A better Clunker Plan

[SoCalDem]

No trade-in newer than 2000.. Must have at least 100K miles on it. Car traded for must get at least 25mpg...can be new OR used.


If the idea is to get old clunkers off the road, this would be more effective. there are millions of people driving around in 1980-90's vehicles that have not had a tune-up in decades, get oil changes when they run out of oil, and are held together with baling wire & paperclips.

poor people drive these cars , and would trade up, if they could afford it. they cannot afford payments for a new one, but they might be able to afford a used car, and would welcome the chance.

[jwirr]

1. So correct, my family is out of the running on this stimulus but some

do need better cars. They will not be getting them this way.

[glowing]

2. I agree.. If its a clunking junk, get it off the road.

[B2G]

3. Better yet

if they're going to keep the standard as is, keep the ones that are in the 15-18 MPG range, pass emissions testing and are in good working condition.

Of that pool, offer them as a trade in to the poor folks with REAL clunkers at 1/2 price of the price of the government rebate. They get good working cars for under 2000 bucks and the real pieces of crap then get destroyed.

Everyone wins.

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. It is a two-pronged idea

get clunkers off the road while driving production. If it was only one pronged, you'd be correct, but it is equally about pushing production through the supply chain as it is about reducing the number of poor emissions vehicles. Indeed, that's somewhat the beauty of the program. It addresses both these needs rather elegantly.