Topic: Cash for clunkers. Why kill the motor? WTF America?!?!

[razor02097]

Yeah I think I will drop a 572 in my camaro... more power to weight ratio means better gas mileage right?.... err maybe not

[1974CB750rider]

I don't see the goverment tradeing their big V8 powered gas sucking vehicles for freaking Toyota Camerys. I say #$%*'em all the more cubes under the hood the better. I've got a 500 cubic inch motor in the works now.

[ofreen]

I don't see the goverment tradeing their big V8 powered gas sucking vehicles for freaking Toyota Camerys.

Well, what part of "It's good to be the King" don't you understand?

[BeSeeingYou]

There was an article in the business section of the local paper today about this.  They talked to several salvage yards and the upshot was some yards are participating thinking there was enough profit even without the engines, some did not think the profit potential was enough for the added red tape, some thought that the profit potential in these vehicle was scrap only as they are falling out of favor and the demand for parts was  falling reguardless of the CFC program.  No one was saying this would be a big problem or drive them out of business.

[razor02097]

It will take more then CARS program to kill popular engines

Chevy/Ford small blocks
AMC straight 6
mopar Hemi

just to name a few.  This is America and there will always be demand for powerful reliable engines.  The 4 banger is great for daily driving but most gearheads have something with a few more cylinders to tinker with.


Just think... if Al Gore had his way we would all be driving electric smart cars and riding biodegradable bicycles 

[BeSeeingYou]

Just think... if Al Gore had his way we would all be driving electric smart cars and riding biodegradable bicycles 

And maybe we wouldn't be sending billions of dollars to Saudi Arabia and other countries that financially support terrorist groups.  Or maybe we could save billions of dollars and countless lives by not having to use the military to keep access to foreign oil. 

[razor02097]

Just think... if Al Gore had his way we would all be driving electric smart cars and riding biodegradable bicycles 

And maybe we wouldn't be sending billions of dollars to Saudi Arabia and other countries that financially support terrorist groups.  Or maybe we could save billions of dollars and countless lives by not having to use the military to keep access to foreign oil. 

Doubt it but maybe however that has nothing to do with my statement.

[Laminar]

I drove by the local Ford dealership today and saw at least 40-50 vehicles parked at the edge of the lot with "CFC" written on each window. Lots of mid-90s F150s, vans, Rangers, etc.

That's too bad, I'd really like a nice "work" truck to use to haul motorcycles and get around in the snow. I don't care if it only gets 18mpg.

[Bob Wessner]

I heard an interesting take on the cut-off date of 1984 for eligible cars. According to the speaker, it was the vintage car lobby. Didn't even know there was one, but then again, I bet every "interest" has a lobby in good old D.C.

[razor02097]

I drove by the local Ford dealership today and saw at least 40-50 vehicles parked at the edge of the lot with "CFC" written on each window. Lots of mid-90s F150s, vans, Rangers, etc.

That's too bad, I'd really like a nice "work" truck to use to haul motorcycles and get around in the snow. I don't care if it only gets 18mpg.

I hear ya

the days of the $1500 work truck may soon be over 

[Inigo Montoya]

I doubt they will be over, just a little sparse for a while. This program is very temporary.

[DammitDan]

I doubt they will be over, just a little sparse for a while. This program is very temporary.

One thing's for sure...  Vehicles will continue to get older regardless of age 

[MCRider]

This program is so wrong in so many ways. It is a typical liberal "feel good" program that cannot accomplish anything it proposes.

It will cannabilize future sales of autos by artificaially accelerating them to the present, thus exacerbating the auto industries problems, years out.

With the US government now owners of GM and Chrysler, this has conflict of interest all over it.

So sad.  

Human nature: Increasing the fleet's gas mileage will not decrease dependence on foreign oil, it will only increase the amount of miles driven, overall fuel consumption flat to higher, consuming other resources like tires, oil, and roads.

Simply look at the last 20 years. The fleets average MPG is way up, but even factoring out the increase in # of vehicles, fuel consumption is not down.

I don't have backup for this, other than my own research over time. So take it or leave it. Its my opinion.

PS: Another point I just heard from a financial site is that this program rewards people who have made bad decisions. That is a hallmark of the whole recovery effort. The bankers and brokers who screwed everything, the borrowers who went in over their heads, the auto manufacturers who didn't plan for the future, are all being rewarded (bailed out) for their bad decisions and those who made good decisions are left to their own devices. This is bad policy.

