Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

[jkust]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

The program makes me sick but Mazda makes some sharp cars. I swore off manuals forever the last 8 hour ride home from the cabin driving 5mph. Chevy Beretta in the mid 90's. My knee almost needed rehab. I saw a Kia commercial last night where a new Kia will cost you $4,500 after your government check offset but then you have a Kia.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

Speaking of stripped, my farm-kid neighbor has a Jeep that can use parts from mine, including engine and transmission. So if I do go forward, I can strip off a BUNCH of parts from my Jeep and sell them to him and/or his friends and still have a running vehicle for the rebate program.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

Your Ford Fuzion is a Mazda 6 based platform. The Ford Probe was also a Mazda platform, and the 3 is shared by Volvo and Ford among others. Car manufacturing is a world wide business.

Oh I know all about platforms being the same. it's just odd that one plant would make so many different platforms. Kinda like the Mitsubishi plant out here in Normal, Illinois. They make a couple cars and an SUV at the same plant.

Navy, thanks for the insight into the program. Way too complicated, of course. It's the Federal Government after all, right?

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

I saw on the news tonight that Chrysler is offering to match the $4,500 credit and no trade-in is necessary. Valid at all Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealers.

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

Yeah but that $20000 Dodge is now $24500.

I heard a local Chevy ad the other day..."WE MAKE IT EASY TO SHOP, YOU PAY WHAT THE STICKER SHOWS!" In other words, we know the Govt. gave you a few grand so we've knocked up the price and aren't going to negotiate with you.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

Yeah but that $20000 Dodge is now $24500.

I heard a local Chevy ad the other day..."WE MAKE IT EASY TO SHOP, YOU PAY WHAT THE STICKER SHOWS!" In other words, we know the Govt. gave you a few grand so we've knocked up the price and aren't going to negotiate with you.

Sounds like that Chevy dealer is doomed to fail. There are plenty of other dealers out there who WILL negotiate! LOL!

 

[Rancherlee]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

If i was back to work I'd be trading in the old explorer on a new Ford Fusion Sport AWD. I figure this old rusted out, 220,000 mile, 93' explorer I bought for 500$ 2 years ago as a winter beater would be nice for a 3500$ credit. I hope the program isn't "used up" when I get back to work sometime in September.

 

[jkust]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

Yeah but that $20000 Dodge is now $24500.

:

Yes and everyone who just bought a Dodge without the government check just lost another $4,500 in depreciation. Too bad the program doesn't apply to boats.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

...Too bad the program doesn't apply to boats.

Actually, if the dealer cashback rebate is actually received instead of being used for financing, then THAT money can be put towards boat stuff!

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

This is a political thread! I don't understand how this is allowed! The Obama administration is going to require people to drive there cars with lawn mower motors. People do not want that! I think that it is wrong for government to dictate what people drive. I think that a free market should drive the kinds of cars that are made. If there is a demand for a car then thats what should me made. Well there is a socialist twist to this whole cash for clunkers bill. Obama motors (GM) is really fighting making these lawnmowers with car bodies because they know that is not what people want. FREE MARKET! Than spells FREEDOM! Not a bunch of czars saying that if people dont buy GM lawnmowers that they will contact another czar and up the price of oil that way people are forced to buy the car that they do now want!

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

This is a political thread! I don't understand how this is allowed! The Obama administration is going to require people to drive there cars with lawn mower motors. People do not want that! I think that it is wrong for government to dictate what people drive. I think that a free market should drive the kinds of cars that are made. If there is a demand for a car then thats what should me made. Well there is a socialist twist to this whole cash for clunkers bill. Obama motors (GM) is really fighting making these lawnmowers with car bodies because they know that is not what people want. FREE MARKET! Than spells FREEDOM! Not a bunch of czars saying that if people dont buy GM lawnmowers that they will contact another czar and up the price of oil that way people are forced to buy the car that they do now want!

So far, people have been doing a pretty good job of NOT turning this into a political thread. Your post may have ended that. Sad, really.

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

the whole concept is a political thing! Its the same thing as if I were to say that im stoked about universal health care! Its a Political program. Bottom line! I do not agree with it and its a political thread just in the the title of the thread.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

Drew, I agree wholeheartedly. But oddly enough, or it seems to me anyway, that the terms of the CARS program are more advantageous if you are going from a Gas Hog to a smaller Gas hog, and not for going from a Gas hog to a smaller more efficient car.

If you look at the rules, I could get $4500 going from an SUV, assume it gets 12 MPG, to a smaller SUV, assume it get 17MPG. The defining point being a difference between the two trucks at being a 5MPG difference.

