Destruction of a clunker

[B2G]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waj2KrKYTZo

I'm thinking the trade in requirements should have been a little tighter. This just seems like a total waste to me. I'd much rather see these donated to a needy family than have them come to this end.

[rucky]

1. How much of a clunker can be recycled?

[B2G]

4. Not much

They destroy the engine and the drive train and crush it to sell if for scrap metal.

Why can't they destroy the true clunkers and donate some of the newer model, higher MPG cars to the needy? This video has depressed the shit out of me. It's 10 times nicer than what anyone in my family drives and of course we can't afford to take advantage of the program because we can't afford a new car payment

[SharonRB]

10. You can't turn anything in unless it gets 18 MPG or less

so there aren't any higher MPG cars being turned in. Personally, I think they should have made it 20 or 22 MPG as I believe was in the original bill. In addition, in the original bill, cars had to be at least 8 years old, or something like that.

[blue_onyx]

19. If it had been 20

I would have considered taking advantage of the clunkers deal. My car is 15 years old and needs some work but since it gets 20 mpg, I wasn't eligible.

[MADem]

2. That car looks new to me. Of course, my car is almost a quarter century old. nt

[ProdigalJunkMail]

3. um...that is a relatively new model V60 Volvo

and they get at least 20MPG...I thought you had to have a car with less that 18 MPG to qualify. Something is amiss...

sP

[B2G]

5. It's 18 MPG or less

And just about all of those Volvos get between 16-18 in the city.

[lame54]

6. I'm not sure what I just watched

[B2G]

7. You watched a perfectly good car

Get destroyed.

If you have the stomach for it, go to youtube and search on clunker destruction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE1nXPqoMZo&feature=related

[-..__...]

12. Probably drained the engine oil...

then ran it/revved it until the engine seized.

[X_Digger]

13. They actually drain the oil, then add sodium silicate..

.. when heated, it turns to glass.

[-..__...]

16. That'll do it.

Pretty impressive that that Volvo ran for over 4 minutes before self-destructing.

[B2G]

17. For car lovers

the word 'impressive' doesn't immediately come to mind.

[B2G]

14. They put in sodium silicate

which turns to glass and then rev the engine until it dies.

[inna]

8. what a waste.

i don't get it. it's very disappointing. :(

[B2G]

11. I'm beginning to think

not many true 'clunkers' are being turned in. Who is taking advantage of this? Obviously people who can afford a new car payment or have cash to plop down.

Are those the folks driving smoke belching heaps of crap? No, they're driving later model cars that are probably in fine working condition that get around 15-16 MPG. And they want a new car.

Wouldn't it make sense to take those tradeins (screens for certain standards) and just flat out give them to the folks who are driving around the cars that are about to break down and belching out pollutants...and get THOSE off the road?

Arg.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

22. I live in NY and we have strict standards when it come to automobile emissions

and every year, cars have to be inspected. So even if there are older cars around, on the roads, they still have to be up to snuff.

My car is a 1995 Nissan Maxima. I purchased it a year ago for what I could barely afford $1500 and put in another $1000 (tires and brakes) The engine is over 200,000 and knock on wood still going strong. It is not falling apart, drives beautifully and it passed it's inspection. The gas mileage isn't great but it's good. It might be considered a "clunker" but if I had the money to trade it in under the program for a new car, this car would be destroyed and not available to pass it over to someone who might need for it. I find no sense in that.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

9. I agree with you. This also takes affordable used cars out of the market for those of us who

cannot afford to buy new or even a few years old.

[SoCalDem]

15. Bingo!

The clunker deal should have been for cars no newer than 2000.. The idea should be to get OLD cars off the road. People with old clunkers often cannot afford to maintain them, so I'd bet they get nowhere near the epa * mpg listed when they were new.

the should also have extended it to USED cars as well..I'd bet that dealers have used cars for sale, on their lots right now that would "qualify" as a 'clunker"

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. Agreed

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

23. I'm prejudice and love my 1995 Maxima that has over 200,000.

It might be deemed a clunker but it has decent mileage, is in good condition, handles beautifully and has to be inspected every year to NY standards, and the emission standards are high. Cash flow being what it is, I couldn't even afford a 2000 but could afford this Maxima for the $2500 (purchase price plus new brakes and tires) I paid for it a year ago. IMHO, it would be for lack of a better expression, a sin to junk a car like this that has more valuable miles left in it.

[tabbycat31]

24. my uncle is taking advantage of this

the car he is turning in is a 1987 car

[Uzybone]

20. people believe anything posted on the internet

[B2G]

21. Are you actually saying that this isn't what is happening?

Some proof of that would be nice.

[inna]

25. and look, as a taxpayer, i'd rather support the automakers than the odious, rapacious, out-of-the co

ntrol banksters (who caused most of the crisis to begin with), but....


why just DESTROY still functional cars, why not give them to charity or something???

why not limit the purchase of new cars to American only - if this is indeed to save the nearly dying american car manufacturing industry??


:shrug:


and yes, this is targeted 100% toward the upper middle class.