U.S. Scrappage Scheme Moving Forward

[Electric Frenzy]

that sounds to me like it means you have to average the city/highway mileage for your vehicle and get UNDER 18mpg. If that is the case then no'one will ever use this money. It's too strictly worded to do anyone any good.

That sucks because I was hoping for that goofy little car under $10k.

[MazdaMatt]

Re: "buy american"

That list above tells me that it doesn't matter if you're buying Ford, Chevy, Toyota or Honda - you're still buying "mostly" american with any choice.

Also re: "buy american" in general
It is stupid. Get out of that mentallity. You want to push canadian cars out of your markets, you'll be paying more for beef and lumber in scale so large it affects your grocery and housing costs (these are just a couple examples). "buy american" didn't work in the depression, it won't work now. Let me reference Ben's "no more corn syrup" thread - a "buy american" policy on sugar drove your sugar prices up to the point that health-diminishing high fructose corn syrup took over your grocery stores. (I didn't mean for this to devolve into a politics conversation... but i suppose that's what the title post is about).

Does anyone know if the Japanese policy has people replacing their whole cars, or just swapping to new motors? I know we get a huge influx of motors from japan (love it!), so i wasn't sure if the japanese were just swapping motors to keep up with the regulations.

[cfg83]

Hello -

Here's an update :

Congress Moves Forward With Vehicle Scrappage Program

...

Under the legislation, a scrapped vehicle must get less that 18 mpg (15 mpg for heavy pickups and vans). The car buyer would receive a $3,500 voucher if they bought a new passenger car that was at least 4 mpg higher than the older vehicle or a new pickup truck/SUV that was at least 2 mpg higher than the old truck. They would receive a $4,500 if the passenger car was at least 10 mpg higher and the truck/SUV was at least 5 mpg higher. The program would mandate that the engine block and drivetrain be destroyed. The program would last up to one year, authorize $4 billion in spending and potentially scrap one million older cars and trucks.

...

CarloSW2

[zjrog]

I am very much against this for a number of reasons. But one that is important is that destroying the drivetrains will remove a pool of parts, good parts and good rebuildable core parts for older vehicles. I do not like the idea of being forced by the government to limit my freedom of choices... Or to be forced into buying someting new every few years, jsut because.

[Electric Frenzy]

Originally Posted by zjrog

destroying the drivetrains will remove a pool of parts, good parts and good rebuildable core parts for older vehicles.

Maybe this will create jobs for people to build NEW car parts instead of refurbs.

I know that I wouldn't buy a reman unless I had no other choice.

[Clev]

Originally Posted by Electric Frenzy

I wouldn't consider my 1992 Audi 100 as "perfectly good". It's a 100% clunker...hence the name, cash for clunkers. It's no like I'm trading a 2006 Dodge Viper for a prius.

Also, can someone else verify for me (or do I have to wait) that I'll be able to get this credit even though my audi is rated at 19mpg? I've already picked out a lovely new 2009 Smart Passion at my dealer. I told him as soon as the law was signed I'd pick it up.

Sounds like you need to hit Craigslist and pick up a barely-running old junker trunk for $500. Remember, there's more than one way to exploit a loophole.

[cfg83]

Clev -

Originally Posted by Clev

Sounds like you need to hit Craigslist and pick up a barely-running old junker trunk for $500. Remember, there's more than one way to exploit a loophole.

That's what I was thinking, but it's such an obvious loophole. My *guess* is that you have to own the car for X amount of time. The current legislation is for one year, so there is the possibility that you'd be stuck with the clunker if it is not extended.

Now I want to see the exact text.

CarloSW2

[markweatherill]

Here in the UK a similar scheme has just been started. Whatever the terms and conditions, the intent is to get people borrowing money at interest, I feel.

[MazdaMatt]

That's a good point... between the increased borrowed money and the increased auto sales... i wonder if anybody was "thinking green" when they came up with this. I feel the conversation started "what's a good way to fix the economy", rather than "what's a good way to get gas guzzlers off the road". By having people dump a 15mpg truck for a 17mpg truck they aren't making much of an impact, I'm afraid.

[zjrog]

Now in cases where a vehicle is a gross polluter, I can see where a program like California has (had?) can be a good thing. But don't force those of us that have decided we don't want new, to buy what we don't want.