Got a clunker?

[tallyho8]

I'm not in favor of the clunkers program or most other govt give-aways but today I decided that since someone was going to get the money it might as well be me. I traded in my 1988 Ranger 4wd with 280,000 miles on a new Hyundai Sonata. First foreign car I ever bought not counting my Kubota and Yanmar.

They claim the Sonata's engine is made in the USA and it's assembled in Montgomery Alabama so at least it's part American. It has a combined mileage of 25 mpg and my Ranger had a window sticker saying the combined mileage was 15 mpg and the best it ever got was 15 mpg but the govt website said they changed the figures to 17 mpg so it only got a $3500 clunker trade instead of a $4500 trade-in.

At least it gets 66% better mileage than my old vehicle. And I still have 2 pick-ups but my wife wanted a car and if mama ain't happy, nobody's happy.

I was planning on buying the Hyundai a couple of months ago and got some quotes and when I went back yesterday to see about getting it, the dealer jacked up the price $2000. After getting quotes from 3 different dealers and playing one against the other I finally got the price back down to just about $200 more than the quote I had a couple of months ago. But I was only able to do this because I was paying cash for the car and not financing. And luckily they still had the $3000 rebate on the car because they had announced it would last till August 31 before the clunker program was started.

 

[Double Orange]

I'm not in favor of the clunkers program or most other govt give-aways but today I decided that since someone was going to get the money it might as well be me. I traded in my 1988 Ranger 4wd with 280,000 miles on a new Hyundai Sonata. First foreign car I ever bought not counting my Kubota and Yanmar.

They claim the Sonata's engine is made in the USA and it's assembled in Montgomery Alabama so at least it's part American. It has a combined mileage of 25 mpg and my Ranger had a window sticker saying the combined mileage was 15 mpg and the best it ever got was 15 mpg but the govt website said they changed the figures to 17 mpg so it only got a $3500 clunker trade instead of a $4500 trade-in.

At least it gets 66% better mileage than my old vehicle. And I still have 2 pick-ups but my wife wanted a car and if mama ain't happy, nobody's happy.

I was planning on buying the Hyundai a couple of months ago and got some quotes and when I went back yesterday to see about getting it, the dealer jacked up the price $2000. After getting quotes from 3 different dealers and playing one against the other I finally got the price back down to just about $200 more than the quote I had a couple of months ago. But I was only able to do this because I was paying cash for the car and not financing. And luckily they still had the $3000 rebate on the car because they had announced it would last till August 31 before the clunker program was started.

Jee Thanks for sharing. When I make my next Quarterly Tax Payment I will think about your new HYaNDA and feel much better.

 

[riptides]

I am sitting this whole program out. I think everyone should own a horse and buggy.

 

[Chuck52]

I'm probably sitting it out, too. I've still got my 1991 F150, but if I buy another car I'd want to garage it. Only got a two car garage, and that would mean either the Impala, the newer truck or the new car would be out in the weather. One reason the old 150 is still in decent shape....at least the body....is that it was garaged most of the time I have owned it. Besides, I do have a use for it. This morning I loaded the garbage can on it and drove it down to the road. Had to take SWMBO to work bright and early, and I usually just stick the can in the trunk of the car, but it has developed a leak. We spent a good long time trying to figure out why it smelled like something had died in the car the last time I hauled the garbage can in the trunk. So, until I sell it or donate it or whatever, the old 150 delivers the garbage!
It's kinda fun driving it backwards up the driveway. If I gun it some it's better than coffee!

Chuck

 

[scott_vt]

GOOD. No more perfectly fine cars will meet a untimely end. THe guy who came up with this must have kicked kittens in his spare time.

If your a car guy, watch what they do to this poor volvo. Its not for the faint of heart. YouTube - Volvo Cash for Clunkers Engine Disabling

Make sure you have sound on. It'll break your heart

Good Mornin Scooby,
Ouch, that was truly painful !!!

Looked like a very nice vehicle apperance wise also !

Just something basically wrong here...

Is the Cash for Clunkers helping the US auto companies or Honda and Toyota? Or to put it another way is my tax money being used to boost Toyota's and Honda's profit?


How about just giving me my money back and let me spend it to boost the economy....

Later,
Dan

Good Mornin Dan,
My thoughts also !

Im still driving my 2000 Dodge 4x4 pu, 114,700 and still runnin fine !

The 5.9 litre is rough on gas, but fortunately I dont put too many miles on it ! I think I will keep it !

 

[dmccarty]

Got home last night and read the Wall Street Journal.

Costs of used cars are going up. Twas not much at this point but since we are removing supply if demand is the same or goes up....

The story also mentioned that one version of the Clunker's bill would only allow trade ins for a car made by a US company but this was taken out. Official numbers from the Fed's are not out yet on which companies are getting the most sales under the program. But sales were up quite a bit at Chrysler, Honda and Toyota. Ford and GM were single digits. I think Chrysler and Honda was 30ish percent. Toyota was 15ish percent. I might have Honda and Toyota reversed.

The WSJ also had a story about the Clunker's program that requires the engines to be destroyed. One way to do this was with Silica something or other. It maybe in the video links that have been posted but I just can not bear to watch. Drain the oil, dump in the silica, run engine until it dies.

One of the cars mentioned in the article was a 2002 which seems aweful young to be destroying.

Later,
Dan

 

[Dargo]

I just read a memo I received that is based on the Department of Transportation and it says that, so far, 60% of the vehicles purchased using a "clunker" for a trade in has been a Honda, Toyota or Hyundai. Other 'foreign' manufacturers make up another 8% of the sales. That means that the U.S. "Big Three" are only selling 32% of the vehicles being purchased via the government give-away program. I wonder if this was predicted?

 

[riptides]

Why don't we just give a portion of three billion dollars to everyone who filed a tax return and stimulate the general economy that way?

 

[Dargo]

Why don't we just give a portion of three billion dollars to everyone who filed a tax return and stimulate the general economy that way?

I'd say. I just got finished with an IRS audit. Never pleasant but, when it was over, they'd made a mistake (which is what triggered the audit) and when documenting my portion I found an error on my accountant's part that had caused me to overpay. The end result was a refund after the audit. I don't look at it like "free money" though. I just look at it like I got a little more of my money back from the government.

 

[Duffster]

Why don't we just give a portion of three billion dollars to everyone who filed a tax return and stimulate the general economy that way?

Better yet, don't take the money in the first place. It will do a lot more STIMULATING in the hands of the rightful owner.