Cash for clunkers junked…but dealer ads still running; Feds try to salvage
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The feds are shocked that people flocked to take advantage of easy money. Whodathunk?!
Via USA Today:
The government is suspending the explosively popular ‘cash for clunkers’ program at midnight tonight fearing it would go broke before it could parcel out what it still owes dealers for a huge backlog of sales.
The pending suspension was confirmed by Bailey Wood, legislative director for the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), which had been called Thursday night by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which administers the program. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich., confirmed as well, saying she had been told by congressional leaders.
“Obviously the program has been an immense success in stimulating automotive sales,” Wood said.
“The thing has exploded. It has exceeded everyone’s expectations,” said Miller, who was involved in writing the original legislation, known as CARS, for Car Allowance Rebate System. “Throughout our history, it has been auto sales that have pulled us out of recession. People are more likely to buy cars than houses. Not to be too Pollyannaish, but we’re gettin’ our mojo back. This could be the pivot” that begins an economic recovery.
As of late Thursday, the government had committed roughly $850 million of the program’s $1 billion, according to calculations by NADA and various congressional offices. It’s unclear whether and how the CARS program could be restarted.
Good thing they junked it. Alan Reynolds at Cato explains how easy it was to use “Cash for Clunkers” to buy a gas-guzzler.
Good riddance to Fraud on Wheels.
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Update: Watching L.A. Ink tonight (I’m in hotel decompressing from the book tour), I’ve already counted 4 ads touting Cash for Clunkers.
Oops.
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Update: Feds are trying to salvage the clunker clunker.
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Categories: Enviro-nitwits
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Last Saturday I turned my 1999 Chevy Astro Van in for a new 2009 Chevy Malibu (Consumer Reports Best Buy).
I got $4,500 plus a $2,000 rebate from GM (the taxpayers).
The ONLY CLUNKER I want to turn in for a replacement is presently in the White House
Last night I turned my ’77 LTD into a gas station.
The dealer told me all the customers taking advantage of the program tended to have “very good credit.”
I was the 16th sale in the first 24 hours.
Add to the problems with the program the fact that the government changed the rules on MPG after it started. Some people bought cars and were told they qualified for a certain dollar amount because their trade in had xx mpg which met the qualification based on the car they wanted to buy. After they drove the car home and a week or so later the dealer calls and tells them they owe money because the government changed the allowable mpg for their trade in.
More change (government) you can believe in.
That didn’t happen. It’s an urban legend. The program started 6 days ago on July 24th. Tomorrow will mark 1 week that it was up and running.
Hahaha!
I hear that the latest economic stimulus program is to pave the road to hell with good intentions.
I wonder if the deals “pending approval” will be accepted, like someone who bought a car…say, yesterday. In a way, I’m glad it’s over but the money “saved” will be wasted somewhere else. The government hasn’t stopped it mad spending frenzy yet.
That’s been going on for a long time now and we see what that’s produced.
Ha! good one. I’m with ya on that.
Another example of genius government thinking — Just one of the huge flaws in this was that the dealers take it in the shorts for the “credit” to the buyer on the new purchase, and only get reimbursed after the government agrees that the “clunker” that was turned in qualifies under the gov’t regs. Then the dealer gets the gov’t reimbursement. BUT, that takes quite a while, and you’d imagine.
People were turning in clunkers so fast that dealers were incredibly upside-down on the front end with no back-end reimbursements coming in from the gov’t. Essentially some dealers were going virtually short-term broke because of this and had not enough cash flow to continue to operate. I talked to one dealer who was going to suspend the program himself because he couldn’t afford to take the short-term hit with nothing yet coming in on the other end — but the gov’t beat him to it.
Another example of the brilliant leadership we have. Too many theoreticians, not enough people with real-world business experience.
17 miles per gallon of pure v-8 comfort. keep your money.
“The thing has exploded. It has exceeded everyone’s expectations,”
Everyone’s?? These non-thinking socialist really like to include others in their bad decisions. Exactly what did that idiot expect would happen?
I was listening to Rush today and heard a caller say that he was able to trade in his 1998 Ford F-250 for a new Ford F-350 using this program. I laughed myself silly. Wasn’t the idea to get people to trade in their gas guzzlers and have them buy those little eggs on wheels? Absolutely hilarious.
What a waste. Then they turn the engines to junk thereby increasing the cost of used engines. Seems that likely impacts those that can least afford the vehicles they already have.
