Cash for Clunkers!!!

[bobbythekidd]

Don't worry, there are still millions of clunkers to be had.

Remember, by definition, these cars are the dregs of the dregs - worth less than $4,500. Great to get off the road PERMENTANLY.

Jon I want to respond to this post in depth but I'll have to do it later. I have too many irons in the fire at the moment. It is taking it's toll on the used car market already. Dealers buy from auctions and auctions get the inventory from prime dealerships that have trade ins.

[dbackjon]

Jon I want to respond to this post in depth but I'll have to do it later. I have too many irons in the fire at the moment. It is taking it's toll on the used car market already. Dealers buy from auctions and auctions get the inventory from prime dealerships that have trade ins.

I know it will have a short-term impact on the lower end of the market (less lemons to dress up and sell as good vehicles).

Bigger impact will be on the parts market - which is one thing I wish they did differently - destroy the engine, but let parts places bid on the rest.

Point is, the trade-ins are just as the program describes - clunkers - high mileage, low value vehicles.

[grizzaholic]

.

[AZGrizFan]

The downside is that the Clunkers are being destroyed, and not going to be on the used car market. When these folks lose their cars they will have nothing to look at on the used car lots. Inventory will just dry up or dealers will have to charge a premium on what used to be a cheap car.

Don't worry, there are still millions of clunkers to be had.

Remember, by definition, these cars are the dregs of the dregs - worth less than $4,500. Great to get off the road PERMENTANLY.

You do realize that these cars have a market for a REASON, don't you? It's all high and mighty to get these "clunkers" off the road, but not everybody can afford a shiny new car, even WITH a $4,500 gift from the taxpayers.

[houndawg]

Don't worry, there are still millions of clunkers to be had.

Remember, by definition, these cars are the dregs of the dregs - worth less than $4,500. Great to get off the road PERMENTANLY.

You do realize that these cars have a market for a REASON, don't you? It's all high and mighty to get these "clunkers" off the road, but not everybody can afford a shiny new car, even WITH a $4,500 gift from the taxpayers.

The point is to get them off the road, not to uplift the poor. But I would like to thank each and every one of you for my shiny new Tacoma. Makes me feel like a bank executive getting all that taxpayer money.

Hopefully it is a first step, but so far my biggest disappointment with respect to the Obama admin. is that imo we're hearing too much about health care reform and not enough about seriously reducing our dependence on mid-east oil.

[UNI88]

You do realize that these cars have a market for a REASON, don't you? It's all high and mighty to get these "clunkers" off the road, but not everybody can afford a shiny new car, even WITH a $4,500 gift from the taxpayers.

The point is to get them off the road, not to uplift the poor. But I would like to thank each and every one of you for my shiny new Tacoma. Makes me feel like a bank executive getting all that taxpayer money.

Hopefully it is a first step, but so far my biggest disappointment with respect to the Obama admin. is that imo we're hearing too much about health care reform and not enough about seriously reducing our dependence on mid-east oil.

There are a lot of people in the Chicago area (and I'm sure other cities as well) that have trouble getting and keeping a good job due to lack of reliable transportation. Did they miss a golden opportunity to hit two birds with one stone by taking these clunkers off of the market?

We're on the same page on the oil dependence. We're paying the people who are funding the terrorists bent on our destruction.

[dbackjon]

Don't worry, there are still millions of clunkers to be had.

Remember, by definition, these cars are the dregs of the dregs - worth less than $4,500. Great to get off the road PERMENTANLY.

You do realize that these cars have a market for a REASON, don't you? It's all high and mighty to get these "clunkers" off the road, but not everybody can afford a shiny new car, even WITH a $4,500 gift from the taxpayers.

Just drive down Main Street in Mesa, Van Buren in Phoenix, or anywhere in the West Valley - used car lots still overflowing with clunkers. Just admit that this is a great program, and is helping the economy.

[Ivytalk]

The clunkers shouldn't be on used car lots: they should be in junkyards. Wasn't that the whole point? And don't forget the dealers who are out millions of dollars because some "Clunker Czar" won't release their money.

Chalk up another one for the Free Lunch Society.

