Big Three take 47 percent of 'Cash for Clunkers' sales; Ford Focus top-seller

[JSt0rm]

Originally posted by: Modelworks

Originally posted by: blackangst1


I am willing to bet that for 90% of people who used this program did NOT see a savings. Unless you dont count the extra car payment....this was a terrible program right now. People need to SAVING and CUTTING COSTS, not increasing debt.

Agree. I am concerned that it may have caused people to buy cars that they normally would have not bought because they could not afford the monthly payment. Rather than wait till they could afford to pay for a new car they acted now because they wanted to get in on the savings..

My aunt is one cold hearted person I never really liked, the Aunt Scrooge of the family , but she was always smart about her money. Every so many years she buys a new car and pays cash. The day she drives it off the lot she starts putting money in a saving account for the next one. She has done that at least 4 times that I know about.

I would disagree and say we need people to spend money. Face it thats what our economy is based off of. Save what you can but go to the movies

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: themusgrat

Originally posted by: Patranus
My point is how can you call something a success when you are artificially stimulating the economy?

This is no different than people thinking they were rich because of their artificially inflated home prices, and then taking a 2nd mortgage to buy luxury items.

Just look at it like this. 3bn total is almost nothing to the government. People that could afford new cars but were too afraid to spend the money went out and spent that money, money that desperately needed to be spent. At the end of September, 750,000 new cars will have been sold because of the program, and if the 83% number of trucks holds up, that means over 600,000 guzzlers will be removed from the roads. While that will hurt gas sales

750k cars may be sold with the program, it is doubtful 750k extra cars will have been sold because of the program.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01

Originally posted by: OCguy

Originally posted by: ZeGermans
Just dropping by to say that the money spent on this would pay for about 6 F-22's that don't work in the rain or near cell phones

It took you two hours for that horrible drive-by one liner?

more like most people here do other things then refresh the p&n page like you. Dont you work? Or do you hide in a cubical and hope no one notices you all day long.

Sorry, I forgot I was in the presence of the Mr. 850 FICO who eats $900 meals with Icelandic celebrities all day.

Hurry up, I'm sure you have a WoW raid tonight.

 

[ZeGermans]

Originally posted by: BoberFett

Originally posted by: ZeGermans
The best part about successful government projects is desperate flailing about an inevitable failure of the glorious free market wrapped up in faux populism

Haha, successful. You're a riot.

BTW, have you raped any female soldiers lately? Maybe you can get the government to sponsor that program too.

She worked for haliburton. That almost makes her a worse person.

 

[OrByte]

Originally posted by: Modelworks

Originally posted by: blackangst1


I am willing to bet that for 90% of people who used this program did NOT see a savings. Unless you dont count the extra car payment....this was a terrible program right now. People need to SAVING and CUTTING COSTS, not increasing debt.

Agree. I am concerned that it may have caused people to buy cars that they normally would have not bought because they could not afford the monthly payment. Rather than wait till they could afford to pay for a new car they acted now because they wanted to get in on the savings..

My aunt is one cold hearted person I never really liked, the Aunt Scrooge of the family , but she was always smart about her money. Every so many years she buys a new car and pays cash. The day she drives it off the lot she starts putting money in a saving account for the next one. She has done that at least 4 times that I know about.

I couldn't disagree more.

This isn't a DVD player on sale at Fry's...these are car purchases. The buying decisions are different for cars than for disposable items on "sale"

People don't just go out and buy cars because they wanted to get in on the "savings" These are people that have been holding off buying a car because of uncertain economic condititions. These rebates made the purchase attractive enough and cash exchanging hands in this economy is a good thing.

 

[waggy]

I Am happy this is proving a boon to the auto makers and everyone who deals with them. I still do not like the fact that the government is paying for it.

Why should my tax money go for others car's?


just wish my vehicles would have fit so i could take advantage of what i am helping pay for heh.

 

[wnied]

Pardon my anger for a moment but the governments cash for clunkers program is total bullsh!t!

From where I stand, it rewards people who purchased gas guzzling cars and trucks, to trade their rolling sh!tbox in for a newer car, while reaping the incentive of our tax dollars to the tune of $3500. - $4500. dollars plus their car/trucks trade in value. While people who bought on the side of fuel economy or frugality, are kicked to the proverbial curb. Case in point, I bought a 1999 Dodge neon sport. I couldve bought a camaro, a taurus, or even a 300m at the time, but instead, bought a small domestic economy car to save money on price and gas. Apparently my car gets 24 mpg! I havent seen 24mpg since I first slipped behind the wheel!! So I dont qualify....Yay me for thinking I was being smart when I bought the smaller more fuel efficient model.

So what have I learned? If I buy a gas guzzling boat, the government will reward me by bailing my stupid ass out financially, so that our outdated, out worked, domestic auto industry wont fail completely and be swallowed up by a better run, better designed foreign car competitor.