Same feds that want to run healthcare? Wait ’til they suspend prescription meds at midnight…
Put this whole Odopeycare thing in the junk pile also, How bout they try and run the post office in the black first and when (har) they do that then tackle Health care.
A Harvard lawyer, a guy with an Asian Studies degree, a dancer – yeah, they should run the economy…
*Was it the Czar of Unintended Consequences that cancelled the program?; If not, they will need one, and he/she will be working overtime over the next four years.
and they want to run health care….what a friggin joke….and I agree with #2 wholeheartedly….
Broke?
You mean, as in “we don’t have any money to pay even the light bill until we lie and steal another trillion $ from the American Taxpayer” broke?
Obama – No hope, and less change$.
Imagine that. . . the government underestimated the cost of one of their own programs. They are so smart that’s not supposed to happen.
This was a 1 B dollar program.
Imagine the same inaccurate calculation on the 1 Trillion dollar health care bill.
They stopped this after one day. Imagine them stopping health care when their numbers don’t match up.
I actually bought a car. The dealer told me they get payment from the feds in 4 days.
I just traded in my new 3/4 ton pickup on a well used ’96 SUV – The mileage is about the same and the SUV pumps out a nice insulating layer of C02 to protect us from the cold winter months ahead.
Sure I missed out on the $ucker Buck$ Giveaway, but I also miss out on monthly car payments to Uncle Sam’s Friendly Finance & KneeCaping, and I pay a quarter of the $300+ annual registration fees that Colorado “The Litter State” charges on new eco friendly cars.
I mean, what’s Obama going to do, brand me a terrorist? Again?
No, the idea was to shovel more tax money to the auto dealers.
Entitled people start whining about missing out the deal in 3…2…
Just image what they will do running the health care program. They can’t even run this clunker mess. And look what else the government has messed up at the below link.
And You Want The Government Running Health Care?
Time for Americathon ?
The day America ran out of money
I hope all the people who got the $4500 send a thank you note to my yet unborn grandchildren who helped them buy their new car.
I suspect they had my 1984 Lincoln with 295,000 miles is mind when some genius conjured up this clunker plan.
The car has never had any engine or transmission work, uses one quart of oil between 4000 mile changes, will run all day as fast as you can get away with in sofa like comfort, every thing works, gets 20 mpg around town and 24-27 on highway.
Ironically, it is not eligible for trade in, not that I would, because it is too old, too many miles and gets too good mileage.
This car is my fourth Lincoln. My first, a 1974 TC went 165,000 trouble free miles, traded because it just seemed like time. Second 1979 Mark went 250,000 without any mechanical repairs, Third, a 1983 Mark VI went 418,000, no major repairs, traded for present Lincoln because tape stuck in deck, new radio cost more than car was worth. Oil field hand who bought it at auction for $900 came by to see me to pick up some studded snow tires. He had 432,000 on it, still purring.
Maybe I just got lucky but Detroit cars work fine for me.
Spoke to a friend who was just about to buy a car next week. Guess what he won’t be doing now? The car sales people can hang with the Maytag repairman now.
Let’s see now,
Cash for Clunkers program: Bankrupt.
F-22 program: Cancelled.
Healthcare bill: Delayed UFN.
White House Report On Budget Update: Delayed until Congress leaves town.
San Francisco salt marsh mouse program: Approved.
NEA program for porno and debauchery:
Approved.
$1 million for mormon cricket control in Utah: Approved.
$200,000 for a tattoo removal violence outreach program that could help gang members or others shed visible signs of their past: Approved.
Is this progress?
It’s amateur hour in DC. Truly. They’re too ignorant to be embarrassed and too arrogant to be contrite.
Come on, that little piece by Alan Reynolds at CATO gaming CFC (cash for clunkers) doesn’t pass the smell test. He’s an expert at economics? Yeah – VOODOO economics!
I’m with him right up to and including the clause, “…that still leaves you with $3,500 of free money, courtesy of taxpayers.”
Ok Alan… how did I get from $3500 cash in my pocket up to your, “$9,000 net from reselling the crummy little car plus the $4,500 from Uncle Sam.” ?? Was that step preceding that one written in disappearing ink?
Face it, your “$9000 net” is simply FALSE! (and there’s no way you can defend that number). The net is $3500 pure and simple. Let’s review shall we Alan?