[houndawg]

The clunkers shouldn't be on used car lots: they should be in junkyards. Wasn't that the whole point? And don't forget the dealers who are out millions of dollars because some "Clunker Czar" won't release their money.

Chalk up another one for the Free Lunch Society.

Hey now, why can't we get our snouts in the trough with the bankers and auto executives? Couple of billion is chump change compared to what those socktuckers are getting. Back in the day they knew how to leave a few crumbs on the table for the peasants.

[native]

You do realize that these cars have a market for a REASON, don't you? It's all high and mighty to get these "clunkers" off the road, but not everybody can afford a shiny new car, even WITH a $4,500 gift from the taxpayers.

The point is to get them off the road, not to uplift the poor. But I would like to thank each and every one of you for my shiny new Tacoma. Makes me feel like a bank executive getting all that taxpayer money.

Hopefully it is a first step, but so far my biggest disappointment with respect to the Obama admin. is that imo we're hearing too much about health care reform and not enough about seriously reducing our dependence on mid-east oil.

DRILL HERE, DRILL NOW, EXPLOIT THE OIL SHALE IN COLORADO AND WYOMING!

[dbackjon]

Hell no to oil shale

[AZGrizFan]

You do realize that these cars have a market for a REASON, don't you? It's all high and mighty to get these "clunkers" off the road, but not everybody can afford a shiny new car, even WITH a $4,500 gift from the taxpayers.

Just drive down Main Street in Mesa, Van Buren in Phoenix, or anywhere in the West Valley - used car lots still overflowing with clunkers. Just admit that this is a great program, and is helping the economy.

Yeah. I'm sure the article is a lie. Let's just ignore those dealers that ARE being put out of business.

[dbackjon]

Just drive down Main Street in Mesa, Van Buren in Phoenix, or anywhere in the West Valley - used car lots still overflowing with clunkers. Just admit that this is a great program, and is helping the economy.

Yeah. I'm sure the article is a lie. Let's just ignore those dealers that ARE being put out of business.

Again, if they are out of business after a month, cash for clunkers had little to do with it.

[houndawg]

The point is to get them off the road, not to uplift the poor. But I would like to thank each and every one of you for my shiny new Tacoma. Makes me feel like a bank executive getting all that taxpayer money.

Hopefully it is a first step, but so far my biggest disappointment with respect to the Obama admin. is that imo we're hearing too much about health care reform and not enough about seriously reducing our dependence on mid-east oil.

DRILL HERE, DRILL NOW, EXPLOIT THE OIL SHALE IN COLORADO AND WYOMING!

Big picture, my friend. Big picture.

[AZGrizFan]

You do realize that these cars have a market for a REASON, don't you? It's all high and mighty to get these "clunkers" off the road, but not everybody can afford a shiny new car, even WITH a $4,500 gift from the taxpayers.

The point is to get them off the road, not to uplift the poor. But I would like to thank each and every one of you for my shiny new Tacoma. Makes me feel like a bank executive getting all that taxpayer money.

Hopefully it is a first step, but so far my biggest disappointment with respect to the Obama admin. is that imo we're hearing too much about health care reform and not enough about seriously reducing our dependence on mid-east oil.

The point is to line the pockets of the auto builders by causing their product to become even MORE of a "disposable" item. The fact that they're junking these cars is just cover for the REAL purpose here. The fact that most of you are too blind to see that is truly scary.

[houndawg]

The point is to get them off the road, not to uplift the poor. But I would like to thank each and every one of you for my shiny new Tacoma. Makes me feel like a bank executive getting all that taxpayer money.

Hopefully it is a first step, but so far my biggest disappointment with respect to the Obama admin. is that imo we're hearing too much about health care reform and not enough about seriously reducing our dependence on mid-east oil.

The point is to line the pockets of the auto builders by causing their product to become even MORE of a "disposable" item. The fact that they're junking these cars is just cover for the REAL purpose here. The fact that most of you are too blind to see that is truly scary.

You're talking about a couple of billion - peanuts.

[native]

Hell no to oil shale

Why not?

We either have the technology or can develop the technology to develop and use oil shale cleanly.

FREE THE CARBON!

RESTORE MOTHER EARTH TO HER NATURAL STATE OF PARADISE!

