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Cash for clunkers...stunning...

AggieGrlAggieGrl
in Eco-Friendly Family

Earlier today, I was looking at the cash for clunkers rebate program from our federal government.  It appears that after only a few days, the money has run out so this doesn't matter much anymore.

But, the program itself really ticks me off.  I drive a 99 Dodge Ram truck with 120,000 miles (before anyone gets in a tizz, we own horses and must pull a horse trailer, and our other car is a subcompact that gets over 35 MPG). 

This truck gets a horrible 14 MPG combined city/hwy, and therefore qualified for the program.  I could trade it in on new, similar truck, which now gets a whopping 16 MPG combined, and get $4500!  If the new truck got 15 MPG, I would still get $3500.  1 or 2 FREAKING MPG does not equal taking gas guzzlers off the road!

They, in turn, would take my fully functional truck and scrap it.  In the process, they would destroy the engine so that it can not be used again, leaving the engine unsalvagable for used parts.  Basically, the engine is trash.

If I hear ONE MORE PERSON say this is good for the environment, I'm going to scream!! 

DS 12/09, Twins EDD 11/11
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Re: Cash for clunkers...stunning...

  • ash.fleaash.flea
    Wow, that is crazy.  We did the program, but our car really was a clunker (it was overheating driving down the highway, had starter problems, lots of things like that).  We had to get 10 MPG or more to get the rebate.  We ended up getting a lot more than that.  I had no idea that some cars could get the rebate with only 1 MPG difference!  How is that helpful at all?
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  • TCsbrideTCsbride member
    Everything you mentioned is totally true......but it wasn't really meant to reduce our oil consumption or be gas friendly.....it was to increase car sales! I'm shocked that the wording didn't come down saying the $4500 could only be used on "American" vehicles!
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  • lytedarklytedark member

    it's true - i really wish there had been wording in this bill that allowed for certain parts to be used from these vehicles so not to freeze up the used parts market

    i'm still in awe though that the money is gone after a mere week or two of the program..  

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  • hamilton.jahamilton.ja

    imageTCsbride:
    Everything you mentioned is totally true......but it wasn't really meant to reduce our oil consumption or be gas friendly.....it was to increase car sales! I'm shocked that the wording didn't come down saying the $4500 could only be used on "American" vehicles!

    Ditto. I really thought it would have some stipulations where you got more for buying American. Frankly, I thought that was the real point of the program anyway. Not anything environmental... I suppose a lot of people are buying American at this point since you can get such good deals on them (some dealers are practically giving away cars I swear...) so it doesn't matter too much but who knows. 

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  • danaann78danaann78
    I'm mostly ticked because we bought a new car BEFORE this program was talked about.  We traded in my absolutely falling apart clunker that was definitely terrible for the environment for a 35+ mpg compact back in April.  We really could have used the cash incentive!
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  • OneSimpleMomOneSimpleMom
    I cannot believe the amount of waste - both money and vehicles - that is involved in this program. Unbelievable. 
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  • JuicerMcCurranJuicerMcCurran

    I don?t post often but I felt I had to on this?. I sell cars for a living , smart cars to be precise and the way you are describing it is not correct. You need to improve your gas mileage buy 10mpg?s in order to get the 4500.00 or improve it by at least 4 to get the 3500.00. Then your car?s engine would be ran with a sodium based substance in it till it is essentially ?dead??everything else is sold for parts and the engines are all going to be broken down, melted and reused for something else.

     

    So if you partake in the program you really are doing a good thing even if you go from and old ?clunker? to a new truck?the gas mileage is better and the emissions itself would be way better. ? Just my 2 cents.

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