Cash for Clunkers ending.

**thesteve** · 08-20-2009, 03:25 PM

Cash for Clunkers to end on Monday - Yahoo! News

**scared2mosh** · 08-20-2009, 03:37 PM

Hmmm I'm not sure whether I'm happy about this or not. It was really good for those who participated, but not really a good thing for those who didn't.

They should just give a 4,500$ tax break to ANYONE who purchases a new vehicle and an extra 2-4k tax break for anyone turning in a clunker. My Dad seems to think we are going to get charged taxes on the 4.5k we received for our clunker because it was counted as income.

**Epaphras** · 08-20-2009, 03:50 PM

The government should also match your deduction for donating your vehicle to charity. These cars should not be getting scrapped but should be "socially recycled" through charity donation.

**scared2mosh** · 08-20-2009, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epaphras

The government should also match your deduction for donating your vehicle to charity. These cars should not be getting scrapped but should be "socially recycled" through charity donation.

I actually hadn't thought of that... but that idea is far superior to having acid poured into the engine of every "clunker"... many of which were still in great condition. (not ours... it had over 200k miles and was stripped apart. I have pix to prove it

)

still this program could have been a double edged sword. Tax deduction on new vehicles (good for car companies/ consumers) free cars for the poor (good for poor without killing the government at the same time)

I think they made too much of their focus with this program "Being Green"

**Fandrew** · 08-20-2009, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epaphras

The government should also match your deduction for donating your vehicle to charity. These cars should not be getting scrapped but should be "socially recycled" through charity donation.

So people who couldn't afford cars can get cars that guzzle gas? Not saying that socially recycling is bad, just noting the fact.

**scared2mosh** · 08-20-2009, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayCarrFan

So people who couldn't afford cars can get cars that guzzle gas? Not saying that socially recycling is bad, just noting the fact.

A lot of cars that "Guzzle gas" only do so because of poor driving. I get better mileage (about 30mpg Highway) with a 1988 Pontiac Bonneville 3.8L 4spd auto than my bro gets with a 2009 Chevy Aveo 1.6L 5spd manual. The funny part is that the Aveo is the car we got for trading in a clunker.

Still I see your point, but if nothing else they could have scrapped the Clunkers and used the money they got for scraping them for government programs for the poor (such as buying new fuel efficient cars for underprivleged families)

**Epaphras** · 08-20-2009, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayCarrFan

So people who couldn't afford cars can get cars that guzzle gas? Not saying that socially recycling is bad, just noting the fact.

The cars don't go to the needy, the proceeds from the auction sale of the autos goes to the needy. Processors and auction houses designate 90-95% of the proceeds to a designated charity.

Some car donation charities pass along donated vehicles to persons in need, yes. But more often than not it's a way for the charity to raise money.

And honestly, if a reliable vehicle is what will bring a family out of poverty or prevent a family from falling into poverty because it means they can arrive to work on time consistently, then honestly it's worth sacrificing some MPG.

mulletman · 08-20-2009, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayCarrFan

So people who couldn't afford cars can get cars that guzzle gas? Not saying that socially recycling is bad, just noting the fact.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epaphras

The cars don't go to the needy, the proceeds from the auction sale of the autos goes to the needy. Processors and auction houses designate 90-95% of the proceeds to a designated charity.

Some car donation charities pass along donated vehicles to persons in need, yes. But more often than not it's a way for the charity to raise money.

And honestly, if a reliable vehicle is what will bring a family out of poverty or prevent a family from falling into poverty because it means they can arrive to work on time consistently, then honestly it's worth sacrificing some MPG.

Yes. And even if the cars went to the needy.... For someone who needs transportation, a car with mediocre gas mileage is probably better than no car at all.

**bravesfan007** · 08-20-2009, 09:03 PM

I am actually glad this is ending. I think it was a big waste of money from the very beginning. The government should not have been spending all this money from the very beginning.

mulletman · 08-20-2009, 09:15 PM

Agreed.

**scared2mosh** · 08-20-2009, 09:26 PM

It didn't have to be a money drainer, but it was... the Government is really good at that. Rather than using funding to make people buy new cars they should have just lowered taxes for everyone and an additional tax cut for donating your old car to charity. I don't understand why they have to make everything so difficult

**bravesfan007** · 08-20-2009, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scared2mosh

It didn't have to be a money drainer, but it was... the Government is really good at that. Rather than using funding to make people buy new cars they should have just lowered taxes for everyone and an additional tax cut for donating your old car to charity. I don't understand why they have to make everything so difficult

You're just now learning. The government will take something so simple and make it so ridiculously complicated that you have to have a law school degree to figure it out.

I think that it's ironic and sad that we're worried about going green and we encourage consumption of more cars (that are only slightly more efficient) and waste of running cars that could have been good for many more years.

**scared2mosh** · 08-20-2009, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bravesfan007

You're just now learning. The government will take something so simple and make it so ridiculously complicated that you have to have a law school degree to figure it out.

I think that it's ironic and sad that we're worried about going green and we encourage consumption of more cars (that are only slightly more efficient) and waste of running cars that could have been good for many more years.

indeed... I should be a politician. I wouldn't put up with so much crap...

On a more serious note though...speaking of efficiency. according to the dealerships/ salesmen all of the extra stuff they had to file and/or send in for this program has made their lives a living hell.

BTW does anyone know exactly how many people have participated to date?

**DaGeek** · 08-20-2009, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bravesfan007

You're just now learning. The government will take something so simple and make it so ridiculously complicated that you have to have a law school degree to figure it out.

I think that it's ironic and sad that we're worried about going green and we encourage consumption of more cars (that are only slightly more efficient) and waste of running cars that could have been good for many more years.

Yeah, the government's pretty good at that. I don't really know what I think of this Cash for Clunkers thing, to be honest. I see upsides and downsides (like the handling of the clunkers... Bleh). It just would be nice if maybe the government would allow private corporations to operate some things to make it more efficient.

Actually, possibly an interesting discussion:

Had the Cash for Clunkers program been worked on and submitted to private contractors (including some of the details of the program), do you think it would have been better or worse?

**scared2mosh** · 08-20-2009, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaGeek

Yeah, the government's pretty good at that. I don't really know what I think of this Cash for Clunkers thing, to be honest. I see upsides and downsides (like the handling of the clunkers... Bleh). It just would be nice if maybe the government would allow private corporations to operate some things to make it more efficient.

Actually, possibly an interesting discussion:

Had the Cash for Clunkers program been worked on and submitted to private contractors (including some of the details of the program), do you think it would have been better or worse?

I could almost guarantee that it would have worked immensely better.