[native]

DRILL HERE, DRILL NOW, EXPLOIT THE OIL SHALE IN COLORADO AND WYOMING!

Big picture, my friend. Big picture.

Big picture! Exactly!

Develop existing domestic resources with existing and edge technologies NOW to keep the economy growing for the next fifty years, while investing in longer term nuclear and other non-carbon energy technologies for the future.

No need for socialism, political polarization or economic chaos in the meantime.

Cash for clunkers is NOT a big picture solution, dawg.

[UNI88]

Big picture, my friend. Big picture.

Big picture! Exactly!

Develop existing domestic resources with exising and edge technologies NOW to keep the economy growing for the next fifty years, while investing in longer term nuclear and other non-carbon energy technologies for the future.

No need for socialism, political polarization or economic chaos in the meantime.

Cash for clunkers is NOT a big picture solution, dawg.

Native, you're giving politicians way to much credit. Do you really think that they will invest in longer term nuclear and other non-carbon energy technologies onces they've begun developing existing resources? They'll just put it off again and again until we're in another bind in 20+ years. Sometimes you have to take the short-term pain in order to realize the long-term gain.

[dbackjon]

Hell no to oil shale

Why not?

We either have the technology or can develop the technology to develop and use oil shale cleanly.

FREE THE CARBON!

RESTORE MOTHER EARTH TO HER NATURAL STATE OF PARADISE!

Oil Shale is nasty stuff - requires large amounts of strip mining, large amounts of water, which the West does not have.

Oil Shale is IMPOSSIBLE to be clean.

[Col Hogan]

Big picture! Exactly!

Develop existing domestic resources with exising and edge technologies NOW to keep the economy growing for the next fifty years, while investing in longer term nuclear and other non-carbon energy technologies for the future.

No need for socialism, political polarization or economic chaos in the meantime.

Cash for clunkers is NOT a big picture solution, dawg.

Native, you're giving politicians way to much credit. Do you really think that they will invest in longer term nuclear and other non-carbon energy technologies onces they've begun developing existing resources? They'll just put it off again and again until we're in another bind in 20+ years. Sometimes you have to take the short-term pain in order to realize the long-term gain.

Spot on, 88...

If we could start drawing on that oil today, the "emergency" would disappear...the pressure to develop alternatives would lose political interest...

[native]

Big picture! Exactly!

Develop existing domestic resources with exising and edge technologies NOW to keep the economy growing for the next fifty years, while investing in longer term nuclear and other non-carbon energy technologies for the future.

No need for socialism, political polarization or economic chaos in the meantime.

Cash for clunkers is NOT a big picture solution, dawg.

Native, you're giving politicians way to much credit. Do you really think that they will invest in longer term nuclear and other non-carbon energy technologies onces they've begun developing existing resources? They'll just put it off again and again until we're in another bind in 20+ years. Sometimes you have to take the short-term pain in order to realize the long-term gain.

Point well taken, UNI88, but you must at least consider the possibility that my scheme could have provided the basis for a grand compromise serving the interests of all concerned.

[native]

Does anyone have a link to the "Wired" article published a few years ago which details the marginal costs for producing each type of energy resource?

[native]

Native, you're giving politicians way to much credit. Do you really think that they will invest in longer term nuclear and other non-carbon energy technologies onces they've begun developing existing resources? They'll just put it off again and again until we're in another bind in 20+ years. Sometimes you have to take the short-term pain in order to realize the long-term gain.

Spot on, 88...

If we could start drawing on that oil today, the "emergency" would disappear...the pressure to develop alternatives would lose political interest...

Sad but true, although I disagree that our short-sightedness is impossible to overcome.

I also note that socialism is NOT a short term pain....

[clenz]

The downside is that the Clunkers are being destroyed, and not going to be on the used car market. When these folks lose their cars they will have nothing to look at on the used car lots. Inventory will just dry up or dealers will have to charge a premium on what used to be a cheap car.

Don't worry, there are still millions of clunkers to be had.

Remember, by definition, these cars are the dregs of the dregs - worth less than $4,500. Great to get off the road PERMENTANLY.

The 92 Ford Tempo my family owns doesn't qualify for this....If any car should be off the road it is that one.