The incompetent must be allowed to fail and the competent will bubble up to take their place.  But so far the courage to let this happen is not there.

Or so i think.

[razor02097]

Thank god they excluded the older vehicles though otherwise you would get people crushing classics.

[mystic_1]

Thank god they excluded the older vehicles though otherwise you would get people crushing classics.

I'm sure that the people out there with true classic cars would never consider trading them in to a dealer.

mystic_1

[HavocTurbo]

I dunno....

my 76 Honda Civic is a "classic" and I considered taking it in just to see if I could get the cash. 

[mystic_1]

Heh I said true classic, not "classic".     Definitions vary.

mystic_1

[HavocTurbo]

Don't hate on my civic because I have 736,000 miles and still get 31mpg.

And BTW.... $4500 is a lot of scratch for a pos like that. 

[mystic_1]

Don't hate on my civic because I have 736,000 miles and still get 31mpg.

And BTW.... $4500 is a lot of scratch for a pos like that. 

736,000 miles?!?!?!  Where did you drive to, the Moon?




mystic_1

[HavocTurbo]

Twice.... lol.

My dad bought it new in 76. He was a Honda master certified factory mechanic. Honestly if you changed the oil and trans fluid regularly...

It would literally run forever. Everything is original in the engine compartment. Minus the battery and belts of course. Carb has never been apart either.

I got it when I turned 16. I think it had almost 500k on it then.

Been to almost every state with it, multiple trips to the coasts, mexico and south central america, canada, and even alaska for my cousin's wedding.

Now it sits in a shed in one of those giant car bubble things.... my dad is kinda wierd like that. Brings it out to car shows and we get laughed at, but not always. 

[mystic_1]

Had to run off and look it up.

The moon is only about  238,856 miles away.  You could have made that trip three times by now

Tell your dad Well Done!

mystic_1

[Laminar]

Twice.... lol.

My dad bought it new in 76. He was a Honda master certified factory mechanic. Honestly if you changed the oil and trans fluid regularly...

It would literally run forever. Everything is original in the engine compartment. Minus the battery and belts of course. Carb has never been apart either.

That reminds me of the 940,000 mile Civic.

There's high mileage, and then there's this. A 1995 Honda Civic is for sale in Atlanta with, count 'em, 939,899 miles. That's 200-plus miles a day. Every day. Including Sundays. For 12 years. It even has a CARFAX report from when the car had 907,000 miles on it. According to the seller, the car runs like new, with no leaks, no noises, no oil burning, and not even a scratch on the body. In fact, the only blemish listed is that one of the dashboard lights doesn't work, and that's only sometimes.

The car is on its ninth timing belt, ninth water pump, and fourth clutch. But the engine and transmission are original, as are the floor mats.

[HavocTurbo]

Next time we are at a show I'll take pictures.

Think 76 Civic parked next to a 71 AMC Rebel Machine parked next to a 75 Triumph Spitfire 1500 parked next to a 69 Mustang Mach 1 parked next to a 48 Ford F1.

We are an odd lot. I still have almost every car I have ever owned. Parking sucks.


I don't know how many belts, my dad serviced every factory service interval. Everything. But I do know that plugs and belts and batteries are all replaceable. Everything else (auto trans) is original.

There's high mileage, and then there's this. A 1995 Honda Civic is for sale in Atlanta with, count 'em, 939,899 miles. That's 200-plus miles a day. Every day. Including Sundays. For 12 years. It even has a CARFAX report from when the car had 907,000 miles on it. According to the seller, the car runs like new, with no leaks, no noises, no oil burning, and not even a scratch on the body. In fact, the only blemish listed is that one of the dashboard lights doesn't work, and that's only sometimes.

The car is on its ninth timing belt, ninth water pump, and fourth clutch. But the engine and transmission are original, as are the floor mats.

[Gordon]

I drove by the local Ford dealership today and saw at least 40-50 vehicles parked at the edge of the lot with "CFC" written on each window. Lots of mid-90s F150s, vans, Rangers, etc.

That's too bad, I'd really like a nice "work" truck to use to haul motorcycles and get around in the snow. I don't care if it only gets 18mpg.

I hear ya

the days of the $1500 work truck may soon be over 

I really don't think you guys have anything to worry about.  There are still PLENTY of good work trucks out there.  This program isn't going to even come close to eradicating any particular type of vehicle, so I don't think there's any cause for getting defeatist about it. 

[razor02097]

Check out the 2.6 million mile volvo

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/26/man-with-2-6-million-mile-volvo-p1800-aims-for-3-million/