That just chaps my ass!
:|~wnied~:|

 

[JSt0rm]

Originally posted by: OCguy

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01

Originally posted by: OCguy

Originally posted by: ZeGermans
Just dropping by to say that the money spent on this would pay for about 6 F-22's that don't work in the rain or near cell phones

It took you two hours for that horrible drive-by one liner?

more like most people here do other things then refresh the p&n page like you. Dont you work? Or do you hide in a cubical and hope no one notices you all day long.

Sorry, I forgot I was in the presence of the Mr. 850 FICO who eats $900 meals with Icelandic celebrities all day.

Hurry up, I'm sure you have a WoW raid tonight.

its icelandic composer and yes I've had a $900 meal with him

I don't play wow but enjoy I'm sure its fun.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: wnied
I bought a shitty Dodge Neon and I'm pissed it doesn't qualify for this program. FML.

Translated.

 

[TruePaige]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
My aunt is one cold hearted person I never really liked, the Aunt Scrooge of the family , but she was always smart about her money. Every so many years she buys a new car and pays cash. The day she drives it off the lot she starts putting money in a saving account for the next one. She has done that at least 4 times that I know about.

Your aunt would be a lot better off buying a 1-2 year old car. Still under full warranty, still pretty much new. MUCH less.

 

[wnied]

Peyton

Of course Im pissed! I chose to buy american, I chose to buy a more fuel efficient car, and now Im paying a price for it...Why shouldnt I be pissed??? You post it with the premise that had I bought either a Nissan Altima or Honda Civic I wouldve been in any better shape??? Its just as I said previously...the government is rewarding the consumers who didn't give a rats ass about fuel efficiency or size, by essentially bailing them out to buy a better car, while not offering the program to those of us who did...thats why Im pissed.

and just as a footnote, my dodge neon has given me zero problems since I've bought it. But after 86000 miles, and 10 years of usage, I'm looking to trade up, and cannot qualify for a government sponsored program because of an unrealistic speculation that my car gets 24 miles to the gallon gas mileage

~wnied~

 

[Patranus]

A government program that dropped money out of a blimp would be a success according to the liberals in this thread.

 

[MikeMike]

Originally posted by: wnied
Peyton

Of course Im pissed! I chose to buy american, I chose to buy a more fuel efficient car, and now Im paying a price for it...Why shouldnt I be pissed??? You post it with the premise that had I bought either a Nissan Altima or Honda Civic I wouldve been in any better shape???

~wnied~

technically, yes... as your car would be worth a much more substantial amount than your current neon is...

 

[sciwizam]

Originally posted by: wnied
Pardon my anger for a moment but the governments cash for clunkers program is total bullsh!t!

From where I stand, it rewards people who purchased gas guzzling cars and trucks, to trade their rolling sh!tbox in for a newer car, while reaping the incentive of our tax dollars to the tune of $3500. - $4500. dollars plus their car/trucks trade in value. While people who bought on the side of fuel economy or frugality, are kicked to the proverbial curb. Case in point, I bought a 1999 Dodge neon sport. I couldve bought a camaro, a taurus, or even a 300m at the time, but instead, bought a small domestic economy car to save money on price and gas. Apparently my car gets 24 mpg! I havent seen 24mpg since I first slipped behind the wheel!! So I dont qualify....Yay me for thinking I was being smart when I bought the smaller more fuel efficient model.

So what have I learned? If I buy a gas guzzling boat, the government will reward me by bailing my stupid ass out financially, so that our outdated, out worked, domestic auto industry wont fail completely and be swallowed up by a better run, better designed foreign car competitor.

That just chaps my ass!
:|~wnied~:|

Not true, at least that's what NPR told me. You get nothing for trade-in, it's either $3500 or $4500.


Here's the answer from the Dealers' FAQs page:

In addition to the credit, do consumers expect full trade-in value for their vehicle?

No. The law requires the trade-in vehicle to be destroyed. The law requires you to disclose to the consumer an estimate of the scrap value of their trade-in vehicle.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: wnied
From where I stand, it rewards people who purchased gas guzzling cars and trucks, to trade their rolling sh!tbox in for a newer car, while reaping the incentive of our tax dollars to the tune of $3500. - $4500. dollars plus their car/trucks trade in value.

Do they get the trade in value in addition to Cash for Clunkers credit? I don't know, but I wouldn't think they would. Reason being, the cars that are turned in are being destroyed and as far as I know, the federal government is only reimbursing the dealers the CfC credit.

 

[Patranus]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: wnied
From where I stand, it rewards people who purchased gas guzzling cars and trucks, to trade their rolling sh!tbox in for a newer car, while reaping the incentive of our tax dollars to the tune of $3500. - $4500. dollars plus their car/trucks trade in value.

Do they get the trade in value in addition to Cash for Clunkers credit? I don't know, but I wouldn't think they would. Reason being, the cars that are turned in are being destroyed and as far as I know, the federal government is only reimbursing the dealers the CfC credit.

