Cash for Clunkers...

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Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: css9450
Originally Posted By: tenderloin


Dealers must replace the oil in the "clunker" with two quarts of sodium silicate solution and run the engine for up to seven minutes, permanently disabling it, according to rules released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Washington.



That's the most wasteful thing I've ever read. I suppose maybe the ultimate beneficiary in this "cash for clunkers' program will be those who operate auto shredding businesses and deal in scrap metal.

Will the next step be a law that allows the government to seize our older cars and scrap them? They're naughty gas guzzlers, don't you know? Punish them! Scrap them! Heathens!


This is all very scary if you really think about it!!


Tin foil hat time it is.
 
one of my favorite vehicles is right in the target of the rebate program: the 1st gen mazda MPV. wonderful vehicles, easy to work on, very versatile, but horrible mpg (18hwy). it was alreay bad because once someone got to the time to replace the timing belt for the 3rd or 4th time, they don't want to spend any more money on it. now, people are getting rid of perfectly servicable trucks. one guy on mpvclub.com wanted to give away a leather 3rd row seat instead of letting it go w/ the car; h3ll, I'd want the whole leather interior if I had the chance!
even w/ the rebate, I can't afford a new car. to get a new truck that has the features of my '96 MPV, I'd have to look at an outlook/acadia-type truck, and $30K is still too much. and they STILL only get 22mpg!
 
Originally Posted By: OAS
Why move?

Just stay where you are and you'll be there in another few years..........
LOL.gif



Because it's too painful to watch this country fall apart around me.
 
From a macro perspective, I don't think CFC is the best way to spend $1B. It's more about helping boost near-term sales than helping the environment. It's welfare for a specific industry while ignoring other ailing industries.

However from a personal view I think it's helping drive prices down for individuals like me who are interested in buying a car. I believe it will indirectly drive down prices for used cars because who's gonna buy a 2007 car for $15000 when you can buy a 2009 for $17000 with the CFC rebate? Used car dealers must be hurting big time.
 
The cars need to get sold. Pontiac, Dodge and Saturn all still have major issues ahead of them. Many cars sold were 2008 and OLDER models. The programme is just something to help a lot of parties get-on with bussiness.
 
Problem is AJ, that it's creating a bubble.

It's flushing out the buyers who may have been genuinely looking to buy in the next medium term period, and getting them buy cars now.

Banks get the business now. Cars get sold now.

When the C4C closes, who's going to be buying cars then ?

It's just a stunt to make things look better now.
 
Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: css9450
Originally Posted By: tenderloin


Dealers must replace the oil in the "clunker" with two quarts of sodium silicate solution and run the engine for up to seven minutes, permanently disabling it, according to rules released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Washington.



That's the most wasteful thing I've ever read. I suppose maybe the ultimate beneficiary in this "cash for clunkers' program will be those who operate auto shredding businesses and deal in scrap metal.

Will the next step be a law that allows the government to seize our older cars and scrap them? They're naughty gas guzzlers, don't you know? Punish them! Scrap them! Heathens!


This is all very scary if you really think about it!!


Actually C4C was proposed many years ago.
I think in the mid-late 80's.
And (if my defective memory is correct) there was some disturbing fine print.

To the effect that eventually all vehicles of a certain age or older would not be allowed to be registered for public road use.
Effectively removing them from service.
The govt. wouldnt seize them, but you couldnt legally drive them on public roadways.

Wonder if anyone read the fineprint in this NEW bill? ? ?
 
our engine blow ups are on hold for now, but im bringing my camera just in case. they want to make sure none of the deals unwind before we destroy their trade in.

our snake oil peddler was in and i was telling him about the sodium silicate thing and he said he wanted to try to add some of his magical engine treatment to one and see if he could get it running again.
 
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I'd like to see the product that can magically repair fried and scored bearings.

It's disturbing enough to watch the death and destruction of an engine in some old beater pickup or SUV, but someone posted a list of vehicles they've taken on trade for the CFC program and on the list was a Mercedes 450 SL. I don't believe I could watch that one without losing my mind.
 
OAS, I remember that bill some 15 years ago. Some of my colleagues thought it was a great idea until I told them that it would affect my classic car and the thousands of others who have classic cars, and could even destroy the hours of work and expense spent to keep these cars in collectible condition.

Thankfully, common sense prevailed. Nobody was going to draw the line to decide who's car is a classic and who's is junk.

Also, pity the poor soul who buys a new car and only drives it 3K per year. After 15 years, he'd be forced to scrap it with only 45K on the odometer. My newest car in the stable is 14 years old! JHRZ2's cars in his stable are even older than that. The bill would've effectively retired our entire fleet!!
 
maybe someone has a better understanding of the situation in Japan, but IIRC they don't allow cars to go past 60K. that's why you can buy low mileage JDM engines here because there is a swift business in cuttin up the cars and sending the front clips over here.
 
I wonder if anyone pulled apart an engine that has been seized up with sodium silicate?

My local scrap metal shop will be recieving it's first truckload of C4C cars ready to be scrapped. Perhaps I could steal some parts.
 
Originally Posted By: mpvue
maybe someone has a better understanding of the situation in Japan, but IIRC they don't allow cars to go past 60K. that's why you can buy low mileage JDM engines here because there is a swift business in cuttin up the cars and sending the front clips over here.


That is a horrible thing to do from an environmental aspect. Driving a car into the ground is the most environmentally friendly thing you can do if you currently own a running car. Buying used is the 2nd best thing you can if you must purchase a car.
 
Originally Posted By: tonycarguy
re: that Volvo video. That looks like an S80, which does not qualify for CFC (it's above 18 mpg). In fact I don't think Volvo makes ANY cars in the last 15 years that would qualify. Haha, I think that dealer who scrapped that car won't get reimbursed for the 3500-4500!! Behold, Karma!


It's the person who traded it in via CFC who's the moron! That car HAS to be worth more then 4500 bucks on trade!
 
Originally Posted By: OAS


Wonder if anyone read the fineprint in this NEW bill? ? ?


The capitol hill idiots who voted for it sure as [censored] didn't.
 
Originally Posted By: OAS

To the effect that eventually all vehicles of a certain age or older would not be allowed to be registered for public road use.
Effectively removing them from service.
The govt. wouldnt seize them, but you couldnt legally drive them on public roadways.

Wonder if anyone read the fineprint in this NEW bill? ? ?



Older vehicles are grandfathered-in. It's a basic legal principle which protects against this exact type of rule change
 
From the MSDS:

Quote:
Gels and generates heat when mixed with acid. May react with ammonium salts
resulting in evolution of ammonia gas. Flammable hydrogen gas may be produced
on contact with aluminum, tin, lead and zinc.
 
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