Unfortunately the Big 3 left those cars behind (I don't see one name on that list that is still in production today) and didn't pursue them which led them to where we are today ... giving out handouts to everyone who thought bigger was better and the gas crisis was complete history.

My thing is these are the choices American Consumers made. Why the hell should the US Gov give them money now? And why help out those who got them there? GM was a freakin money pit and we're not out of it yet.

If you buy any sports car, you buy it because you wanted it. Bad MPG and all. So what's the diff in buying something where the wifey doesn't have to put up with the kids touching each other?

Americans go hungry from loss of jobs and some from receiving an increase in their unemployment which disqualified them for their food stamps. And we are putting money towards this? I just think the US can and should do better.

Always good debating with you Jeff.

 

well yes but lets not confuse. the two. the cash for clunkers is an energy dependence move.. not a domestic mfg move.. and I bet more toyota's are going to be sold then anything with this since american's for some unknown reason love the god awful camry.

and for someone trolling around in a crapbox that is getting 12mpg this does make some sense. CHI, you couldn't even use this on a new civic since it gets WAY worse fuel economy then your current car does. this is not for you. it's good for companies with aging fleets of old trucks getting 9mpg where new trucks or ones withu smaller engines can do the same job.

I don't care. one way or the other. since I am not in the position to buy a car now. but if I was I would love to trade in my 95 ford ranger shop truck for a new truck but the ranger also does not qualify since it gets better then 20mpg..

the only major effect I see this doing is getting those that are using old pickups as daily drivers out and into a new efficent car... sure the'll most likley have a payment.. but the fuel savings will offset much of that payment. and hopefully get more americans out autocrossing their new little cars

extreme example.
take a Chevy aveo $9995 $4500 off 0% for 60 months that's $91 a month I can't make up all that payment in fuel savings

but typical american 15,000 miles a year in a 10mpg pickup $4500 in gas a year...
in a aveo 33mpg $1363 a year in fuel ($3 gal) it's an exagerated example but they are saving over $200 a month in fuel and paying $91 in payment figure $120 with insurance. I like the idea of these beat up old trucks getting off the road.

also don't underestimate the stupidity of typical joe Q public.. americans are fucking retarted they will buy without putting a single number on paper. a big Truck or SUV just because they are "safe" which has been proven time and time again they are more likley to wreck/rollover/crash since you can't avoid accidents in somthing ginormous.

 

Just to play the flip side a little bit, and attempt to see the potential good side of this bill...

You're all trying to apply this bill to YOURSELF, and it obviously doesn't apply.

What if you were one of several million people who are driving a generic 10-year-old V6-powered sedan, like a Ford Taurus (17/26 mpg) or Toyota Camry (17/25 mpg). You bought the car new 10 years ago, it's due for replacement, you CAN afford to replace it, and you ARE going to replace it this year.

Does this bill make a little more sense now? You can trade the old car in on a new V6 Camry (19/28 mpg) for $1200 or so... or you can look for something that's economical enough to get you into that $3500 C4C bracket.

Now, I don't know if those cars really fit the bill (no pun intended) or not. But, you could easily shift it to the typical SUV. Trade your 1999 V8 Ford Explorer (13/18 mpg) for a more reasonably sized V6 Ford Escape (18/26 mpg) and pocket $3500.

In the process, you permanently remove a gas hog from the US highways, and you (can) buy a new American vehicle and help the economy.

For the people out there who drive these ridiculously bloated and inefficient vehicles, and there are millions of those people out there, maybe this bill does make a little bit of sense?

 

In the end, I'll stand by, it was their choice to buy those cars. As Jeff pointed out the Big Three were making cars that compared to my car in the 90s with the fuel mileage I have so they had a choice.

I also understand moving to a more green solution. But look at what we all mfgs, both domestic and import, are using to build them ... batteries. So what will we do with all the batteries when people dump the cars? Hopefully someone is working on this.

What I would like to personally see is further development of the hydrogen cars. Sure, Honda has it and so what. I hope it turns out well for them but if the US government, should it go well and can be mass produced, doesn't get behind them by supporting hydrogen stations and the technology well then how is that going green?

If a family can move into a more fuel efficient vehicle and reap the savings then all the better for them. But let's face it, we didn't make their choice on their current vehicle and therefore we shouldn't have to cough up the funds for them to change to a better one.

We are consumers who buy with free will and with encouragement from companies to buy through marketing and sales tatics. We should not become a nation of consumers who have their government driving and influencing our choices.

Its like a homeless guy on the street with a cup and you don't have the choice but to drop some coin in to help improve his life. While it is a good act in its nature, what happened to having the choice?

 

I read on CNN Money this morning that this bill has a lot of limits that will help a lot of scam artists not get to far. That made me

 

Yea there is already SPAM hitting peoples Emails

Having them go a web site and enter in the car VIN etc.. then they tell them they qualify.. Then reply asking for Bank info so they can Wire them the check.. Letting them know they will send a towing service out to get the car.

All they want is the Banking info..

 

^ hilarious and sad and stupid and totally expected all at the same time

Here is another article that made me smile

Five Reasons “Cash for Clunkers” is a Joke- Yahoo! Autos Article Page