Clunker Program Failures!!!!

[SVTCOBRA]

Just returned from my local Nissan dealer where I spotted this 'clunker'1989 300zx with manual transmission.The engine has already been destroyed I was told that it took a long time for it to die.Body looked to be in great shape too!





Oh well, if you spot any add them.

[Poyzinous]

I dont understand..... why? WHY???WHYYYYYYYY????????I still want a Z. Its been a Dream since I was 5. Its the car that made me fall in love with nissan.

[zozoka1212]

I don't really get the point of this program. They destroy so many nice cars it is just horrible.

here is another good one. But if you search youtube you find lot more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...ex=10

In Canada instead of try to boost the car sales they give you credit for house renovation which include landscaping also.

[370Z/28]

Makes no sense to me at all. What is it going to help air quality wise if we are just going to fill our landfills with a bunch of vehicles that otherwise could have been driven by less fortunate people to get to and from a job.

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

Those cars could be given to people that can't afford cars or to other countries that don't have cars... or something...

I didn't know that was what they were doing... Almost like watching a pet die...

That is so sad!

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

I just saw a video of them doing to a older Jeep Cherokee... The thing looked like it was running good...

I freaking hate Obama... Whats next... Us... ?

[pfarmer]

I just saw a video of them doing to a older Jeep Cherokee... The thing looked like it was running good...

I freaking hate Obama... Whats next... Us... ?

The program has been in the works long before Obama became president. The original groups that were upset about the concept really were the classic car groups who are worried about their part supplies drying up.

Perry

[awdjdmtalon]

This progam was started in Califonia over 15 yrs ago.

This program has also been in place in germany for awhile now too. But there is a lot of coruption in europe w/ it.

[pfarmer]

This progam was started in Califonia over 15 yrs ago.

This program has also been in place in germany for awhile now too. But there is a lot of coruption in europe w/ it.

I was talking about in this country.

Perry

[biggie]

Z32s are on the list as well. Not a fan of this program.

[pfarmer]

Z32s are on the list as well. Not a fan of this program.

Right cars at the right price should be what drives the market. The reason why none of these works is largely associated with the ability of the oil industry to manipulate the market place. At times large trucks to many may see like the right vehicle, raise the price of a therm and they no longer look that way. The same in reverse, a Prius can look like the right type and six months later become the opposite.

Our cars I think are a little unique in that I think they tend to float between the extremes.

We see a lot of why things are this way in everything we do. We have become a society of today rather than one of next year. We buy cars only to sell them a year from now, no concept of the keeping one from birth until its death and then morn it death since it served us so well. I personally like one as a toy and one for utility.

Perry

[leeG35]

Program seems to be working well from where I sit. Neighbor traded in a Ford Exploder on a new Rav4 and brother-in-law unloaded a faded red 95 Thunderbird that a dealer said wasn't worth taking in trade three years ago on a 2010 Camry. My brother is miffed though, his old Volvo isn't considered a gas guzzler and doesn't qualify for the rebate.

"Classic" cars (over 25 years old) don't qualify so arn't under threat. As to your other favorites, if they are worth more than the rebate they're in no danger either.

[pfarmer]

Program seems to be working well from where I sit. Neighbor traded in a Ford Exploder on a new Rav4 and brother-in-law unloaded a faded red 95 Thunderbird that a dealer said wasn't worth taking in trade three years ago on a 2010 Camry. My brother is miffed though, his old Volvo isn't considered a gas guzzler and doesn't qualify for the rebate.

"Classic" cars (over 25 years old) don't qualify so arn't under threat. As to your other favorites, if they are worth more than the rebate they're in no danger either.

So did 'employee prices' and so on, but these are all band-aids for the real problems associated with the car industry and of course other industries. Everyone seems to be into today not tomorrow and many don't invest what they should in themselves.

Perry

[leeG35]

So did 'employee prices' and so on, but these are all band-aids for the real problems associated with the car industry and of course other industries. Everyone seems to be into today not tomorrow and many don't invest what they should in themselves.

Perry

Yes, Perry. I agree, but you use a band-aid to stop the bleeding so you can survive to make the long term changes. Eliminating clunkers from the highway and replacing them with higher mileage vehicles is a first, very small step. Let's see if the car companies and automotive consumer are up for the hard choices needed to achieve real progress in the long term. This is a time of amazing opportunity bold people with vision.

[biggie]

To me what they are doing is probably getting people into debt when they may not need to be. Thought we had learned that lesson from the housing issue. Maybe not.

Also killing used parts/junkyards and local mechanics could be a bad biproduct.

Much less taking away beautiful cars like that Z31 for something that looks like a box on wheels, etc.

[kmckis1029]

im comfused... why do they have to "kill the engine"????

[leeG35]

im comfused... why do they have to "kill the engine"????

The objective is to get the clunker off the road permanently.

From the http://www.cars.gov/ website:

What happens to the vehicle I trade in?

The CARS Act requires that the trade-in vehicle be crushed or shredded so that it will not be resold for use in the United States or elsewhere as an automobile. The entity crushing or shredding the vehicles in this manner will be allowed to sell some parts of the vehicle prior to crushing or shredding it, but these parts cannot include the engine or the drive train.

[kmckis1029]

very interesting... i hope the metal is recycled... or that would just be a waste...

