Cash for clunkers the final death toll!

[katsi]

Wow Mike, I like your political views as well as your advice on Italian sculped, Russan steel.

[radiopilot]

the cash for clunkers program required particpants to be able to spell their name correctly, in cursive.

? What does that mean Mike? Do you think they are giving away cars with the rebates? Do you think people need to QUALIFY to buy the new better mileage cars or is this the social communistic programs you speak of? I didn't hear no one complain when the former administration dove out $100K tax deductions for massive SUV's the likes of the ugliest vehicle on the road ie: Hummer and other outrageous monstrosities... but if the $4500 incentive been a tax deduction would this topic have gone to 5 pages?

I was born in 1956 so I'd seen and read alot of stuff too... I'd seen how a lot of manufacturing has been sent overseas... no one seemed to object till recently, now the tables are turned and everyones pointing the finger at Mexico, China, etc. Why? Who did what to whom? I'm sure everyone on this board is a hard working, tax paying, voting citizen at least those living in this country... Yes we all have our rights but jeez we are giving these rebates to hopefully hard working AMERICAN citizens and not giving our money away as in Iraq, Israel, Egypt, etc... we're never going to see that money and they sure aren't paying taxes back into our system.

Hopefully we're not at each others throat... what I needed was a rebate to trade in my son's Pathfiner in the CC program but I didn't take it as his car is running fine and paid for along with the Fiat.

Nick

[mbouse]

the CCC program required WORK for pay
the C for C program required participants to sign a sales agreement for cash

earned pay verses non-earned government handout

i think the government is giving away money that should be used to pay bills, salaries of workers and such. not put a brand new car in someone's driveway. i believe that everyone that got their $4500 "qualified" .. not insinuating that anyone cheated the system. it was not a tax deduction, it was a handout.

think that answered your questions. this handout has nothing to do with Mexico or China. it has everything to do with giving away money that did not belong to those that were dishing it out.

[htchevyii]

Better yet we could institute a 'Cash for Iron' similar to what NYC has done except nationwide... wouldn't that be a hoot!

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs. ... feed=rss01

Make the nation safer and get the guns out of the idiots hands...

Nick

I think we'd better just agree to disagree on this one.
If only we could just ban stupid people we could get rid of many problems, (car accidents, drunk driving, guns laying around, etc, etc), but now there are some many rules and laws to protect people natural selection isn't working so well and they are reproducing more than any other sector, (If they have more children they'll get more money.
OK, I'm out, back to the FIAT's.

[mdrburchette]

I believe many of the older appliances that will be trashed would have outlasted the brand new "energy star" appliances they will be replaced with. Imho the typical appliance from your local big box store is junk. In no way does it compare to the quality or expected longevity of appliances from decades past. It's false ecomomy, and probably at the end of the day, has a negative impact on the enviornment. Appliances or clunkers, it makes no sense other than political sense to destroy what still has a usable service life. All politics. Obviously Obama took note of another Chicagoan, Oprah, who also enhanced her popularity by giving away cars.

I agree wholeheartedly that new appliances are junk and not meant to last like the old ones. When Ron and I were building our house, I took a lot of time researching appliances and buying the ones, regardless of cost, that I thought were the best. I have been so disappointed in the quality of the appliances and would even be happy with harvest gold or olive green if I knew they'd last like my old appliances did! One thing that really upset me was when my dishwasher started to leak on the floor. We diagnosed the problem as being a nylon sleeve that had worn on the motor. When we tried finding a replacement, we learned you had to buy the complete motor ($150) to repair it vs buying a $2 part. I decided it was time for a new dishwasher, but when I saw the cheap crap that was out there, I told Ron I'd rather buy a motor for the old one. He then decided to try to make a sleeve for it. Thankfully, he was able to and the dishwasher has been running fine ever since.

