Govt to suspend 'cash for clunkers'

[Laura's Babies]

Seems that drew in the clunkers faster than expected! http://finance.yahoo.com/news/AP-sources-Govt-to-suspend-apf-3529110957.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=1&asset=&ccode=

[Sirrahsim]

I owe my brand new baby Chevy Cobalt (Katy) to this program:love:
The program may not have been without its flaws but it worked out beautifully for us. We got rid of a gas guzzler worth no more than a grand or two and got $4500 for it. :D

I hope that they find a way to continue it for those people who still want to take advantage of it!

[Freedom]

When I heard this news, I immediately thought of "Katy" and how lucky you were to put this all together and get in on the ground floor, so to speak. You made it work for you!

From the article Laura's linked, it doesn't say anything about flaws (although I am sure there are some!), just that there are a whole lot more qualifying vehicles out there than they thought, and they are quickly using up the money assigned for the program.

[blue]

While Im glad the program did help some people, I am glad its suspended and hopefully forever.

[Medusa]

The "flaw" is that the dealers are afraid that they won't get paid. Apparently, the govt. agrees. Nice. :rolleyes:

[kokopup]

i heard on the news that there was enough money for 250,000 cars. They are saying that only 50,000 cars have been traded in so why are they out of money. Something doesn't compute.:confused:

[lvpets2002]

:) A guy here at work got his new car Wed.. He got a $15,000.00 car for $6,700.00.. He did for sure have a clunker bad.. I told him he was so lucky to have his trade in done..

[kokopup]

A guy here at work got his new car Wed.. He got a $15,000.00 car for $6,700.00.. He did for sure have a clunker bad.. I told him he was so lucky to have his trade in done..

Something doesn't compute here either. He got $8300 for his clunker:confused: That's almost double the allowance.:rolleyes:

[blue]

Something doesn't compute here either. He got $8300 for his clunker:confused: That's almost double the allowance.:rolleyes:

I think Dodge, and maybe another manufacturer, was matching the CFC funds.

[Karen]

They are now saying the program is NOT suspended:

http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/30/autos/cash_for_clunkers_suspended/index.htm

[Puckstop31]

Another government program turns into a disaster...

Tell me if this sounds familiar....

June 16th, 1933 FDR (The Progressives original idol....)passes the the Emergency Farm Mortgage Act. All of this followed the Emergency Farm Mortgage Act that allotted $200 million for refinancing mortgages to help farmers facing foreclosure. First he bailed their homes out, then that wasn't enough. Then he decided to destroy products that they were growing, you know, pigs or cotton to artificially inflate the prices. You see, killing the baby pigs was a response to an emergency. The emergency was the Farm Mortgage Act didn't work. And that was a response to an emergency. And when everybody started to complain about the millions of pigs being slaughtered and the meat being wasted, they responded by creating another government program called the Federal Surplus Relief Corporation. The FSRC diverted agriculture commodities to relief organizations. So now because they slaughtered the baby pigs, they had to create another one that would take food away from other farms, buy it with taxpayer dollars, and then send it to relief organizations. Do you see what happened here? A supposed emergency creates a giant mortgage government giveaway. Then central planning causes the destruction of perfectly useful and needed products. And then that mess is all solved by the creation of another government program that makes people dependent on the government. Three years later the pig murdering and crop destruction of the Agriculture Adjustment Administration was ruled unconstitutional, but the damage had already been done by 1936. All of these policies appeared to work initially but turned out to be complete and utter disasters. Does any of this sound familiar? Any of it?

[lvpets2002]

:) I think he traded thru GMC cause the car is a Avia or something like that.. He said there was like 2 rebates that he got in all..
I think Dodge, and maybe another manufacturer, was matching the CFC funds.

[kokopup]

Even at $16000 this review doesn't think much of the Aveo.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009-chevrolet-aveo-sedan-1lt/

[Lady's Human]

I've driven an Aveo. It was literally the last thing on Enterprise's lot in Norman, OK.

Cornering? Yep, it'll turn a corner, but body roll and understeer don't even begin to describe the steering response.

Acceleration? Sure........press down on the gas pedal, and make sure you plan all your moves well ahead of actually making them.....like entering a road out of a parking lot. Make sure you give all traffic about 100 yards of clearance, otherwise the poor little thing will be scared into inaction. VW Beetles (The originals, not the new ones) were quicker.

Comfort? If your description of comfortable includes being closed in an Iron Maiden for a few hours, sure, it's comfortable.

I'm really not sure whether it qualifies as a car. The same commission looking into waterboarding should be questioning GM execs about this car. If it were supplied to soldiers it would be a violation of the Hague convention.