If I were to buy a sedan, with the same SUV (12MPG) as the trade in, I would need to exceed the MPG by 10MPG to get the $4500. If it is less than 10MPG then I would only get $3500.

Seems odd to me. It would make more sense to base thge rebate on MPG differnce alone.

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

I'm just saying that the title of the thread is political. So how is this not a political thread? Cash for Clunkers is something that is a political program. It is a liberal extremist program that not a single senator or congressmen read before voting on. That I guess is not political. its all in how you look at politics.

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

Drew, I agree wholeheartedly. But oddly enough, or it seems to me anyway, that the terms of the CARS program are more advantageous if you are going from a Gas Hog to a smaller Gas hog, and not for going from a Gas hog to a smaller more efficient car.

If you look at the rules, I could get $4500 going from an SUV, assume it gets 12 MPG, to a smaller SUV, assume it get 17MPG. The defining point being a difference between the two trucks at being a 5MPG difference.

If I were to buy a sedan, with the same SUV (12MPG) as the trade in, I would need to exceed the MPG by 10MPG to get the $4500. If it is less than 10MPG then I would only get $3500.

Seems odd to me. It would make more sense to base thge rebate on MPG differnce alone.

I know what you are saying but you would not get 4500 for that mileage change there is a chart to the MPG difference. Some are getting 4500 (about 1 out of every 2,000 people) and some are getting 500 bucks. It all depends on the MPG you are tradeing and the MPG you are buying. That seems political to me thats all im saying

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

I agree Drew, maybe the program should be renamed CzARS

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

Drew my man, I think those tricky tie downs are making you overheating a little. Walk away from the tie downs and get a hold of yourself.

I think you guys are missing the point here. The program is to get people to trade in their vehicle for a more efficient new vehicle. This would boost new car sales, increases production, more peoples back to work, etc.....the whole domino effect. It really doesn't require drivable vehicle for trade in. It just have to be registered and insured within the past 12 months. This way people can't take unfair advantages of it. You can't claim $4500 for a piece of junk that have been sitting in the yard for many years with absolutely no value. Just think of all the issues that would come up if they say you can trade in anything. The only negative thing about this and any other rebate is that your new vehicle depreciates as soon as you sign for it. MSRP=25,000; resale value=20,500 immediately.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

Drew my man, I think those tricky tie downs are making you overheating a little. Walk away from the tie downs and get a hold of yourself.

I think you guys are missing the point here. The program is to get people to trade in their vehicle for a more efficient new vehicle. This would boost new car sales, increases production, more peoples back to work, etc.....the whole domino effect. It really doesn't require drivable vehicle for trade in. It just have to be registered and insured within the past 12 months. This way people can't take unfair advantages of it. You can't claim $4500 for a piece of junk that have been sitting in the yard for many years with absolutely no value. Just think of all the issues that would come up if they say you can trade in anything. The only negative thing about this and any other rebate is that your new vehicle depreciates as soon as you sign for it. MSRP=25,000; resale value=20,500 immediately.

Actually, if the car you're trading meets the criteria, you CAN get the full $4500 rebate. Last summer I sold my old 1987 Ford Crown Victoria station wagon (i.e. Battlewagon) to the neighbor kid for a hundred bucks. It was perfect candidate - still running, got less than 18mpg and I actually used it once in awhile to make trash runs. If I still had that car, I could get the rebate even though it wasn't worth anything.

As for depreciation... that happens whether you get a rebate or not.

All I know is... several local dealers here are advertising the government rebate PLUS cash back. They're even giving away $10 just to show up and take a look around. Yep, I'm gonna do that!

So, it's possible to trade in an old beat up junker, get the $4,500 gov't. rebate AND get some actual cash back to put towards boating! I wouldn't mind having an extra $2,000 - $5,000 to use for boat stuff.

Here's my neighbor friend with my old car:

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

It really doesn't require drivable vehicle for trade in.

Where are you getting this information???

I posted text straight from the gov't website that is 100% contradictory to your claim. If you could post a link backing it up I'd be convinced...as it is I'm pretty sure that the car needs to be in "drivable condition" as I previously posted in this thread.

Rogerwa, sorry to have jumped on your thread in this fashion, I know that you took advantage of the offer for good reasons and I've got no problem with some of us getting a rebate. The mazda is a nice vehicle and the program may have been well intended but poorly executed if you ask me. I did try to keep the topic neutral as far as politics go and I'm surprised it's still open at this point.

I just believe the "drivable" vehicles should be driven by gov't employees(Senators maybe driving beaters would help level the socio-economic playing field that is so askew these days) rather than scrapped and wasting the resources.

 

[JB]

Re: Kinda Stoked - Cash for Clunkers

Too much political speechmaking. End of thread.