Posted on 07/28/2009 11:32:43 AM PDT by theruleshavechanged
I disagree with your comment:
(from the website)
Q: What about trucks?
A: It’s more complicated.
For standard-duty models — most SUVs, vans and pickups:
1. The old one must be rated 18 mpg or less.
2. The new one must be at least 2 mpg better for $3,500 or at least 5 mpg better for $4,500.
For heavy-duties (6,000 to 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight rating):
1. The old one must be rated 15 mpg or less.
2. The new one must be rated at least 1 mpg better for $3,500, or 2 mpg or more for $4,500.
Work trucks (8,500 to 10,000 lbs.) don’t have mpg ratings, so age is the criteria. The old one has to be a 2001 model or older. And only $3,500 is available.
“I understood the point and wish you did.”
On second thought, it is you that missed the point. The point is that used cars are being destroyed and that will have an effect on many things.
see my post on trucks, I don’t understand your comment
As if we don’t have enough bad loans already...
I think it’s much better for the environment to keep an old car than to build a whole new one. Even if the new one gets more MPG.
I saw one in Blue Ridge GA a couple of days ago of all places. A big old GMC pulled up next to it and it almost looked like one of its tires was bigger than the little death trap. I can’t imagine it would have much of an advantage in a fight with a skateboarder.
Maybe for buzzing around small neighborhoods, university transportation, trips to the store (if you can carry anything in it), etc.; otherwise I can’t imagine being safe at all in one of them.
Then I’ll just keep my truck. It ain’t the prettiest thing, but it’s reliable and has the power to tow the toys around.
Thanks for the info on the 22 MPG qualification.
Don’t understand what? Your own post explains exactly what I meant. I can’t benefit from this program unless I buy a mini-truck, which I don’t want.
Salvage yards will cheap in the not too distant future.
No more used parts. No more engine cores. No more scavenging for needed bits.
Our culture, our heritage, our boyhood (and sometimes girlhood) memories...
Sounds like the Auto Maintenance version of Obamacare.
Death with Dignity and all that...
The truck I was planning to trade in wouldn’t need any sodium silicon to kill it. A gentle incline would do it.
Probably so, but the timing of the story was fishy.
The manufacturers love this. Government subsidy to support purchases of new vehicles. Right now it’s voluntary. Two years from now it will be compulsory. You can keep your old car, but the registration fees will be so expensive you will be forced to buy a new car.
Japan already does this.
The new truck only has to get 2 mpg more than the old one. I don’t see anything about mini trucks at all.
A new half ton full size from Ford, GM, or Dodge is bound to get 2 mpg more than anything that is old enough to be a clunker trade in.
Over 8500 gvw there’s no mileage consideration at all, only older than 2001.
Apparently you haven’t actually tried to use this program. I’m talking about reality, not theory. No offense, but the reality is far different from the information presented on any website.
Yep, no doubt about it. I'll bet they're going to purge all the salvage yards of usable engines, too. Or at least give it a good try. However, lots of those salvage guys are "off the grid" types to begin with. They might just smell this coming and outfox the feds. After all, an engine machine shop could be run in the corner of any nondescript warehouse.
Not to mention scrap metal prices will drop hurting independent junkyards and recyclers.
We still have a 1994 Park Avenue; it gets 17 city and 29 hiway for an ave of 23 mpg; couldn’t use the program period.
Stephen Chu
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