Don't forget the $3,000 lost on each GM car sold.

And the answer to the question is a big NO
http://www.cars.gov/faq#category-13

 

[wnied]

Ok then I stand corrected on the trade in value as well as the clunkers money. It still doesnt change the fact that I have a 10 year old car that doesnt get the mpg that the government says it does, thus not qualifying for the program.

At least kiss me before you bend me over!
wnied

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: Patranus

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: wnied
From where I stand, it rewards people who purchased gas guzzling cars and trucks, to trade their rolling sh!tbox in for a newer car, while reaping the incentive of our tax dollars to the tune of $3500. - $4500. dollars plus their car/trucks trade in value.

Do they get the trade in value in addition to Cash for Clunkers credit? I don't know, but I wouldn't think they would. Reason being, the cars that are turned in are being destroyed and as far as I know, the federal government is only reimbursing the dealers the CfC credit.

Don't forget the $3,000 lost on each GM car sold.

And the answer to the question is a big NO
http://www.cars.gov/faq#category-13

Where are you getting this $3,000 figure? The closest thing I could find takes the total loss for 2008 and divides it by the number of cars sold in that timeframe.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories...ness/main4830422.shtml

 

[wnied]

I know where I made the mistake... I saw an ad for Chrysler, where they were giving 4500 cash incentive, on top of having the cash for clunkers reward. I took that to mean that you got trade in value for your vehicle, and the cash for clunkers money as well...my bad.

But I'm still pissed...fvcking governmental technicalities can suck my big toe!
~wnied~

 

[themusgrat]

Originally posted by: Patranus

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: wnied
From where I stand, it rewards people who purchased gas guzzling cars and trucks, to trade their rolling sh!tbox in for a newer car, while reaping the incentive of our tax dollars to the tune of $3500. - $4500. dollars plus their car/trucks trade in value.

Do they get the trade in value in addition to Cash for Clunkers credit? I don't know, but I wouldn't think they would. Reason being, the cars that are turned in are being destroyed and as far as I know, the federal government is only reimbursing the dealers the CfC credit.

Don't forget the $3,000 lost on each GM car sold.

And the answer to the question is a big NO
http://www.cars.gov/faq#category-13

You're seriously turning into an idiot. First off, the program was successful in doing exactly what it intended to do. That is, to get money out of the pockets of people who could afford, it, and into the hands of people who really needed it.

Secondly, it's better to get all these cars off the lot. If you have a company building computers for 200, normally selling for 400, and get a backlog, not selling much at all for 2 years? You'd be very wise to sell the computers for 180 each just to get them off your hands, losing a small percentage is better than losing 100%. Don't be stupid, and stop arguing here, this is nowhere near your supposed claim of dropping money from a blimp. Then again, I wouldn't mind that if it came by my house.

 

[StageLeft]

FWIW NPR yesterday had a guy on who talked about the carbon footprint or CO2 emissions involved in replacing one of these old cars with a new one, with its creation, cost of transportation, etc. and he concluded that for the average car replaced in this program there were several years of normal driving required before breaking even and for the average truck it was more like eight years. So it's hardly a boon to the environment.

People talk about a recession but ultimately the government is throwing public tax dollars at a tiny group of people for them to buy something. The $2B is grinding in the senate but if it passes and this is a $3B program, that's $10 per person in the US, or about $40 for my household for somebody to trade in their car and buy a nissan cube.

Hell, we OWN General Motors now. And I'd rather own that than a pile of bad debts.

GM is a bad debt. That's why it had to be majority-owned by the gov; nobody else wanted it.

 

[Genx87]

Apparently in MN 3000 cars have been taken in under this program and the govt has authorized 5 payments. Many dealerships are saying if the govt fails in its obligation it will have to ask for the cars back or have people pay the difference. This is going to end well. Especially when the dealership asks for the money or the car and the clunker is a 3x3 cube.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Where is the profit? It's no wonder the big three are up there when you have, for example, Chrysler MATCHING the government rebate. I think this means the government pays you twice if you buy a Chrysler?

 

[EagleKeeper]

1) There is talk about allowing used car dealers to participate in the next go round. It will allow the 2-4 year old vehicles with good mileage to be moved off the lots.

2) The charities are complaining about these clunkers that would normally be donated which are being scrapped.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
Where is the profit? It's no wonder the big three are up there when you have, for example, Chrysler MATCHING the government rebate. I think this means the government pays you twice if you buy a Chrysler?

Gov is not matching; the dealerships are. They call it a match but at least my local one said you can get that "match" even without a clunker. It's just another rebate or whatever that stealerships always do.

2) The charities are complaining about these clunkers that would normally be donated which are being scrapped.

Makes sense. This also takes out of the market 250,000 engines that could otherwise go into cars that people are not replacing, which interestingly would raise the costs of engines to poor people who need to replace them but cannot buy a new car.