guessing the car crushers run on farts and rainbows. I see the obvious sell more cars and try to get the auto industry we own out of the toilet bit. But I cant see the logic in the rules when it comes to the environment. Don't get me wrong, if I weren't thinking ahead and already driving an older vehicle that's great on gas I would probably take advantage of it, instead I am just once again paying for someone else's inability to take care of themselves (happy to do) and others who are can but wont (makes me angry).

I'm sure I'm stupid, always am when it comes to President Obama's policies after all how can a democrat be wrong about the environment... or anything else for that matter... but I still don't get it.

Enlighten me.

That's one of the reasons this goofy plan is really useless- it will pnly make a little blip on the CO2 screen. AS far as "How can a Demorat be wrong?", they only need to think or open their mouth in many cases, IMO.

Obama's whole agenda is "Shove it through before anyone gets a chance to read it and see how we're screwing everyone and their great, great, great, great grandkids".

[JimN]

Originally Posted by Slinkyredfoot

Yes, there was a local Dodge dealer owner on TV the other day that says they pour some kind of crushed glass material into the crankcases of these trade ins and run them till the engine locks up...what a waste

Doing that actually makes it hard to recycle the parts, which I thought was environmeltally friendly, but apparently, re-using materials must be bad for the planet.

What a bunch of dirtbags.

[Hoosier Bob]

What about vehicles that are destroyed, contracts that are unwound due to paperwork or a shortage of funds and the customer wants their car back? I think the vehicle needs to be destroyed to qualify? Hey Mr. Customer sorry but the money is gone or there was a glitch in your paperwork, here is your car Mr. Griswald!

Originally Posted by JimN

Doing that actually makes it hard to recycle the parts, which I thought was environmeltally friendly, but apparently, re-using materials must be bad for the planet.

What a bunch of dirtbags.

[TMCNo1]

Oh just wait till Obama gets his health care plan and introduces a program called "Cash for Old Coots", where your kids can trade you in for a younger, more environmentally friendly parent that has entered the country illegally!