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http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg Get a lot of money for your old car. (http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10786459)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/saveGasAndCash.jpgMichelle Paynter - WTOCTV (http://www.wtoctv.com) - July 24, 2009

Rumors are being circulated already that it will cost dealers as much as $1000 to get rid of the clunkers. --Ed.

A new program starts Friday nationwide that allows people to trade in gas guzzling cars for a more fuel efficient new car.

It's officially named CARS or Car Allowance Rebate System, but most call it Cash for Clunkers.

Davina Newsome met with a salesman at Savannah Toyota about this new program. She's not just buying a new car today, she's also getting a very good deal on her old one, a green, 1995 Lincoln Town Car.... http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10786459

At least the scrapyard will make some money off this.
I hope we can recycle most of the materials in these cars.

Why would it cost the dealer anything? Scrap yards pay for cars.

Thank You cheap arse's. Make me pay for your damn clunker!

Of course, people who have *always* driven fuel-efficient vehicles don't get a dime from this program -- even if they choose an even more efficient car. I was looking to trade in our secondary vehicle (2001 Accord that gets about 26/30) for a Fit or a Yaris (about a 3-4 MPG improvement). But we don't qualify for the rebate, so our purchase will have to wait.

It seems that the people who are so vocal about new cars being worse on our environment than driving the old ones we already have are strangely silent on the matter where it relates to the cash-for-clunkers scam.:eyebrow:

I doubt that it cost dealers anything to dump these vehicles.They are running,so they can be driven to salvage yards. Crushers/recyclers pay for cars-as Mr Pancake mentioned. Apparently the frame motor and trans have to be crushed, but other items can be salvaged and resold-fenders, bumpers,alternators, maybe starters,AC parts, freon or the equivalent, I'm not sure if that is reused or destroyed in some fashion.

This is a program to stimulate the auto industry-any green benefit is strictly secondary no matter what Congress dressed this up as.

It will get 250,000 new vehicles sold-that is something. No it won't benefit frugal drivers at all-except maybe very old Volvo stationwagons if any of them get very poor mpg.

Charlie

It will get 250,000 new vehicles sold-that is something. No it won't benefit frugal drivers at all-except maybe very old Volvo stationwagons if any of them get very poor mpg.

Charlie

The Volvo's can't be too old though because, if I'm reading the requirements correctly, your "clunker" has to be an '84 or newer doesn't it?

25 years or newer based on the date of manufacture (that date rolls forward, miss it by a day, you get nothing)

we have to run a specific solution through the drive train for a few minutes after removing the fluids to kill the engine and transmission

we as dealers can keep $50 out of this whole ordeal, we can get stuck with huge capital outlays if the program expires before we get reimbursed (good luck mom and pop shops) and we had the pleasure of enjoying decreased sales while this scam was changed and tweaked.

The dealers who participated early (thankfully we didn't) got screwed, and those like us, ready to start on day one have to find out from news organisations that they moved the program back at the last minute (thankfully their computers were down all day so we escaped that one too)

The listing of fines and jail times for dealers and their employees is over 20 pages long. The whole listing of rules and regs took nearly a full ream of paper to print out.



What do we get as consumers for making responsible choices? We get to pay other people to buy cars that only have to be slightly more sensible than the crap they bought last time.

I had some customers who might qualify look into the program on their own and two told me the rules were changing as they were refreshing their browsers. *Shakes head in confusion and disapproval*

Like what Indigo said, people who are already fuel efficient don't get any benefit from this. I recently sold my Chevy Aveo (30 mpg avg) for the new Insight. And while someone at work poked fun at me for not taking advantage of this "Cash for Clunkers" opportunity, he didn't have his facts right. The Aveo wasn't a Clunker. Although, some people will probably trade in their clunkers for Aveos. Ha!

The listing of fines and jail times for dealers and their employees is over 20 pages long. The whole listing of rules and regs took nearly a full ream of paper to print out.





How'd they break the law?

We didn't yet, the rules provide for various punishments if we participate improperly

Yes I'm the one he is taking about with the OLD Volvo wagon. And yes I've kept it this long 23 years and 370,200 miles because I couldn't justify getting rid of a $500-$750 very reliable vehicle that was modified enough to get the mileage up substantially to make it worth while to keep. Since it meets all emission standards easily and is relatively clean running it isn't polluting the air like some cars on the road in states with no emissions testing.

Stock 17-18 mpg city and 24-25 mpg highway. After I played with it fifteen years ago I now have a 20-21 mpg city and 30-31 mpg highway car.

And yes it is environmentally correct to drive these vehicles into the ground as they say.
How much energy does it take to drive it another 100,000 miles vs building a new Prius and shipping it to Pittsburgh from Japan? Yep won that one with out trying. :p

And since I'm planning on driving the 2010 Prius for another fifteen years it will be bashed just like my wagon fifteen years from now by the same people bashing my wagon now. :Banane09:

Admit it your just mad that YOU can't get $4,500 off on a new Prius, TDI, Insight, or HCHII :)

With out this program I would not have considered a new 2010 Prius. I would still be searching for a 2-3 year old HCH II or Prius to replace my wagon.

BTW the only reason it qualifies is due to it being a Turbo and having an automatic transmission. No turbo or it came with a manual transmission it would not have qualified for the program.

I completely paid for my 2000 Insight myself and expect to have it at least another five years - probably a lot longer. My next car will probably be PHEV or easily capable of 100mpg.

For the most part (Not you ALS, your circumstances are a lot different), this program rewards bad behavior. In fact, the government actually does that pretty often, so why should this program be any different. :mad:

Yes,ALS I remember your Volvo from another thread,I think. I looked it up-it shows a 740 having "new" epa as 17/20, so I guess it is 18 combined? The GOV site doesn't show a 745-just 740 SW. Just like you said-only the turbo/at makes the cut(cut at 18 mpg,right?)

Either way this program is very helpful for you.Older vehicles are cheaper in almost every respect, but they are more work intensive.Most older higher mile owners DIY on many repairs.
You will probably find it a nice change to not being hanging in the engine bay every couple of months (at for the next 8-10 years when it becomes "old" )
Charlie