Cash for Clunkers Ends Monday (08/24/09)

Another here that would not have bought without the C4C. We always buy a couple of years used and get the higher options we otherwise could not afford. This time, our '94 Jeep (w/ a big 5.2L V8 @ 13mpg) was on its last legs at 185k miles and a bum transmission - a picture perfect solution for us.

Now we were able to walk out with a Prius at 18,119 pricing (and tax basis) after the C4C - throw in our other trade in Element and we got one heck of an affordable new car, one that saves us a boat load in monthly cash flow on gas, that is almost 70% of our new car payment.

 

Or save the $30 billion we wasted on trying to save GM and use it to run C4C for much longer instead.

 

Yes, my understanding from news media quotes is that they are actually expected to pay for the vehicles within a couple days of the sale. The typical net 15 or net 30 day financial terms we see in other businesses apparently aren't applicable here.

 

We wasted that 30 billion and C4C is a waste too. People making $90,000 a year trade in their old clunker and my hard earned money goes to pay for their vehicle. SIGH! No one gave me any money for being a responsible consumer, etc. I can barely get a write-off for the sales tax I paid on my hybrid, meanwhile someone who makes twice what I do gets $4500 free for holding on to an old crappy car.

Yes, yes, I'm a bitter young law abiding Amerikan (sp intentional)

 

I agree 100%, this isn't free money. Those who got $4500 made out, and the dealers and manufacturers reaped the profits on the additional sales, while everyone else gets to pay the money back either in taxes or added devaluation of our currency. How did this help the American people in general?

Does anyone really believe that the giveaway caused additional cars to be sold over and above those purchased with the rebate? I'd be willing to bet that almost every sold during this month without the rebate would have been sold anyway.

Anyway everyone who didn't get their $4500, enjoy paying for those who did. I don't blame those who took advantage of the deal for doing so, the program should not have been passed by our "representatives" who are supposed to be doing what's best for Americans in general.

 

When this program ends, things will not be looking very good in the "new" car market. I wouldn't want to be an owner or a auto salesman during the times that will be ahead. Things will not be looking very good.

 

Would you want to be a buyer?

 

It's beyond my ability to comprehend how 3 billion is something to be outraged about when we're talking about a 700 billion dollar bailout. I just don't understand it. Lets get outraged over the tiny slice of the bailout that is actually going into American citizen's pockets, while hundreds of billions going to fix the mistakes of major corporations are just the price of doing business. Or even if you're outraged about the latter, why choose the tiny slice of the bailout going into American citizen's pockets to be outraged about? Who knows.

 

What do any of these political viewpoints have to do with the 2010 Prius? Please take your driveling to Fred's House of Politics.

:lalala:

 

I'm outraged about the whole thing It's just this is the C4C thread!

 

Fair enough. I'm outraged about most of it too. I guess I'm just biased in favor of this particular program because I got $4,500 from it!

But hey, being a student, with another year left, and then most likely grad school after that, it would have sucked if the clunker POS I was driving had broken down, and I'd been left without a car. This program allowed me to affordably upgrade to a reliable vehicle. So I think there are a lot of cases like me, where the program was a great success. But I do agree that they should have put tighter restrictions on what you could buy, and stuff like that.

 

But for me as a buyer they will be looking better. I have DELAYED a new car purchase due to cash for clunkers. I am not going to pay list price for a car or put down a deposit since I don't NEED a car now but would like one.

Three months from now it will be easier to get a deal on a new car after dealers get over getting list price for every car they sell.

 

While as a potential buyer want this program to be over....

Its not the worst use of 3 billion. Think of all of those Ford Explorers (the most traded in clunker) off the road. There will be lives saved (though probably not too many) just from the average weight of vehicle reduction involved in crashes. The clunkers are on average being replaced by vehicles that are safer for the drivers and for others unfortunate enough to be hit by them. Being in a small car and being Tboned by an Explorer or other large SUV even with side air bags is one of the most deadly crashes.

The average savings in gas per clunker, a wopping $1100 a year.

Top clunker? The Ford Explorer - MSN Money

 

It is odd. I hope there is a huge run on this program through Monday. Paulson and friends (from BOTH administrations, lest someone get all political about it) have pulled off the biggest looting of our wealth for the banks, yet we still let the banks enslave consumers with loan-shark rates, fees, and practices. Noone are really interested on the consumer healthily producing themselves out of their debts. Even this C4C breeds MORE debt and fees.

When some bailout spills out to consumer citizens THEN there is outrage?? I say it is human nature, many are just pissed they didn't have a handout - that part of it is very unfair and the anger is understandable.

 

Here in Little Rock, as far as the Prius goes, the C4C deal might as well be over. Just for fun, I checked the inventory at two dealerships and both showed the same 3 cars as available (meaning they don't have it, but think they can get it) and they are all IVs and Vs and the cheapest was over 28K.

I'm glad we bought when we did.

 

So true - there is so much more to be outraged about - where the big money is really going - one consumer program doesn't really warrant the misplaced outrage when other big Pharma, big corporate tax cuts (and yes I've worked for those big companies with the highest paid executives (not me)- they waste and suck up as much tax breaks as they can) no concern for borders etc. The C4C program besides getting some of us to buy cars, had a halo effect - my mom got a new car w/o C4C and the downstream effects on manufacturers, suppliers, etc. will have some effect on the overall economy - which is good for everyone. Short term props until things get moving again.
Sometimes government spending works - most things are now printed on recycled paper - in the beginning of the program there was not enough recycling capacity to ensure publishers and those who wanted recycled paper a stable supply - the government said they would print on recycled paper- created a stable enough demand for investment in new processing facilities, prices went down,recycling up, industries up and running. We should only hope some of the stimulus C4C works as well.