[tollboothwilley]

Yes, Perry. I agree, but you use a band-aid to stop the bleeding so you can survive to make the long term changes. Eliminating clunkers from the highway and replacing them with higher mileage vehicles is a first, very small step. Let's see if the car companies and automotive consumer are up for the hard choices needed to achieve real progress in the long term. This is a time of amazing opportunity bold people with vision.

I don't know why you would think a band-aid is going to stop the bleeding of a hemorrhaging artery.

I've got an idea...lets go find every person in the U.S.A. who has $5. We'll just go ahead and give them $10,000 if they give us their $5.

Giving people something for nothing devalues everything that hard workers acquire. Aftificial inflation.

[pfarmer]

To me what they are doing is probably getting people into debt when they may not need to be. Thought we had learned that lesson from the housing issue. Maybe not.

Also killing used parts/junkyards and local mechanics could be a bad biproduct.

Much less taking away beautiful cars like that Z31 for something that looks like a box on wheels, etc.

It will get many people in debt for short term gains. The problem isn't the clunkers on the road, it is the new cars that have failed to get on the road. When people are already far in debt it doesn't do much good to have them trade good reliable transportation that is paid for in for something that is not.

What is wrong here is the problem of artificial wealth, the type that disappears with one bad day at the NYSE. Many companies have failed not so much that there isn't a demand for their product, but because they have invested too heavily in this artificial wealth.

Today there was a special segment on a Seattle Tv station that show a clunker getting killed. It was a van in not too bad of condition. They dumped in something like two quarts of liquid sodium. The engine froze after a minute or two followed by a geyser of anti-freeze all over the ground. What a waste. At least give something usable like this to some agency that could use a van, maybe a food bank for example. I find it odd that on one hand organizations are looking for donations of good vehicles while on the other hand the government is killing them.

If you want to fix things fix the source of many of the problems and that is the manipulation of prices by the oil companies, starting at the refineries taking capacity offline in order to run prices up.

Perry

[pfarmer]

Dup

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

The problem i don't like is it creates waste. And the funny part is that most people... at least around here are buying Toyotas, an Hyundai lol

Isn't this for the Auto Companies that are government owned

DJ

[biggie]

The problem i don't like is it creates waste. And the funny part is that most people... at least around here are buying Toyotas, an Hyundai lol

Isn't this for the Auto Companies that are government owned

DJ

Only American car in the top 10 I think is the Focus. Rest are mostly Honda/Toyota. Which is funny and good, since Ford never took a bailout.

But gee, who knew we wouldn't get that bailout money back because all of those companies are a big FAIL.

[leeG35]

Only American car in the top 10 I think is the Focus. Rest are mostly Honda/Toyota. Which is funny and good, since Ford never took a bailout.

But gee, who knew we wouldn't get that bailout money back because all of those companies are a big FAIL.

I used to have a Honda Accord, made in Ohio. My wife had a Camry, made in Kentucky. Most of this rebate money is staying in the US.

The only all foreign components car I own is the G.

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

Yes... But still they are Japan Owned... Not that their is anything wrong with it... and that is what I love about USA... But I don't think it should apply to "Non-American Auto Companies" It should be an incentive for purchasing a GM, Chrysler, or Ford IMHO...

Now that might not seem fair...

And I have to say that ford is making a fairly good product these days...

SHO, The Flex, The New f-150 is very nice too!

[Supamon]

you guys are funny. We admit that this is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed. Yet have a problem with the government trying. If a band aid is not going to fix the severely wounded auto industry then certainly doing nothing will help either. Wouldn't we just be feeding into the hands of the individuals who ruined the housing market by "over-extending themselves" if we put that same money into the ailing housing market? At least they are banking off one thing we all could agree with.... America loves cars... fast shiny ones.

Yeah the program could be tweeked a lil bit to only include cars that are American built and make sure they dispose of the old cars correctly.

Nevertheless this is quite ironic coming from a bunch of guys driving foreign made sports cars.

[Joey666Crack]

Yes... But still they are Japan Owned... Not that their is anything wrong with it... and that is what I love about USA... But I don't think it should apply to "Non-American Auto Companies" It should be an incentive for purchasing a GM, Chrysler, or Ford IMHO...

Now that might not seem fair...

And I have to say that ford is making a fairly good product these days...

SHO, The Flex, The New f-150 is very nice too!

I believe this runs into problems with the World Trade Organization. We gave China a lot of s*** for it, they were giving their own country discounts on steel and other resources and adding a tax, or not a tax but more than would be paid domestically to foreign counties. I didn't see a problem with that, for it helps the government that owns the resources, but I remember hearing China got some heat for it. If we did what you're saying, it'd create the same problem.

[pfarmer]

The problem i don't like is it creates waste. And the funny part is that most people... at least around here are buying Toyotas, an Hyundai lol

Isn't this for the Auto Companies that are government owned

DJ

The funny thing about the 'waste' statement (which I agree with) is that is one of the selling points, recycle clunkers into new cars.

Perry

[pfarmer]

you guys are funny. We admit that this is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed. Yet have a problem with the government trying. If a band aid is not going to fix the severely wounded auto industry then certainly doing nothing will help either.

Nevertheless this is quite ironic coming from a bunch of guys driving foreign made sports cars.

The band aid will not help in the long run since it is a band aid without addressing the real issue.

The best way is to let the companies die and be reinvented by American companies, not foreign ownership.

Perry

[biggie]

Nevertheless this is quite ironic coming from a bunch of guys driving foreign made sports cars.

BUT: Who's tax money was used to pay the American carmakers and save them. We want the money back, hence the 'say' in what's going on with this program.