# Cash for Clunkers...



## chaz69allen1 (Jan 4, 2009)

Its like Microsoft, explaining that "Vista" is the cure for Aids. And then you go buy it and then realize you've been Sham-wowed! The price of the vehicle you attempt to purchase is about $3000.00 above normal price to offset the Govt. program. Haha silly G-men got us again. 

If Nicholas cage and Tom hanks can't solve this issue, we're screwed. 

In the great words of General Motors,

" Please Buy are vehicles, help us get America back on track."


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

I just think it's great how some late model cars (mostly crap SUVs) are automatically qualified for the program. Why do people buy those things anyway? My wife's family thinks that since we have a baby coming we need a Chevy Tahoe. Can someone explain why I'd need such a ginormous vehicle for something that doesn't even weigh 10 pounds?


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## chaz69allen1 (Jan 4, 2009)

Personally I've always liked Tahoes, until they became the new Fad, It has almost turned itself into a stereotype vehicle. Now people just want them to **** their rides and base out. Hell I was doin that out of my 98 Honda accord with family. ( Not in the car when Base-ing out, Obviouslly) But the Honda Accord is the best all around Family / Gas saver around. Resale is even better.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

The family thought probably bigger means safer, offered more protection.

I have zero desire to own a little car, been there years ago, don't like them.

I see in today newspaper that local car scrap dealers (junk yards) are having a hard time processing all the clunkers they are getting.

BG


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## speedster123 (Oct 18, 2006)

The gov says my 98 LT astro is eligable for the $4500 clunker money. They claim the van gets a combined mileage of 16. I think its better, there is nothing wrong with the car. They will shred it. 

Anyhow I had to give the dealer a $4500 bank check in case the gov. defaults on their promise, they will hold the van and the check until the gov. money is recieved. :upset:

What I will pick up today or tomorrow is an '09 HHR supersport. :grin:

GM gave a 2K rebate, an $800 employee discount, which everyone gets, a $4500 clunker rebate, [hopefully] my GM mastercard has $2800 torwards a new gm car, and a tax credit this year for buying the car. Out the door, it is just shy of 20K..

This HHR SS has some giddy yap with the turbocharger. ray:


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## Stu Cozza (Sep 9, 2009)

ebackhus said:


> I just think it's great how some late model cars (mostly crap SUVs) are automatically qualified for the program. Why do people buy those things anyway? My wife's family thinks that since we have a baby coming we need a Chevy Tahoe. Can someone explain why I'd need such a ginormous vehicle for something that doesn't even weigh 10 pounds?


Some people _like_ and _want_ such vehicles. Five months ago, I bought a new (2009) Grand Cherokee Overland, and my wife bought a 2009 GC Limited in late December. 

Why did we each choose these vehicles? Because we like them and wanted to buy them. They will go where we need to go (especially in winter), and will carry anything we need to carry, and they will do it more comfortably and with a greater degree of safety. We have even used a Jeep to remove a blighted tree... dig around the base about a foot or so deep, strap it up and "idle" it out in 4-Low without spinning a wheel (love that QuadraDrive II!ray. 

When compared with a smaller car which gets slightly better fuel economy, as well as running the numbers (think '_seat miles per gallon_' or '_cargo miles per gallon_'), the Jeeps are better suited to our needs. We intend to keep both of them for many years, and will enjoy doing so. When road plowing budgets become tight and plowing does not happen as much, we can get to work, the store, etc. and back without any problems.

Granted, there may come a time when Dear Leader decides such vehicles are "unfair" (or some other goofy term) and bans their production , but I doubt that will happen.

For those who did the C4C thing, will that $3500-4500 be taxable as income? I sincerely hope those buyers do not get "upside down" (payments exceed value of vehicle) on their car payments as well.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Man it did what it was intended to do here . . Our local Ford dealer usually has around 600 cars on the lot . . about half are F-150's and Expeditions . .( this is Texas after all )

Drove by it this morning and it has fewer than a hundred . . and all the Expeditions are gone . . I saw in the news that Ford will resume production soon. Should create more jobs at the factory and the dealership.


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## philco (Sep 2, 2009)

hey guys wats up!?!?!

Ok, im a car sales man up here in south dakota and alot of the dealerships that where doing the cash for clunkers also did the easy financing..............and if u ask me most people that have clunkers have them for a reason. Just about every day during the cash for clunkers i would have customers drive off the lot in a new car and a $200/m car payment when they could barely make there house payment! Now i dont know what the gov. was thinkin.....but if u ask me this program might end up hurtin us in the long run.

oh yeah....and i saw a bunch of "clunkers" get trailerd off to the junk yard that where in pretty good shape..what a waste!