[Sirrahsim]

I drove an Aveo and a Cobalt when I was looking at buying my new baby. The difference in the two vehicles was shocking:eek: The Aveo seemed nice and zippy but that is because I was used to a minivan:p The Cobalt handles beautifully. I love it:love::love:

[lizbud]

The Gov pumped another 2 bil. into the program.

Seems like this Goverment program suceeded beyond everyone's expections. I know it's made a lot of people very happy.:) The local
car dealers are rushing to supply product to everyone who wants to
take advantage of the rebate.

[kokopup]

How did the first Billion get spent on 50,000 cars when it was suppose to be good for 250,000.

[blue]

Seems like this Goverment program suceeded beyond everyone's expections.

I call this program a big Fail on two levels. One, I use junkyard parts to fix my vehicles where ever posible, this program scraps running vehichles and seizes their engines. This program is wasting many good parts that could have been reused by citizens like myself.

Two, as Kokopup pointed out the money ran out way to fast, and now we tax payers are funding even more waste.

Cash for Clunkers=Double Fail!

[aTailOf2Kitties]

I wonder how many of the new cars will end up repo'd because the owners can't really afford payments? Clunkers may be clunky and inefficient, but at least they're usually already paid for.

My 15 year old Aspire gets better gas mileage than most new cars anyway. I'd have to "upgrade" to a hybrid.

[blue]

I'd have to "upgrade" to a hybrid.

If you do, get a "I :love: strip mining" bumpersticker.

[Lady's Human]

The money didn't run out, it all depends on which news story you read why the program was or wasn't or might be suspended.

As far as your Jeeps go, there were millions of XJ's produced. I doubt the 250,000 cars traded in are going to cause much of a dent in your parts availability.

[blue]

The money didn't run out, it all depends on which news story you read why the program was or wasn't or might be suspended.

As far as your Jeeps go, there were millions of XJ's produced. I doubt the 250,000 cars traded in are going to cause much of a dent in your parts availability.

The transfercase and drive shaft in my 96 ZJ are out of a 2001 XJ, IIRC. Older XJs dont have as many compatible componants I can use.

ZJs and XJs are being crushed in this scam, err program. That means fewer cheap junkyard parts for me and other yard tree mechanics.

How many CJs are going to be crushed in this scam? I have one of 240 CJ8 Postal Jeeps made.

Jeep, Honda, Chevy or Mazda. This scam is going to raise the price of cheap used parts due to them being crushed.

[Catlady711]

I find it interesting that the govt can just print money whenever they want it for whatever reason. If we did that it would be called counterfeiting.:rolleyes:

[blue]

I find it interesting that the govt can just print money whenever they want it for whatever reason. If we did that it would be called counterfeiting.:rolleyes:

Yup. Socialism, aint it great?

[Puckstop31]

The Gov pumped another 2 bil. into the program.

Seems like this Goverment program suceeded beyond everyone's expections. I know it's made a lot of people very happy.:) The local
car dealers are rushing to supply product to everyone who wants to
take advantage of the rebate.

So where did that 2 Billion come from? China or the printing press?

You never cease to amaze me Liz. That is some AWESOME Kool-Aid I reckon.


Did ya see the latest? Now the government plans on changing how they measure economic statistics. How convienient. When the numbers don't add up to favorable results.... Change the way you measure the results.

But of course, you will think it's great. :rolleyes:

[Lady's Human]

My biggest issue with the cars program is the unintended consequences to other portions of the economy.

250,000 less older cars on the road.......(with the first bunch of taxpayer money)

means


250,000 less cars for mechanics to repair.

250,000 less cars for parts stores to sell parts for.

And all of the waterfall effects that the above entail.

Government as usual is favoring one piece of the economy over others, without looking to see what the effects will be. Of course, they had to, as they (we) now own one car manufacturer. They had to do SOMETHING to sell cars!

[lizbud]

My biggest issue with the cars program is the unintended consequences to other portions of the economy.

250,000 less older cars on the road.......(with the first bunch of taxpayer money)

means


250,000 less cars for mechanics to repair.

250,000 less cars for parts stores to sell parts for.

And all of the waterfall effects that the above entail.

Government as usual is favoring one piece of the economy over others, without looking to see what the effects will be. Of course, they had to, as they (we) now own one car manufacturer. They had to do SOMETHING to sell cars!


I say if the banks & Wall St. gets a bailout, regular working folks deserve
a helping hand in the slow economy too.

That's 250,000 less cars that people need to spend their hard earned
money on. I'd rather buy gas & make a car payment than be nickel and
dimed to death with a clunker car that needs "fixin" every other week.

[Lady's Human]

So the mechanics and parts stores need the business less than GM?

Those nickel and dime repairs keep food on a mechanics table, and cost less than a car payment.