1. I put in $10000 and Uncle Sam (US) put in $4500 to buy the new car – I am ahead by $4500 net.
2. I sell it for 13,500; I am ahead $3500 net, (did you already forget the $10,000 I already put in per step #1? – short memory Alan…)
3. Then you erroneously say that I mysteriously get ANOTHER $4500 on top of that magical “$9000 net” In other words, besides the mysterious increase of $3500 to $9000 in my pocket, where did that extra $4500 come from Alan – my 2nd clunker? The program is limited to ONE clunker per person BTW in case you didn’t read the fine print.
Yes, I can flip the new car that I just bought for a little less. That makes HUGE assumption that I can find a new buyer who thinks that buying the vehicle for $1000 less from me is really WORTH that $1000 versus buying from a dealer and having 1st title on it. AND … most people buying these deals are FINANCING the purchase – are you also going to finance your private buyer too? (That flood is looking more like spitting in the ocean now isn’t it Alan?)
Then there’s your ridiculous comment that somehow my my selling the small car somehow hurts GM? What’s this Alan? You suddenly no longer believe in CAPITALISM? Besides, you TOTALLY IGNORE THE FACT that GM already MADE a profit on that little car the FIRST time they sold it but here you are worried about the pressure it makes as a used car on the new car market; that’s true for ANY market with or without a CFC incentive. On top of that, the act of my flipping it to buy ANOTHER car just added to GM’s profit by one more new car sale!
DEBUNKED.
I suspect that we are not being told the truth about this suspension and that the real reason is that NHTSA finds itself examining reams more data than they ever had to before which was only concerning accidents, (and I should point out, data for this program that they themselves required above and beyond specific requirements set forth by the law itself. They made their own bed here and are now forced to sleep in it).
They’re web site says there is still over $800 million left, (excluding CAT3). Two days ago that was around $870 million. $35 million per day would come to about one month right?
IMO, the way I look at this program is that it a LOT closer to being a middle class tax cut than a welfare program because those buying new cars MUST either have at least SAVED UP, (few welfare recipients save money), the net cash to buy a new car or they qualify for financing indicating that they are gainfully EMPLOYED.
THAT right there is the most egregious dispicable thing that NHTSA has done thusfar. I SOOOO hope that people who get calls from their dealers saying they oew another $3500 or $4500 just reply that – “A DEAL IS A DEAL!”
The fact is that, once the deal is OVER, the DEALER is out of the money, not the new car buyer.
I think a herd of car dealers suing the government have a better chance than private citizens and … a LOT more ‘leverage’ than you or I could muster on our own collectively or not.
And.. I should have included above concerning this being more like a tax cut – there is NO MEANS TESTING involved.
That in fact may be a revelation on the twisted thinking of liberals who believe that ‘rich people’ are all driving around in new cars smoking $100 cigars.
The truth is that most people who have money are FRUGAL and will be among the first ones in line up easily qualifying to grab the giveaway money. It reminds me of an old TV ad of a rich guy in a limo being questioned by a reporter, “Why is a man like you smoking such an inexpensive cigar?” to which he replies.. “How do you think a man like me became a man like me?”
Jeez, why don’t they just order the treasury to print more money?
The plan itself is a back-handed way of removing what the government deems as environmentally unfriendly vehicles and ultimately forcing us into their little two door lawn mowers. The cars ultimately are destroyed, eliminating any spare parts for those who still have those models, or are sold used to China and India.
Here come the fascists, people. Wake up!
Saw a few, too.
Lots of people are going to be really ticked off, but will never be able to realize that
Government run programs = epic fail = bad idea to let them run your HEALTH CARE, too!
WRONGO
It’s INCOME REDISTRIBUTION pure and simple. What if I don’t want a new car, do I get to ask my neighbors for the money? Will the government send me a check? Wouldn’t my purchasing a new airplane (for instance) stimulate the economy just as much – in fact, providing even higher quality/higher skills jobs? Anytime the goverment “gives” you money – they first TOOK it from somebody.
And I understand they are using stimulus money to paint the white lines and install the signage too.
Looking at a map though for the highway – I notice that there is a distinct lack of off-ramps in relation to on-ramps.
Paying income tax ALONE is “income redistribution” and I did NOT say that there was a convenient , ‘pure and simple’ way to view the program. That’s why I used the clause ‘a LOT closer to’.
So what about the rest of what I posted concerning the reasons behind my OPINION?