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Personally I saw no reason for me to take part in that Govt scam. I have 3 vehicles, my wife drives a 2005 Chevy Malibu (didn't qualify anyway) I drive a 2001 Jeep Wrangler, ( gas mileage is low enough, but vehicle isn't old enough), and I have a 1989 Chevy S-10 Blazer, its old enough, and according to teh govt the gas mileage is low enough. BUT, the condition of the truck, the fact that my 15 year old will be driving soon, and the fact that it ACTUALLY gets 18MPG in the city, made me decide to NOT trade it in. I even quit one forum because of this truck, the moderators called me a liar, said that theres no way mu Blazer got over 10, so I copied the last gas receipt and showed it to them on the internet, told them how stupid they were for believing the govt, and canceled my membership. Thia old thing has a 4.3 TBI engine in it a 350 turbo, and 4:11/1 gears front and rear, and 175000 miles on it. Anybody with one of these who wants 18 MPG in the city come see me, I can do it to any vehicle with a TBI or Carb.

The Cash for Klunkers was a govt rip off of the people of the U.S. Remember the billion dollar + bailouts the big 3 got? All Obama did with his cash for klunkers is give the auto industry more money disguised as a new car. As philco just said above me, it will hurt us in the long run. I do however appreciate all the S-10's that went to the local junk yard,  Thanks guys, now I have an almost unlimited supply of parts for the one that got away.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

It sold a lot of new care here . . and looks to get some people back to work . .


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

But for how long?


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Longer than if the cars had not sold . .


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Well I'm glad to see somebody is Benefiting from it. From my end I see no benefit to the consumer, all I see is another govt bailout, granted the auto dealers were able to keep employees, but he average person, now has yet another loan to pay off in a time when the govt says the recession is over but we see no signs of it ever ending with more and more jobs lost every day.
For me I saw no point in taking on another loan when my job may or may not be there next year.

Kinda like housing, if I make 50,000 a year, and can afford $500 a month in mortgage, why in gods name would I be stupid enough to buy a house thats $75,000 at $750 a month?


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

. . unless they paid cash?

. . and the impact of stayng the course and doing nothing would be?


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

I wish I could pay cash for a new car. Around here the ones that can pay cash for a new car aren't in the way of trading in anything, there are 2 types of car buyers here, those that save their whole life to buy a car, and those who trade one in. But if you owe nothing on it, and it runs good, why trade it in on a car that is designed to be obsolete in two years?

But the impact of staying the course, is the same as the program , only the cash for clunkers program prolonged the inevitable


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

ebackhus said:


> I just think it's great how some late model cars (mostly crap SUVs) are automatically qualified for the program. Why do people buy those things anyway? My wife's family thinks that since we have a baby coming we need a Chevy Tahoe. Can someone explain why I'd need such a ginormous vehicle for something that doesn't even weigh 10 pounds?


I bet they think bigger is better protection for the baby, personally, the way people around here drive, I would recommend you go out and but a 1968 Olds Tornado, the were big, and made of 1/4" thick battleship deck plate  Perfect protection for a new born, even if the car got hit by a Tahoe, I saw one hit a concrete block wall once, poor wall didn't' stand a chance


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## bruiser (Jul 30, 2005)

NBC Nightly News had a story about post Cash For Clunkers. Car sales went right back into the cellar. Looks like Wolfen is right about it only putting things off for awhile. GM and Chrysler saw no improvement from the Clunkers bailout. However, GM may have something going on with it's new "bring it back" campaign.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Basically car sales went back into cellar because theres no rebate anymore, I don't know how it went in other parts of the country, but a few dealers here that I will NOT mention, (because its not my place to do so) basically jacked the price of a new car up the same amount as the govt rebate, so somebody mad e a few bucks weather or not the rebates have been filed yet or not. When I was an E-1 in the navy the first thing I learned from my superiors, is that the dealer will NOT EVER lose money.
Chevy's Bring it back campaign is just the same, theres a catch somewhere, we just don't see it yet.
Personally I believe in the Pickens plan. Only thing is who has the initial money output, and once the wind farms are making free energy, how much will some fat cat with a big wallet charge me for this free power?


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## bruiser (Jul 30, 2005)

I was also wondering what the fine print in the "bring it back" plan might be. The only thing they've been publicizing is the vehicle can be brought back within 60 days if it has less than 4000 miles. I also saw an interview with the head of edmunds.com. Edmunds surveyed several thousand people, from around the country, who participated in the clunkers plan. According to him, around 80% of the buyers were planning on buying a new vehicle anyway. The clunker cash was just another incentive. The remaining people bought because of the clunker cash.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

I saw a Obama sticker today, I asked the driver why he didn't trade in his car when obama had the cash for clunkers, he said " why should I it only smokes a little" I told him cash for klunkers was supposed to get all the obama stickers off the road...............he got mad


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