[Rocketfan]

The U.S. government's $1 billion "cash for clunkers" auto sales incentive program reached its funding limit unexpectedly after an avalanche of business exhausted its funds, an Obama administration official said late Thursday.

Auto dealers began offering government-backed rebates in early July of up to $4,500 to consumers who traded-in their gas-guzzlers for more fuel-efficient vehicles.

But the Transportation Department will need additional cash after rebates for nearly 250,000 vehicles jammed the pipeline nationwide.

An estimated 16,000 dealers were eligible for the program and each would have to sell more than a dozen vehicles at the maximum rebate to reach the government's funding limit, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090731/bs_ ... 5kaW5nc28-

[RubberMallet]

next year it will be

patient : i need to have a kidney removed

doctor : sorry we are out of money[/list]

[Sly Fox]

We are seriously considering taking advantage of this stupidity. The only problem is that dealers suddenly have some leverage and aren't wanting to deal all of sudden due to the Sugar Daddy drawing in the customers.

[RubberMallet]

is anybody aware of what is happening to the cars that are traded in on this program?.....youtube it.

[Sly Fox]

My in-laws made a deal yesterday and stripped their car of anything of "value". This is a boon for the junk industry.

[4everfsu]

is anybody aware of what is happening to the cars that are traded in on this program?.....youtube it.

Yes, some fluid is poured in the engine to kill it, engine is revved up until it siezes.

[ATrain]

And these are the same people who want to run our healthcare system...

[flamesfilmguy]

And these are the same people who want to run our healthcare system...

The same people who want to implement a healthcare system that will teach people with terminal diseases how to "die faster"

[Liberty4Life]

I think the government has failed to realize something(s) important:

#1) The reason for its success has nothing to do with people trying to be more enviro-friendly by trading in cars with poor gas mileage. They are doing it because they can finally get some value for their old "clunker", which they probably weren't driving that much in the first place.

#2) It doesn't matter how much money the feds appropriate to the program... It still costs money. And someone will have to pay for it, eventually.

[FlameNForest]

Yes, some fluid is poured in the engine to kill it, engine is revved up until it siezes.

And these are the same people who want to run our healthcare system...

Yep. If it passes I hear they're going to get rid of old people the same way.

[Liberty4Life]

I seriously had no idea you were being serious when you said that they "kill" these cars.

Yeah, that's ridiculous.

[Hold My Own]

Yes, some fluid is poured in the engine to kill it, engine is revved up until it siezes.

And these are the same people who want to run our healthcare system...

Yep. If it passes I hear they're going to get rid of old people the same way.

This has to go on the top 10 list of greatest posts

[SumItUp]

Do not log into the cars.gov website. You do not have to be afraid of Big Brother to have serious concerns about this.

This application provides access to the DoT CARS system. When logged on to the CARS system, your computer is considered a Federal computer system and is the property of the U.S. Government. Any or all uses of this system and all files on this system may be intercepted, monitored, recorded, copied, audited, inspected, and disclosed to authorized CARS, DoT, and law enforcement personnel as well as authorized officials of other agencies, both domestic and foreign.

<object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="

name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="

" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object>

[tinytim]

That video is amazing! Wow, talk about the government really digging into your "pockets"!!!

[SumItUp]

UPDATE: Yesterday, the language was changed on the cars.gov website due to public outcry.

Hmmmm, a few questions linger.
What was the purpose of the initial language that was on the site?
Does the federal government still consider the those computers that accepted the original language federal property?

[4everfsu]

UPDATE: Yesterday, the language was changed on the cars.gov website due to public outcry.

Hmmmm, a few questions linger.
What was the purpose of the initial language that was on the site?
Does the federal government still consider the those computers that accepted the original language federal property?

The info that the Govt had already collected will that be purged?

[Sly Fox]

Yeah, this program has been a disaster. But I have to admit that I took advantage of some of the last funds in the program before it disappears on Monday. Frankly I feel worse about what is going to happen to my 12-year-old extremely reliable vehicle I turned in than anything else. The old sled served me well and I hate knowing how it is about to be treated.

[rueful]

Yeah, this program has been a disaster. But I have to admit that I took advantage of some of the last funds in the program before it disappears on Monday. Frankly I feel worse about what is going to happen to my 12-year-old extremely reliable vehicle I turned in than anything else. The old sled served me well and I hate knowing how it is about to be treated.

i decided to go take a look at it tomorrow, so well see how it goes. My trooper is starting to fall apart, but I just put new tires on it, kinda want to get those off haha.

[GoUNCA]

It should be noted that this was a bipartisan program. Who really thought it would be this popular? I've watched those "drive it in, tow in in, haul it in, and we'll give you X amount of dollars on a new car!!" commercials for as long as I've been alive.

Remember that in a very general, theoretical view, it doesn't matter what any of the stimulus money is spent on. We could have spent money on a giant bridge over Kansas and it would have done it's purpose. The program, while not without its problems, is serving its purpose. People are spending money, cars are being sold, manufacturers are hiring more workers, etc.