1. There is no means testing.
2. People on welfare generally do not save their money.
3. People on welfare cannot qualify for NON-government backed financing from car dealerships etc, (they ain’t Fannie Mae and there ain’t no Barney Franks!)
4. If ~most~ of the people taking advantage of this program are the working taxpaying middle class then the taxpayer money they are getting is …THEIR OWN!
Your rebuttal to those?
I wasn’t trying to argue your points – in fact, for the most part, I agree with them – but the notion that this is a TAX CUT to “the middle class” is misleading at best. It’s simply giving money to one group that they have taken from another group.
(Further – I might quibble a little – though not lots – with “paying income tax alone is income redistribution”. Certain government functions are in fact necessary and do cost money and must be funded. A method of accomplishing those things (where the entire populace receives the benefit – not just some select group) wouldn’t quite fall under “my” definition of income redistribution.
Socialism going broke?
Who’d a thunk such a thing?
Collin
If you’re alluding the federal government’s Constitutional obligations then I guess we really are quibbling over very little percentage-wise. (over 1/2 of fed outlay right now is entitlement money….)
So, let’s review:
1. The Government, using deficit-financing, offered a giveaway.
2. People who didn’t need and ordinarily wouldn’t have purchased new cars ran out and bought them anyway, making the program run out of money within a week.
3. Thousands of perfectly serviceable cars, that could have been stripped for useful parts at least, will instead be wastefully destroyed.
And yet some people still think Government run health care is a great idea.
Waitaminnit!
So they threw trillions at the auto industry to get two bankruptcies, and consider that a success.
But when they have a much cheaper program, that puts money in consumer’s hands, and is working like gangbusters for dealers and car buyers, they suspend it (after underfunding) it?
Just imagine the “improvements” in healthcare with this kind of clear thinking and expertise.
You couldn’t write a parody like this current crop of people in charge.
This was a grea idea and should continue. I had hoped that the government would have bought everyone a hybrid at least so we could get off of foreign oil. The bad thing about CAP and trade energy bill is that it doesn’t make us independ on current energy sources. Just punishes folks who use energy. Nevertheless, this program should be extended because it has an overall affect. Unlike the waste of money in most of the Stimulus. On the bad side, I heard a car dealer say that if the government can’t run a successful program like this how in hell can the government run a failing health care system.
Wait? The government took nearly 7 days to give away 850 million! Geez, these guys can’t do anything right! They shoulda been able to dump 1 billion down the toilet in hours, not days!
The best government you can buy…
I am so glad you think the “Good Fairy” just comes down and sprinklles $4,500 out of thin air at a pop to promote the governments latest scheme at social engineering. There are benefits to “right-minded” thinking the the USSA.
If someone has a clunker that’s their problem. You can rest assured they probably do have 50″ flat screen TV, a boat with trailer, several Ipods, a Wii, a top of the line home entertainment system, two laptops, a dozen shoes, four pair of designer jeans, three winter coats, a room full of and hunting and fishing, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
And that is just fine, because how they use their money is their choice.
If you want to get off foreign oil look down. It’s underneath your feet in quantities that will keep us energy independent for a hundred years.
Oh yes, let’s run out and buy a hybrid; a vehicle that is three times more environmentally unfriendly to build with has a life span three times less than a Hummer. But that’s the New Enlightened America, where science is dead, and it’s okay to fill your house with mercury, but CO2 is a pollutant.
My congressman co-sponsored and championed Cash for Clunkers. I am working night and day to show this idiot the door in 2010.
Yet I notice that our local law enforcement agencies are still driving Crown Vics along with Chargers, F150s, Tahoes, and other assorted SUVs. I’ll trade down when they do.
This guy hits it right on the head
You aren’t being fair here. They spent $20 billion to ‘fix’ GM and look what ‘we’ got? The ONLY benficiary was the UAW and GM still went bankrupt.
At least you have to admit that, with this program, many people like me with my rusty 1997 CV police cruiser with 135K, (think bluesmobile at Daley Plaza..) will actually get some benefit. I paid plenty of taxes and now I’m trying to get a little of it back.
People on welfare are simply not a significant portion of those trying to grab this money.
OK – NOW I’m gonna disagree with your point.
A BAD idea is still a BAD idea.
Giving MY money away (the government took it away from me) and giving it to ANYBODY else (whether that is you who think you are entitled to a little of your taxes back or not) and not giving it back to me DIRECTLY – it theft.