[DploydAgain]

OK...Hate jumping into the fray late, as I'm not on our beloved site too often, but here it goes.
Nothing to do with Reps or Dems. I'm an American. I don't really care who's the commander in chief, as long as they do what's right for EVERYBODY. I've worn the uniform proudly for 24 years (multiple years away from my family and my fiat) and have recently been blessed with a govt. service job. I, like many others, am also blessed with 2 children. They enjoy things like eating....oh, and school. We send ours to a private school because a.) they need a college prep education and b.) they need to FOCUS on their education, not on the next fight/gunfight/etc... I also have 2 mortgages (--anyone want a great Tudor in western Indiana??) - ah, by choice, but I'm not asking for a bail out, just trying to sell, as you gotta go where the jobs are. We have a Toyota Van that's paid for, a (purchased used) 2004 jeep that's almost paid for , and my 80.5 Spider. I own guns, go to church weekly, smoke cigars, and enjoy tending my roses. I have paid taxes for about 30 years...I want my social security money when I'm old, but only what I've put in. I'll pay for my health insurance...Why can't we all just WORK in this country, Watch our Borders, take care of our children, and leave well enough alone. Hey, here's a concept: everyone WORKS. The govenment enforces all the laws already on the books, instead of creating new ones. Those truly in need get help. Cut all unnecessary SOCIAL HANDOUT PROGRAMS! hmmmm no bail outs and GOOD LUCK CA!! Guess Arnie may be selling her on e-bay next!! As for the rest of our lazy, gimme, XBOX, "I-deserve-it-all-because-I-do" citizens....well GET A FREAKING JOB!! Educations are given out like toilet paper now, across the country. McDonalds, farms, 7-11s, suck up some pride and WORK. Oh, btw, as I've been in the Army Reserve most of my career, I've worked as a corn dog vendor, film repair guy, radio station janitor, Wal-Mart dept. manager, K-mart stock guy, Home Depot Customer Service Rep, Circuity City Warehouse flunky, HS substitute teacher, College instructor, and cardbord manufacturor - so I know all about working and doing WHAT IT TAKES to pay my bills... Well, thanks for letting a fellow Fiat Guy vent. You all are awesome. (OO{S! Forgot to mention that I now live in NOrth Carolina.)

[So Cal Mark]

the redistribution of wealth started years ago in this country, only it was being sucked from the middle class upwards. It's about time some of it came back down. I quit reading this thread several days ago since it was pretty obvious my views were different than most posters. If someone has labeled me, so be it. Overall, I just feel our government shouldn't focus on robbing the little guy to make the privileged richer. And in my view, that's been the case for the last 8 years. So now I'll go back to just advising about Fiat problems.

[mdrburchette]

Forgot to mention that I now live in NOrth Carolina.)

What part of NC? I'm in the Winston-Salem area. I can let you know about local events.

[htchevyii]

Here's the final death toll, I wish I could buy some of these vehicles for $4500! I don't know how some of these vehicles could have possibly qualified for the rebate, Civics, Kias etc?
http://www.cars.gov/files/official-info ... hicles.pdf

[kmead]

Before you all get your panties in a bunch, please note the first line on the PDF you have linked to:

CARS Trade-In Vehicles
Sept. 9, 2009
As submitted, not necessarily reviewed or approved

This means that some stupid dealers submitted paperwork for cars that obviously don't qualify. It doesn't mean that some stupid administrator has or has not paid the amount requested, especially since the admin is likely a contract short term employee at a sub contractor

I agree some of those cars certainly would be nice to have. Particularly the E30 BMW M3.

The things to remember:
Many states allow the rebuilding of titles- meaning a totaled car, such as a flood or other major damage can be foisted on innocent ignorant buyers
Cars need repairs, some of which are major
Some cars are worn out
Some cars are heavily damaged and although they can move are not of much value
Some are just old used cars that are tired and no one wanted to buy them, regardless of the price.

I saw a Toyota SUV in the VW lot which I was surprised to see, spoke with a friend who has had tons of Toyotas about it who said "Yeah its a V6, those series engines have head problems and the value of them has fallen through the floor. You see them all the time right after someone has done the repair or when the owner has chosen to sell instead of fixing them."

And finally, this was a program to get people to buy cars. New cars. The intent was to get the automakers making cars again and if the reports I have been hearing and reading are correct, its working. Visteon, GM, Johnson Controls and others are recalling workers, getting ready to restore pay decreases and move towards making it through bankruptcy.

It was not a perfect program but it certainly helped spur things along. It helped those who had made poor automotive choices and could afford to buy a new car. It likely hurt those who buy rough used cars to subsist through their lives.

This was a program to spur production directly by creating demand for product instead of a cash handout to corporations (banks or similar) that might or might not have been turned into jobs and pay for the vast majority of the employees and various sub contractors who make all the components for automakers as well as getting cars off of dealers lots in time for new production to arrive.