Cash for Clunkers Petition to improve vehicle fuel efficiency and reduce pollution

[VX_Arky]

He's got three signatures and only needs 24,997 by April 28 to get this in front of some sort of committee. Don't think he's going to make it.

[IndyFetch]

Originally Posted by Tetren

In response to Fetch:
The old traded in cars would also be recycled, with reusable parts first being removed and reused. This is how the original Cash for Clunkers worked. Please see: "Newsflash: Turned in Cash for Clunkers cars will get recycled" http://green.autoblog.com/2009/07/13...-get-recycled/

Furthermore, automotive journalist and car reviewer Keith Griffin debunked the myth that Cash for Clunkers raised the price of used cars. Please see:
http://usedcars.about.com/b/2011/04/...-used-cars.htm

In response to Sludgy:
Yes. Raising taxes on gas would help to reduce reduce gas consumption. Possibly ending tax subsidies for oil companies would as well, if it forced oil companies to raise the price of gasoline to make up for the loss.

To everyone:
Thank you for taking the time to read my petition post and to make comments. I appreciate it. If anyone has any ideas they would like to create their own petition for, the website is https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions

The cars were recycled... but only certain parts. A door? Yes. Worthwhile engine parts? No.

As far as raising the prices of good used cars... Car and Driver had an article that found the complete opposite of your article's findings. Just try finding a decent $2500 car around the time of CFC. It was absolutely impossible to find a good used truck. I bought my truck for $1400 in August of 2011. Do you think that would be possible if someone would get $4500 for it by trading it in (on a new vehicle they could not afford)?

[Jay2TheRescue]

The only way I could even think about a C4C program that's acceptable to me, is that any vehicle accepted under the program MUST be a "clunker". The vehicle must fail an emissions test, and the price of repairs to make the vehicle pass must exceed 50% of the blue book value of the vehicle.

[Tetren]

United States DOT Press Release from 2009: "Cash for Clunkers Wraps up with Nearly 700,000 car sales and increased fuel efficiency, U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood declares program 'wildly successful'."
The Link: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2009/dot13309.htm

[Jay2TheRescue]

Of course the Gov't is going to proclaim it a success. Have you ever heard of the head of any gov't agency admit that a pet project in their department was a failure? It cost us way too much money that we didn't have, and only supplied a short term gain in new car sales, while hurting the working poor, parts suppliers, and used car retailers. It also hurt new car dealers at the end of the program, as once C4C was concluded, everyone that was even remotely considering a new vehicle had already bought one, and new car showrooms were devoid of customers for many months after.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Asking a Gov't agent whether or not one of their programs is a success is like asking a mother how cute & smart their child is. Of course her child is the most adorable child on the planet, and her child is also smarter than all the other babies.

[VX_Arky]

horrible program. horrible idea. but I'd love for someone to give me a bunch of money for a car I no longer drive. Brilliance in the Oval Office.

[IndyFetch]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

Asking a Gov't agent whether or not one of their programs is a success is like asking a mother how cute & smart their child is. Of course her child is the most adorable child on the planet, and her child is also smarter than all the other babies.

Ba-zinga!

As a former car salesman and commercial lender, I can also proclaim that Jay's comments regarding the dealers not selling cars for many months afterwards is absolutely right. Numerous dealers around me were forced to lay off sales and service personnel. Dealer inventories skyrocketed, and some factories were idled (such as the one at which my brother works) to try to bring the supply down. That also had an impact on suppliers, I'm sure.

[Tetren]

If anyone has an issue with the US DOT article, please read it and comment on the argument, facts and figures, before dismissing it simply because of the author.
Again, the link: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2009/dot13309.htm

Another article to read for argument, facts and figures. It addresses the Edmunds.com analysis and also provides a chart explaining "Actual versus Projected Total U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales" from January 2009 to March 2010.
The link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/...-work-intended

[dikraduni]

In my opinion the US economy is in tight situation now, and in this election climate obama's first priority is creating jobs instead of creating pollution free vehicles.