Government giving money away is a BAD idea at any level – I don’t care who they are giving it to.
Several years ago, we had a similar fiasco in which Arizona paid out monies to those who converted their vehicles to accept propane or CNG. Here is the story:
http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=14196
This is a prime example of how government can screw up royally, especially when the cash grab for the benefits of a few can ruin it for many. The one good thing here is the perpetrator of the program was hurt politically that he was canned the next election by a Dem in his very traditional Rep district.
Arizona nearly went bankrupt. Of course, the state could not print money to get out of the problem. I wonder if there is any evidence in which any government giveaway actually panned out for the whole as opposed to the few.
It’s really too bad Saturday Night Live is so liberal. This administration virtually writes it’s own skits.
You could write an entire episode on just the Gates arrest and the cash for clunkers debacle.
I could even start watching again.
I went in on day two of the program. Was prepared to get the sale done that day, and the salesman told me they had already taken their quota. Didn’t even get in the salesroom door, the conversation took place on the lot. (they did have many cars that were labeled “Do not sell C.A.R.S ). His owner told him they would wait to see if the government would release more money. And previous comments are right, the sales were all going to people who had no trouble buying the new car.
Yak_Rider, it’s NOT an urban legend. The program began on July 1: Here’s the quote from the official site’s FAQ: “If you purchased the vehicle before July 1 you are not eligible for credit. If you purchased the new vehicle on or after July 1, 2009 you may be eligible for credit. Please contact your dealer to see if you meet the eligibility requirements.” Hyundai for one, has been allowing their dealers to sell cars since 7/1 – the problem was that the program wasn’t ready to go from the gov’t point of view until last week. So they had a flood of cars, and to make matters worse I believe the dealer has to attest that they have destroyed the engine on the paperwork, so they have to either perjure themselves or risk getting nothing from the gov’t if the application is denied….
and they want to control heathcare?
Hey government geniuses,
$1 billion / $4,500 = 222,222 cars
222,222 cars / 100 million adults = 2/10ths of one percent.
If just one percent of adults respond, the program is $4 billion over budget.
Maybe you should have had people apply online and shut it down when the billion was spent. Maybe the dealers should have had a fixed quota of clunkers that they could accept. But, no, just go overbudget, bailout the dealers, report that the auto industry sales are up, announce the recession is over thanks to this program and send my family the bill for the next three generations…
Flyover is just pissed he didn’t get one. I have 3 hydrid dudes and I get 52 miles per gallon on each. I have had to replace the battery once at their expense. I’ll take them over any other combustion car you can put up against them. Keep buying SUVs, just giving American haters our money. Just be realistic, oil in this country won’t be tapped when we can get it elsewhere. You gonna make the oil companies drill under your feet. Good luck. I am just pissed when others are too selfish to see anything good.
I would rather see my taxmoney spent on helping out Americans than giving it to some wacko stimulus recipient or bailing out GM or lining the Unions pocket.
You see ConservativeRus? Great minds think alike!
So then are you okay with the $8000 new home buyer tax credit or worried that some taxpayers appear to be more entitled than others?
Hybrids not environmentally sound? Lets see, your car has a battery full of lead and acid not to mention all the other parts that are not environmentally kosher. Oh did I mention that Hybrids are SULEVs, where yours are belching tons of pollutants into the air. I’d like to know where you get your facts? or are they lies?
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Our gubbamint in action looks worse than most 3 stooges movies.
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But why not–our WASHINGTON CLOWNS have 535 lesser clowns–plus President Obama (PBUH), our brilliant VP, the smartest Secretary of State ever, and an ever increasing cast of Czars and other hangers on.
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Let’s replace them with the original 3 stooges–less is more (better) and less damaging.
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John Bibb
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toy guy – Hybrids don’t do much better than non-hybrids on MPG at highway speeds. You can’t violate the laws of physics, (though you can license lunatics but that’s another story….)
Also, we have plenty of oil and coal right here at home but liberals won’t allow us to drill for it such as offshore even though they cannot cite ANY recent offshore oil rig disasters of any consequence, (hundreds of platforms destroyed by Katina but ZERO leaks).
