what is the carbon footprint of building a new car plus destroying an old clunker vs continuing to drive an old clunker? seems once you have all the energy tied up in the old clunker, one would never save enough co2 to justify replacing it.
You’ll find that kind of info here:
http://cnwmr.com/nss-folder/automotiveenergy/
As much as I like the idea of quantifying the overall costs, I have big problems with the results given in that web site. The overall trend is from small to large in size following low to high in cost per mile, but there are some real mistakes scattered throughout. Why would a Mercury Marquis and a Crown Vic differ by 50%? Same for Camry vs. Avalon (20%)? And why’s an Accord Hybrid as expensive as a Ferrari, and more expensive than just about every big SUV? I’m sure that’s what his spreadsheet spit out, but I don’t buy it.
The clunker program does not make technical sense,destroying perfectly good cars for a few mpg’s. This is a "buy a car"stimulus program with doubtful environmental benifit.
It is a program for those with jobs and those that can get car loans. Not very many people that have one and can get the other are driving $300.00 clunkers.
The real purpose of the program is to increase car production and to increase car sales, both of which will benefit the car manufacturers and the car dealers. In my local newspaper, they reported on Monday that most car dealerships in the area had sold AT LEAST twice as many cars last weekend as they had on the previous weekend. (Because of the 7/1/09 start date for the CARS program, the dealerships are simply holding onto all of the paperwork for the sales until the offical start date)
While the increase in fuel efficiency will be negligible in some cases–perhaps even in many cases–the money flowing into local dealerships, into the coffers of the automakers, and ultimately into the paychecks of Americans working for dealerships and automakers will give many families a boost, and in the process this will give the overall economy a boost.
The fuel economy part of this program is merely an add-on to a program that is really designed to “goose up” the economy.
Yes, it is all about car sales. This started in Germany, where they’ve been doing it bigger and longer expressly to help their car industry.
Oh I get it “Trickle Down Economics” where have I heard that before?
This Program Is One That I Can Really Appreciate, Like Almost All The Government Programs Of Late.
Don’t help the folks who are purposely driving vehicles that don’t waste too much fuel and don’t cause lots of pollution, but reward the folks who purposely bought vehicles that use too much gas and cause more pollution. Reward folks who haven’t saved a penny for college, took out a bigger mortgages than they can afford, etcetera.
Keep in mind that I don’t have a problem with people buying large car or trucks. That’s their choice. What I do mind is not extending a discount voucher reward to the people who have not been driving “problematic” vehicles. They deserve a break for doing what’s right.
I wish all these programs would go away and people became self reliant and responsible for themselves the way it was not too long ago. My tax dollars (lots of tax dollars) go to benefit everybody but me, confiscate and redistribute.
Damn, I should have been driving an 11 MPG hog with a carb, spewing unburned fuel and CO for the past 15 years so I could buy a new truck with somebody else’s $4500.
Thanks, I feel a little better now.
CSA
I would have loved to get 4500 for my 65 GMC pickup. That was a truck that should be off the road as it was a 11 mpg hog, trouble is it would not have qualified for clunkers. I sold it at the height of 4.00 gas and did not get much.
I think my 2004 F-150 qualifies but no way would I trade a solid vehicle with decent mileage for a car loan. The F-150 runs perfect,no reason to move into loan country
I see the resistance now…but I believe we are in a lull with respect to the recession. Gas prices WILL go up from the 2.50 per we spend now. When it’s $4-5 that buy back looks really good and those that say now we can live with 12-15 mpg will be singing a different tune. Forget the “carbon foot print”, it’s an economic no brainer and that “few miles per gallon” will be budget breakers.
I say, dump your hogs now if you can live w/o them while people have those short memories ! The solution to most debates, healthcare to climate change eventually gets solved by the all mighty influence of $$$$$. Stay ahead of the curve.
IMHO it’s a thinly disguised subsidy program for an ailing auto industry.
Exactly!-Kevin(abandon ship-the state is starting to lay heavy)