$$$$$ for clunkers passes

[Geoff]

That would be cool if it passes. I have a Mercury Mountaineer V-8 AWD with 105,000 miles on it that I use as my tow vehicle and mud month/last 2 miles to the mountain ski vehicle. It gets abysmal mileage. With a government incentive, I'd love to flip it for a 4WD pickup truck that gets better fuel economy. A Toyota Tacoma V-6 4WD extended cab with a towing package would work pretty well.

 

[wa-loaf]

A similar plan really boosted car sales in Germany, although what good it did for the industry is debatable there since most of the cars are exported.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/industrials/article5840006.ece

 

[bigbog]

GM's Volt = ~$10k

Paul,
I think I was remembering a show that mentioned GM's overpricing of their Volt. Obviously set up to somehow help execs cover themselves fiscally..or something, cuz it certainly wasn't priced for the average American worker. Maybe they intended it to sell off-shore...great strategy eh'. Can't remember exact pricing but it was a total joke in comparison to Toyota, Honda, and the other hybrid/electric designers.

*EDIT: Sure would've liked to see a little more than $4500...especially for those currently at ~$25000 or less. Anyone griping at the mark..well isn't that TS, those not at their norms or lower incomes have fewer tune-ups..ie...another spinned idea by Washington.
John Deere's top-of-the-line sit-on mowers comes close to that price... *If Washington would provide a loan to the average Joe like that given to WallStreet...it could be done, but as mentioned previously...many of use just don't have the $$$ to spend.

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

france has something similar for old cars, and it has another program that gives money to those that buy fuel efficient cars and charges those that are inefficient.

the programs' stated goal is to improve the environment, which i tend to believe, since the credits/debits apply to all cars, regardless of their origin.

besides helping the environment, it helps less well-off people afford a car, since they are the people most likely driving an old clunker.

and i'd imagine taxes from increased car sales will probably help off-set the cost a bit.

so, in the end, i have no problem with this initiative.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/09/house-passes-cash-for-clunkers-legislation/

Thoughts???

Sounds like a crock of crap..why should people get $4,000 for a $500 car..totally unfair..I'm likely buying a new car next year but my currently car is going to be worth over $10,000 so it won't apply..

 

[koreshot]

No more speaking farking sputnik. I'm sure you guys are just talking about pirogies and snow and shit, but cut it out.

Name that movie?

No clue. Wild guess, Spies Like Us.

Of course not, it's your Georgian dialect getting in the way.

Dialect? DIALECT? How dare you?! Does this look like cyrillic letters to you?

We had written language when Russians were still grunting to each other. :smile:

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Paul,
I think I was remembering a show that mentioned GM's overpricing of their Volt. Obviously set up to somehow help execs cover themselves fiscally..or something, cuz it certainly wasn't priced for the average American worker. Maybe they intended it to sell off-shore...great strategy eh'. Can't remember exact pricing but it was a total joke in comparison to Toyota, Honda, and the other hybrid/electric designers.

whatever show you were watching was wrong. and it's wrong to compare the volt, which is an all-electric car, to a hybrid. totally different animals.

the new, ground-breaking, technology is very expensive (R&D, manufacturing, etc.). once it gets put in more cars (volume), the prices will come down. GM needs the good press of the volt, so i seriously doubt they'd be messing with the prices.

 

[Paul]

We had written language when Russians were still grunting to each other. :smile:

And what, exactly, has changed?:smile:

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Dialect? DIALECT? How dare you?! Does this look like cyrillic letters to you?

uhhhhh, yes?

 

[Paul]

whatever show you were watching was wrong. and it's wrong to compare the volt, which is an all-electric car, to a hybrid. totally different animals.

the new, ground-breaking, technology is very expensive (R&D, manufacturing, etc.). once it gets put in more cars (volume), the prices will come down. GM needs the good press of the volt, so i seriously doubt they'd be messing with the prices.

True. It's also a bargain compared to the Tesla Roadster.

GM had a viable all-electric car. It was called the Saturn EV-1 They killed it off in the nineties.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Is Obama gonna give me money for my old skis and my old polo shirts???

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Is Obama gonna give me money for my old skis and my old polo shirts???

depends on the smell of those old polo shirts and how much a resulting risk to the environment they pose.

 

[drjeff]

Is Obama gonna give me money for my old skis and my old polo shirts???

What's another few $$ of gov't spending these days

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

What's another few $$ of gov't spending these days

I know it's rediculous...but my take home pay is higher after the recent middle class tax cut so I can't complain too much..

Anyway this is political so a mod should shut this down..

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

What's another few $$ of gov't spending these days

don't blame the current man in charge. not his fault.

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

GM had a viable all-electric car. It was called the GM EV1 They killed it off in the nineties.

(FIFU)

 

[Paul]

(FIFU)

Oh yeah... but it was only sold and serviced at Saturn dealers.

 

[Marc]

whatever show you were watching was wrong. and it's wrong to compare the volt, which is an all-electric car, to a hybrid. totally different animals.

the new, ground-breaking, technology is very expensive (R&D, manufacturing, etc.). once it gets put in more cars (volume), the prices will come down. GM needs the good press of the volt, so i seriously doubt they'd be messing with the prices.

Que?

The Volt is a plug-in hybrid. It can charge its batteries from 110 VAC or from the generator coupled to the IC gas engine on board. There's no mechanical coupling of the IC engine to the drivetrain, which is what makes it different form current hybrids like the Prius.

 

[Glenn]

What's another few $$ of gov't spending these days

Don't get me started. :evil:

Anyways, if this bill goes into law, look for it to be a shining example of "unintended consequences." Very similar to the person in our office who was shutting their monitor off when they left their desk to "save electricity"...only to shitcan the monitor because it's sensitive to being powered down. It cost us $200+ to save 5cents on our electric bill. F-ing brilliant!

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Que?

The Volt is a plug-in hybrid. It can charge its batteries from 110 VAC or from the generator coupled to the IC gas engine on board. There's no mechanical coupling of the IC engine to the drivetrain, which is what makes it different form current hybrids like the Prius.

ooooops. my bad. i stand corrected.

wikipedia's entry explains it in detail.