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Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » The continuing Cash for Clunkers saga...

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July 31, 2009 1:22 p.m. speedblind Reader

The behind the scenes drama on this program is very, very interesting. Lots of misinformation out there, but it is correct that an additional $2billion has been thrown at the program and NHTSA's issued a statement that any and all deals made will be honored.

As of the middle of this week, not all dealers were even able to register for the program. Still, everybody's been surprised (NHTSA in particular) at how many deals have been made so quickly.

And nobody was prepared for the gov't's "creative" revision of combined fuel economy figures earlier this week - especially not dealers that have been making deals and letting customers drive off since July 1st!
July 31, 2009 1:24 p.m. speedblind Reader

TJ wrote:

TJ wrote:

Program lasted a whole week before it ran out of money. How long to we get soaked for another billion to pay for another week?

Wow, I was wrong. It only took one day to soak us for $2 Billion - I guess we get two weeks of this crap this time. Start the count down till the next emergency when they can throw more money at the problem.

And...the program was never officially paused/suspended, so deals will continue to be made over the weekend.

I know of one store that has over 40 clunkers sitting in the back, and the administrator at the dealership reports it takes up to 4 hours to complete all the paper work for one. This is all 2nd and 3rd hand information, but if there's any truth to it, this is going to involve a lot of work on the dealers' end.
July 31, 2009 1:31 p.m. JmfnB MegaDork

Huge amount of paperwork.
July 31, 2009 1:39 p.m. Feedyurhed Reader

It's no wonder this program is getting bloated and fat...it's called EVLS. Ba da bing! Thank you verry mush.
July 31, 2009 1:45 p.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

Does anyone know where to find a list of which cars came on and fell off the list when the EPA changed the numbers this week?
July 31, 2009 3:45 p.m. moxnix New Reader

Tim Baxter wrote:

Does anyone know where to find a list of which cars came on and fell off the list when the EPA changed the numbers this week?

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/cash-for-clunkers-fortune-favors-the-impatient/
July 31, 2009 4:37 p.m. JmfnB MegaDork

'Cause there was no way an M3 would be worth $4500.00
July 31, 2009 4:53 p.m. Snowdoggie HalfDork

moxnix wrote:

Tim Baxter wrote:

Does anyone know where to find a list of which cars came on and fell off the list when the EPA changed the numbers this week?

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/cash-for-clunkers-fortune-favors-the-impatient/

You mean the Lincoln Contintental I just got for free isn't eligible.
July 31, 2009 6:27 p.m. iceracer HalfDork

Today, congres voted 2 billion to keep the program going.
July 31, 2009 6:46 p.m. Tommy Suddard SonDork

This is horrible. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waj2KrKYTZo
July 31, 2009 8:11 p.m. jrw1621 HalfDork

In the video above they cook the engine of a Volvo S80. Interestingly, I checked www.fueleconomy.gov and it looks to me that all Volvo S80's either got 19 or 20 mpg (similar to my V wagon.) My suspicion is that the car is not eligible!
July 31, 2009 8:38 p.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

Actually had to click away.
July 31, 2009 8:38 p.m. P71 SuperDork

That Volvo video was berkeleying depressing.
July 31, 2009 8:47 p.m. Tommy Suddard SonDork

Agreed, P71. I don't really think this program is a good idea.
July 31, 2009 8:53 p.m. P71 SuperDork

I'm teaching a class on it for work and I'm making sure everybody knows what a waste it is.

Also, I can't find that Volvo on the eligible list either...
July 31, 2009 10:22 p.m. Feedyurhed Reader

Tommy Suddard wrote:

This is horrible. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waj2KrKYTZo

OMG that is horrible!!! Of course there is no pollution with that particular procedure and now multiply that many times over. This seems to be getting dumber all the time.
July 31, 2009 10:59 p.m. m4ff3w Dork

P71 wrote:

I'm teaching a class on it for work and I'm making sure everybody knows what a waste it is.

Also, I can't find that Volvo on the eligible list either...

The 2000 S80 T6 (twin turbo) is listed as 18mpg combined. For some reason highway mileage on it is 23mpg instead of 24mpg of the '99 and '01
July 31, 2009 11:09 p.m. kilgoretrout New Reader

That Volvo wanted so badly to live..that just seemed evil. Somebody on Turbo Bricks could have used that engine to make a badd-ass 240. Also, wouldn't that thing be worth more than $4,500? The Explorer next to it seemed to be pretty nice too.

Does it really pan-out to destroy a car that is worth close to the 3,500--4,500 govt gift. For instance that Volvo might go for 4K in the open market, so essentially the owner got a $500 credit to commit to a $20K new car purchase. Sweet deal.
Aug. 1, 2009 3:47 a.m. Travis_K HalfDork

I kinda wonder how many of the people turning in these cars that are worth $3500 or so would smash them with a sledgehammer and set them on fire if someone would pay their car payment for a month or two. Its not like its really any different. With the amount of money, alot of people that are too lazy to sell their car elsewhere are going to be turning in nice cars to be scrapped.
Aug. 1, 2009 4:00 a.m. dbgrubbs New Reader

moxnix wrote:

Tim Baxter wrote:

Does anyone know where to find a list of which cars came on and fell off the list when the EPA changed the numbers this week?

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/cash-for-clunkers-fortune-favors-the-impatient/

This list makes NO sense. Not with the one example I saw. I was considering trading in my junkyard find and DD for 2 years 1987 Milano. At the last minute it was taken off this list. But now I see that the '88 and '89 Milano were added to the list. Gee, there were no changes to the car? Hmmm. And there is also an '87 GTV on the list even though there's no such car. The GTV6 ceased to exist in '86. And why oh why did they have to picture the white GTV6 in that article? Makes me sad.
Aug. 1, 2009 4:03 a.m. Travis_K HalfDork

I dont think the gtv6 was a car that was turned in, it was just the most interesting of the no longer eligible cars.
Aug. 1, 2009 5:46 a.m. Feedyurhed Reader

Well I think it is safe to say this program is not going to be popular with a true GRM-er. Those are the kind of vehicles most of us would gladly take and give a second chance to.
Aug. 1, 2009 6:57 a.m. NYG95GA SuperDork

This may seem a little off-topic, but I recently read a quote from Alexis de Tocqueville, circa 1835, after he spent a while studying American government:

"The American Republic will endure until the day that Congress discovers it can bribe the public with the public's money."

And the chickens come home to roost......
Aug. 1, 2009 7:53 a.m. ddavidv UltraDork

Photographed in a "clunker" trade in line at a dealership: So those of us who argued only craptastic SUVs would be sent to the crusher...are now free to beat our heads against the wall.
Aug. 1, 2009 7:59 a.m. Steve Chryssos Ad Sales

Meanwhile, our homes are creating emissions and wasting energy while we're at work. Our work places are creating emissions and wasting energy while we're at home. Cows and pigs are farting away profusely. This all happens while our cars sit idle most of the time.

But somehow, personal transportation is the culprit despite accounting for only 18% of total carbon emissions and energy consumption.

I bought my 1998 S420 long door Mercedes Benz for $9500. It's probably only worth $4500 these days. Trading it in for CFC money is way easier than trying to sell it.

BUT YOU CAN PRY THE KEYS OUT OF MY COLD DEAD HANDS!!

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