$ for clunkers

[punkdrew]

I'm tempted to go for this if they reauth the funding because I'd love to unload the Olds Silhouette minivan that's been taking up space in my carport. OTOH, the economics of it are troubling:

all of the energy that went into making the old car + the energy it will take to destroy it + all of the energy it took to make the new car + $3,500 < an extra four miles per gallon!

Sounds like a recipe for economic disaster.

[earthboundmisfit]

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/08/07/business/business-us-autos-clunkers-senate.html

I don't think Obama has signed it yet, but I don't see why he wouldn't.

[Parts]

I had a thread about just that.  The 'clunkers' are all taken off the road and most just destroyed the recycled  too much waste for me

[Callaway]

You know Obama will sign it, so another $2 billion has been approved until Labor Day.

It seems like a huge waste to me, not only of money but also having to scrap and crush the old cars traded in along with their engines and transmissions.

Subsidizing us in buying new cars is just an indirect giveaway to the automakers so they can sell more new cars, IMO.

Consider the relative cost of buying a brand new car versus one that is just a year old.  I think that most new cars depreciate more than $3500 to $4500 in the first year, and you would still get something if you sold your old car yourself anyway, so buying a one year old used car still probably makes more economic sense.  Also consider the fact that there is often quite a bit of negotiating room between the sticker price and the dealer's cost on the price of a brand new car and that the money is given directly to the dealers.

[earthboundmisfit]

What really pisses me off is people are being rewarded for driving vehicles that aren't fuel efficient. I chose to be responsible and drive a small vehicle (I like small cars) that gets great mileage. What to I get? Nothing.
If they would give me $4500 for my old Honda, I'd be driving one of these:





Plaid seats... how cool is that?

[Callaway]

What really pisses me off is people are being rewarded for driving vehicles that aren't fuel efficient. I chose to be responsible and drive a small vehicle (I like small cars) that gets great mileage. What to I get? Nothing.
If they would give me $4500 for my old Honda, I'd be driving one of these:

That kind of bugs me too. 

I drive a Honda minivan that gets pretty good gas mileage and has been very reliable, so if I were to buy a new car to replace it, I would probably want another Honda minivan, which probably would not get much better gas mileage than mine does.

[Trigger 11]

I want to bring in my 97 Pontiac Sunfire* and get a Prius, since there is no affordable full-electric out there. My Sunfire gets over 30 mpg, so a Prius is pretty much the only improvement. Every car I have bought fuel efficiency was a major, if not the only, factor in making the purchase.

*Unless Elle needs it for her boyfriend.

[Phlexor]

This is one beautiful 'Dub. 

[matthe]

how about a $4k payout to anyone who converts a clunker into a hydrogen, fuel cell, or electric/solar car.

or better yet we could use the 3 billion to force big oil to release ALL of the clean fuel technology that they have been collecting and hiding from the public.

or we could give big loans to tesla and tango manufacturers and the like to produce affordable electric alternatives to the gas guzlers on the market.

or we could force the now bankrupt gm to re release the electrics that were shelved in the interest of big oil.

for now we have bigger problems than cash for clunkers. like a fox news host that is tring (through project 912) to start riots at health care reform assemblys across the country, then blames labor unions for fights that project 912 started.

(search tampa st louis denver project 912 violence)

[punkdrew]

I'd love to do a convert job on an ICV or have a reputable garage do it.

My MIL has an 87 Benz but unfortunately it's not a diesel.

DK really what to do with minivan. It was bought as part of a package deal: MV + scooter + scooter lift for $4K. Felt I couldn't pass it up. But then the MV turned out to be useless--battery kept draining, gas mil was lousy, etc. So there it sits in the carport.

As much as I agree with you all about the wastefulness of the $ for clunkers program, I really can't think of any other options.

[earthboundmisfit]

I say go for it man. You're not going to get another opportunity like this to get rid of it.

[El]

I want to bring in my 97 Pontiac Sunfire* and get a Prius, since there is no affordable full-electric out there. My Sunfire gets over 30 mpg, so a Prius is pretty much the only improvement. Every car I have bought fuel efficiency was a major, if not the only, factor in making the purchase.

*Unless Elle needs it for her boyfriend.

Wait, what?  Are you giving me a free car for sleeping with someone who isn't you?  I mean, I'll take it, but I'm somewhat perplexed.

[The Member Formerly Known As Sophist]

What really pisses me off is people are being rewarded for driving vehicles that aren't fuel efficient. I chose to be responsible and drive a small vehicle (I like small cars) that gets great mileage. What to I get? Nothing.
If they would give me $4500 for my old Honda, I'd be driving one of these:





Plaid seats... how cool is that?

Is that a hybrid Golf? 

***IN LOVE***

[iceman1985]

What really pisses me off is people are being rewarded for driving vehicles that aren't fuel efficient. I chose to be responsible and drive a small vehicle (I like small cars) that gets great mileage. What to I get? Nothing.
If they would give me $4500 for my old Honda, I'd be driving one of these:





Plaid seats... how cool is that?

cool car

[earthboundmisfit]

That's a GTI. It's the high performance hot rod version of the Rabbit.