Cash for Clunkers - Good or Bad Idea?

4110 messages, Last post on Nov 23, 2009 at 11:42 AM

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What is this discussion about? Legislation, Truck, Sedan, Wagon, SUV

For questions about how the program works or to discuss program details, please visit our discussion titled, "Cash for Clunkers - Does it Work for You?"

Outline

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#1401 of 4110 Re: This is an outrageous program ... [Mr_Shiftright] by maryh3 Jul 04, 2009 (7:56 am)
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jul 04, 2009 7:27 am) I think many economists would disagree whether this program is good for the US economy or not, and whether those effects are beneficial over the long haul. All those entitlement programs don't seem to have produced much, but our debt sure has skyrocketed. The bailouts given to the automakers don't seem to have made them produce better, more competitive autos either. If there is no reward for good behavior, don't expect change. Spitting in the wind comes back at you. We are being funded to trade in our American made gas guzzlers for foreign gas savers, while we throw money at American auto companies to make more gas guzzlers. Replies to this message: kdhspyder (Jul 04, 2009 9:16 am)
#1402 of 4110 Re: This is an outrageous program ... [steve_] by maryh3 Jul 04, 2009 (7:59 am)
Replying to: steve_ (Jul 04, 2009 7:49 am) And lets hope there are better requirements made upon those borrowing money for their dream cars than there were made upon those borrowing money for their dream homes. Replies to this message: steve_ (Jul 04, 2009 8:05 am) maryh3 (Jul 04, 2009 8:17 am) andre1969 (Jul 04, 2009 8:23 am) and 1 more...
#1403 of 4110 Re: This is an outrageous program ... [maryh3] by steve_ HOST Jul 04, 2009 (8:05 am)
Replying to: maryh3 (Jul 04, 2009 7:59 am) But if you make it too tough to borrow money, you're just going to keep the country in a recession that much longer. Someone mentioned Ford - they've rolled out their own clunker identification website. Replies to this message: maryh3 (Jul 04, 2009 8:17 am) andre1969 (Jul 04, 2009 8:23 am) hamsalad2 (Jul 04, 2009 8:40 am)
#1404 of 4110 Re: This is an outrageous program ... [steve_] by maryh3 Jul 04, 2009 (8:17 am)
Replying to: steve_ (Jul 04, 2009 8:05 am) But borrowing money too easily is what placed us in recession in the first place!! Do we ever learn from our mistakes? Saw the Ford website yesterday and it seems more accurate than the Toyota site. Replies to this message: andre1969 (Jul 04, 2009 8:23 am) hamsalad2 (Jul 04, 2009 8:40 am)
#1405 of 4110 Re: This is an outrageous program ... [maryh3] by andre1969 Jul 04, 2009 (8:23 am)
Replying to: maryh3 (Jul 04, 2009 8:17 am) But borrowing money too easily is what placed us in recession in the first place!! Do we ever learn from our mistakes? Yeah, like anything, there has to be a balance somewhere in the middle. But, what's that old cliche, the market doth love its extremes? Replies to this message: hamsalad2 (Jul 04, 2009 8:40 am)
#1406 of 4110 Re: This is an outrageous program ... [andre1969] by hamsalad2 Jul 04, 2009 (8:40 am)
Replying to: andre1969 (Jul 04, 2009 8:23 am) I have a 96 Chrysler New Yorker I was going to use for the program but it misses it by 1mpg!! It gets a combined 19mpg. The 97 New Yorker with the same body style and engine qualifies, it gets 18mpg combined!
#1407 of 4110 C for C works for me by vettech Jul 04, 2009 (8:54 am)
I love all the ranting! I have a MPV van which for some odd reason is listed at 18 MPG. (I get 23 b/c of careful driving and b/c I have taken 2 rows of seats out. But it has 140K miles and I am starting to put about 1500 a year into it. and I am 50 and I don't really need the van anymore. So now I can buy a Fit for 12,000. That 4500 surely makes a difference for me, and might let me get a more fuel efficient and newer car a couple of years before I could justify it otherwise. Feels like this is one of the few times that the government actually has a program that helps selfish me.
#1408 of 4110 Re: This is an outrageous program ... [steve_] by kdhspyder Jul 04, 2009 (8:56 am)
Replying to: steve_ (Jul 04, 2009 7:49 am) First.. it's 250,000 units in one quarter.. Bet on this. It will be extended for two, three more quarters. It will be at most a 10% boost in actual sales but most likely a 5% net boost ( some people would have bought vehicles anyway ). The key benefit is simply to get buyers out of their houses and get them shopping and buying vehicles. It's a stimulus, nothing more. Replies to this message: steve_ (Jul 04, 2009 9:01 am) fezo (Jul 04, 2009 10:01 am) steve_ (Jul 04, 2009 10:02 am) dave8697 (Jul 04, 2009 2:50 pm)
#1409 of 4110 Re: This is an outrageous program ... [kdhspyder] by steve_ HOST Jul 04, 2009 (9:01 am)
Replying to: kdhspyder (Jul 04, 2009 8:56 am) Bet on this. It will be extended for two, three more quarters. I hope so - we're in a similar situation as Vettech but we're all over the map on what to buy. The way we shop, it could be a few months. And going to a 2010 has a nicer ring to it than getting a 2009. Now we're thinking of moving up a level from the sub-compacts we've been shopping. The Fit is nice but we ruled it out (for a while anyway, lol). Can you put a canoe on a Prius? Replies to this message: fezo (Jul 04, 2009 10:01 am) steve_ (Jul 04, 2009 10:02 am) dave8697 (Jul 04, 2009 2:50 pm)
#1410 of 4110 all this ranting... by jeffyscott Jul 04, 2009 (9:02 am)
This is a puny $1 billion program. Add 3 zeros and it'd be a trillion the federal budget is over $3 trillion...so we are talking about 0.033% of the budget. Put another way, if you spend $50,000 per year this is like getting all worked up over $16.67. Those who want to endlessly wail and knash their teeth over government spending and programs really should find something more significant to be incensed over. Replies to this message: kdhspyder (Jul 04, 2009 9:28 am) andre1969 (Jul 04, 2009 10:34 am)