The argument we shouldn't have spent any money is certainly a position that can be taken, but the problem is that it is generally coming from the same people who told me debt spending on wars and security was in our best interest during the Bush administration. It is a good argument and when Ron Paul talks about not spending money he also talks about closing military bases, so I'll listen to him, despite not agreeing with him on a lot of issues.

That computer thing is very weird.

[LUconn]

I know the CFO for a very large chain of car dealerships in NC and VA and I talked with him about it 3 or 4 weeks ago and he said they hated the program. The amount of paperwork that has to be done for each trade is ridiculous. And there are a lot of requirements and stipulations on your old car in comparison to the one you're purchasing. MPG ratings, age, length of ownership, etc. He said the worst part about the whole thing is trying to get a junkyard to take the old car. After you've destroyed the drivetrain, there's not much left worth salvaging. And there's a minimum amount that the junkyard has to pay for them so it's a challenge to find someone who thinks the clunker is worth it to buy.

[Sly Fox]

Good luck for anyone looking for an inexpensive car to meet basic needs right now. Obama & Co. just collectively eliminated a large portion of the driveable options in America and in turn raised the price of the remaining used cars. Oh yeah, Japan & South Korea say thanks for the economic stimulus. Detroit is already trying to figure out where all the money went because they aren't seeing the impact that was intended.

But hey, I benefited from a disastrous program so in in the socializing of America I am supposed to just take my hand out and be quiet.

Oh yeah, did you honestly describe this program as bipartisan? Thanks for the Sunday afternoon chuckle.

[TDDance234]

Good luck for anyone looking for an inexpensive car to meet basic needs right now. Obama & Co. just collectively eliminated a large portion of the driveable options in America and in turn raised the price of the remaining used cars. Oh yeah, Japan & South Korea say thanks for the economic stimulus. Detroit is already trying to figure out where all the money went because they aren't seeing the impact that was intended.

That's the biggest problem with this program. They just effectively destroyed thousands of cars that, in most cases, were perfectly fine and could have been afforded by low-income families.

Get rid of one problem but create another.

[flamesbball84]

Good luck for anyone looking for an inexpensive car to meet basic needs right now. Obama & Co. just collectively eliminated a large portion of the driveable options in America and in turn raised the price of the remaining used cars. Oh yeah, Japan & South Korea say thanks for the economic stimulus. Detroit is already trying to figure out where all the money went because they aren't seeing the impact that was intended.

That's the biggest problem with this program. They just effectively destroyed thousands of cars that, in most cases, were perfectly fine and could have been afforded by low-income families.

Get rid of one problem but create another.

Exactly, now I'll be screwed when I graduate and need to buy a car. I could have easily afforded a decent used car, now it will be questionable unless prices come back down...

[Rocketfan]

I know the CFO for a very large chain of car dealerships in NC and VA and I talked with him about it 3 or 4 weeks ago and he said they hated the program. The amount of paperwork that has to be done for each trade is ridiculous. And there are a lot of requirements and stipulations on your old car in comparison to the one you're purchasing. MPG ratings, age, length of ownership, etc. He said the worst part about the whole thing is trying to get a junkyard to take the old car. After you've destroyed the drivetrain, there's not much left worth salvaging. And there's a minimum amount that the junkyard has to pay for them so it's a challenge to find someone who thinks the clunker is worth it to buy.

ohh come on...your vehicle has to be owned and insured for the last year...and you have to get a few more miles to the gallon in your new car compared with your old one. It takes all of about 2 minutes to figure out "clunker" status, i read the fine print. The online paperwork after is one thing but a list of cars that were considered clunkers were released to the dealers, so either he can't read or likes to whine.

I also find it hard to believe they have a hard time finding someone to take the car for scrap metal. I was watching ABC or something a week ago talking about how this is a BOOM for junk yards and scraping.
http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-080309- ... 2631.story

the engine is crap but everything else can be stripped from the car, so i find it hard to believe money can't be made.

[GoUNCA]

Oh yeah, did you honestly describe this program as bipartisan? Thanks for the Sunday afternoon chuckle.

"The House bill, sponsored by Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Ohio), allowed consumers to trade in vehicles with a combined fuel economy of 18 or less for new, more efficient vehicles. In the Senate, Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) and Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) sponsored a bill very similar to the House's. An alternative bill proposed by Dianne Feinstein (D-California), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) would have had a greater focus on increasing fuel economy."

Looks like both parties wrote it to me. Which is, by definition, bipartisan.

I think it is absurd to think that "Obama & Co" limited the options so much. He has done a lot of things, but giving him credit for steering collective consumer confidence is giving him a bit too much credit. The car most traded in for was a corolla. There are american cars that are similar to the corolla, so it isn't like the change in mileage eliminated the vast majority of american "made" (toyota has american assembly plants) cars. The car most brought in as a clunker was the ford explorer. Consumer confidence in reliability between brands is just not something that can be controlled like a light switch.