The air quality we have now is already about the best in world – it just costs money. Rich countries have the money for cleaner air and water, for better health care with longer life spans and for a higher standard of living even for the ‘poor’ that live in them. Rich countries have a lower rate of indigenous population growth, have plenty of reserve capacity for food, (if not wasted burning the food in cars), and the people in them have a MUCH brighter outlook for their future than those in poor countries. (Why they all try to come here…)
So it is not by accident that the richest countries are also the LEAST socialized countries, i.e the freest countries. Free and rich beats socialized and poor every time.
Can you say HEMI—I’ve got a Chrysler 300c with 340 hp hemi. Great traveling car. It drops to 4 cyl on interstate and rural driving. Can get 26-30mpg if run 70mph or under. Oh—it can sure merge on to the interstate too. Beats most hybrid tin cans. Saw a smart car demolished and driver killed–hit a van–only injuries in the van. I can put one of those smart cars in the back of my Grand Cherokee. Here lies—–they got 50mpg!!
So my question to you hybrid zealots…are you some higher life form than me. My various vehicles get between 10 and 35 mpg – depending on which vehicle, and what I’m towing. But since I normally don’t even use a vehicle to transport myself (I ride my bicycle) – what is my mpg?
If I make a useless trip that gets 50 mpg vs a useful trip at 25 mpg – who wins?
I’m not against hybrids – I just find it amazing that you think I should help buy yours. Will you help me buy something I want?
No I’m not ok with home buyer credits, or even home interest rate deductions for that matter.
This morning: the CARS.gov site had a “speedometer” showing that the program still had about 75% of the original funds available.
At noon, the “speedometer” disappeared.
Now that there is the ONLY acceptable use for bio-fuel.
However, concerning bicycle mileage, “actual results may vary” when using ethanol.
By golly yer right! I think it was actually supposed to be more like a fuel gauge but, in retrospect, a speedometer would have made more sense showing the rate at which available funds are vanishing.
Let me get this straight… the government is printing money to give to car dealers to buy older cars and then the dealers have to destroy the car and return the money to the car company that is also owned by the government. I’m sure some of this money gets funneled through ACORN somehow.
But, I had been wondering what kind of marketing program the government was going to come up with to try to get people to buy their cars. Ah… so, the program is… we’ll subsidize each transaction with fiat money. Yeah… that makes sense.
Not only do the people in charge of this know nothing about cars… they know absolutely nothing about economics.
Why am I not surprised?
This episode makes my local DMV look efficient and well tuned and that is difficult to do!
Dear danceswithweinerdogs,
My hybrids get less MPG at highway speeds for sure but not like a combustion car. I still get 48 to 50 at 75 mph. So your argument is full of holes. I have 200,000 miles on one Insight and I drive 85 miles one way everyday. Half of the trip is on the interstate. I have been in 3 accidents with my Insight and walked away each time. Anytime anyone wants to refute my claims …come on down and I’ll show you. The only draw back I see with hybrids is the cost of replacing the IMA battery, but that price is going down.
Our illustrious government can’t handle a simple cash back rebate? *facepalm* No wonder it can’t handle tougher issues like:
National Defense – we have an invasion of force of 10% of the population of Mexico here illegally, with Mexican army incursions across the border regularly.
Emergency Services – remember Katrina?
Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security – all going broke, but they should never have been created in the first place.
Can’t even imagine just how bad health care will be. *sigh*
Hey, there you rogue bloggers!
Wanna help crack the 4,000 posting mark on the “Don’t Taze Me Bro’”thread?
It’s two pages back on previous entries now
Hey – did I miss the memo – that “somebody” annointed you the decider of what kind of car I should drive?
If you choose my car, do I get to choose something else for you?
I don’t really give a rip if your car gets 500 miles per gallon – as I said, my bicycle does better. And don’t give me the garbage about how you “have” to commute so far – you COULD move closer and bike same as me – but you choose not to.
You made your choice, we’re happy for you. Now please allow the rest of us the liberty to choose to drive what we want.
Lastly – I’ll comment on the economic wisdom of your purchase. Without government incentives already, I’m pretty sure you would have to get those vehicles to well over 250,000 miles before you actually experience a single cent real payback. I have yet to receive a thank you from any hybrid purchaser. Bunch of ingrates.
Hey toysurgeon—3 accidents–congrats. You will now pay more for auto insurance, thus offsetting your gas savings. I’m with conservativesRus–drive a damn yogo if you want, but leave the rest of us alone. Capiche!!
Nobody should buy antiquated hybrid drive technology.
Consumers should only buy direct drive electric vehicles.