[Hippie]

I thought the Cash for Clunkers was a huge joke until today. Went to the local wrecking yard looking for Dodge parts. They had just crushed all their old stuff and the truck I was looking for unfortunately was one of the "crushees". HOWEVER............ They had just replaced the old stuff with a large selection of "Clunkers" and one was a pretty decent Dodge 4WD with the tailgate and mirrors I needed. The tailgate was even the same color as my truck. I also wanted a factory 4 Bbl. air cleaner instead of the chrome open element for cold weather and as luck would have it this was a 318 4 Bbl. Even better, when I pulled the air cleaner I found a brand new QuadraJet with electric choke and Chrysler throttle arm underneath and I mean BRAND NEW!!! Got it for $45. The sad part was that this "clunker" was 20 times nicer than mine and a 4WD to boot. Most of the clunkers there were in pretty nice shape.......

 

[Bryan59EC]

I got 2 sets of alloy wheels and a brand new set of tires for $220
16" wheels for the Windstar
S-10 mags for the 66 Elky
And tires for the Ranger.

I posted about this elsewhere-----turned political ain: , so I wasn't gonna start a thread here.

 

[matt167]

I got a set of wheels for my Ranger, and a few Explorer overhead consoles which turned a decent profit on Ebay and left 1 for my Ranger.. all for less than $200, and on another trip I spotted a mint Ranger Flairside bed that would have been nice for $100, but I didn't want to repaint my truck.. talking to the yard guys tho, they hate the CARS thing. there not selling enough substantial stuff off them to make them worthwhile in the yard but the contracts say they gotta stay 6 months...

 

[cobalt327]

the contracts say they gotta stay 6 months...

Hadn't heard of this until your post, Matt. Interesting- and a bit weird. I mean, that actually shows some thought had been given to us folks who are keeping their cars running with used parts :mwink: .

I'd have almost thought the opposite would have been mandated- get rid of them immediately, w/o ANY parts being resold. AFAIK, the only thing that can't be resold is the shortblocks.

 

[matt167]

yup. just the short block.. I guess where they normally see engines and transmissions being taken out of the older cars, and people are pulling interior parts ( the entire interior would go for less than $150 on there pricing ) out of the clunkers and not really touching much else on them.. so there not profiting on the clunkers much, where as if they were older, non clunkers, they would make more.

 

[Hippie]

This yard bought almost all PU trucks it looks like and many are 4WD. Since we're in farm country and lots of older PU's still in use on the farm that will need transmissions, transfer cases, beds, etc. it will probably pay off for this guy. There are a couple 200* Chevy 1/2 tons there that are absolutely mint, not clunkers by any means. He also has a body shop and does a lot of rebuilders so he'll get a lot of parts out of the newer trucks himself.

 

[boatbob2]

cash for clunkers.......

Hi,around here,that was a joke,most of the clunkers turned in,were taken in trade for foreign cars. i know,most foreign cars are made here in the US,BUT,most of the profit goes overseas.

 

[xxllmm4]

I think the idea of the Cash for Clunkers wasent too bad but the finer points where WAY off. I guess its better than paying banks off that will still reposess your house even after they have been paid for it.

First off payment should have been based on the percentage of US made parts in the vehicle your buying. From an environmental stand point it didnt make any scene. Your taking good working cars that are relatively clean from the 90's and destroying them... Making a new car obviously makes pollution, pollution that would have not been generated for another 50-100K miles.

My other sticking point is that wrecking yards only have 180 days till they need to be crushed. Meaning the market is going to be flooded with these cars and most of the parts are going to be unused.

 

[Old Rotor Flap]

Darn, I was told by a Chevy dealer parts could not be sold off the clunkers. I've been spreading that word and critical of the whole program based on that lie.... to me and by perpetuated by me.

I cudda, shudda, wish I wudda known better. My wife and I stopped at a Chevy dealer in Denver to look at a Hayabusa they had. We had just come her having a colonosopy. She was still a bit groggy from the anesthesia. I thought this would be a greeat opportunity to trick her into buying the Hayabusa. Hey, maybe "press firmly through several copies" and get a new Corvette.

The car salesperson took us in the back where they had two bikes. He didn't know which one was the busa. That should have been my clue that his knowledge was flawed.

I was angered by the Clunkers program knowing there were thousands of people who would couldn't afford a new car, but who would benefit greatly from access to Clunker parts.

I now stand corrected and am pleased to hear parts are available.

 

[cobalt327]

Darn, I was told by a Chevy dealer parts could not be sold off the clunkers. I've been spreading that word and critical of the whole program based on that lie.... to me and by perpetuated by me.

Don't be too hard on yourself, Rotor- I heard the same thing, and if I hadn't almost immediately read of a guy who got parts from a CC car in the 'yard, I'd have done same as you!

She was still a bit groggy from the anesthesia. I thought this would be a greeat opportunity to trick her into buying the Hayabusa. Hey, maybe "press firmly through several copies" and get a new Corvette.

LOL- Good one!!

I encouraged my wife to get a new DD and take advantage of CC AND 0% financing (was worth more than CC). She deserved a new car- after driving a (well maintained but ugly) '96 Mercury Gran Marquis since day one- but this opened the door for me to get a new 383 rotator for the Vortec 350 I have .

 

[speede5]

I was browsing the car amgazines at the rack and one of them had some stats on the clunker program. Intereting (sad) numbers such as over 1000 Mustangs 84 and up. 800 Taurus SHO's, around 800 Camaro's 2 or 3 Roush prepped trucks, a Foose truck, and a GNX :nono: ! There were a couple more that would make you .

(these #'s are of the top of my head may be off a tad).

As to how well it worked, all it did was help sell cars, enviormentally most vehicles were replaced with new ones that got only slight (2-3) better mileage, Most trucks were traded on newer trucks, etc. That is from a news report on tv.

 

[cobalt327]

all it did was help sell cars

Exactly. When you figure all the (traditional) domestic auto makers except Ford were in debt to the fedgov and/or in bankruptcy, you can see why 'Bama and his posse did what they did.

FWIW, I heard Ford has reported good profits recently- good for them!

 

[speede5]

Sorry that was a obvious statement. The thing I don't see working is it was just a short burst sale. The manufacturers are not going to thrive if they can't sustain sales. Who's going to keep buying from here on out? Plus one of the ways they sold this program was that you were going to impact the enviornment with a new purchase, but overall it did little to impact the enviornment. Very few people traded a pickup for a prius.

 

[Henry the 32nd]

Cash for clunkers program wasn't all bad. It did get rid of most of the "Obama for President" bumper stickers.

 

[Hippie]

Cash for clunkers program wasn't all bad. It did get rid of most of the "Obama for President" bumper stickers.

Good point! :thumbup: