Senate passes cash for clunkers program with prodding from Obama and Biden

"Congress approved a "cash for clunkers" program Thursday to provide government incentives of $3,500 to $4,500 to motorists who trade in their gas guzzlers for more fuel efficient vehicles after Senate Democrats narrowly defeated a Republican effort to kill the plan."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i_J2CDMBIZhobnHhGIYFCzqvR52wD98TBJK00

I think it is a good plan but I am sure someone will find something to pick apart.

If that provision isn't in there, then I will be the one picking it apart.

Otherwise it's just another give-away to the richest because they're the only ones who can get loans to buy new cars. Even Diane Feinstein was fighting on that one.

details of the bill from various articles and they have not dealt with that issue. The language used is new car valued at less than 45,000.

This ones bullshit. My son was waiting for this bill hoping it would help him buy a newER car. I don't think he can qualify for a new car, he can barely qualify for a used one.

you have to have been the owner of the gas guzzler for a year, and it has to have been insured during that time. That might cut out a lot of fraud.

guzzling land yachts are owned by people that couldn't afford a car payment even after the voucher.
Here's an idea take your gas guzzler in for the voucher and buy a new one then default on the loan. I have a 10 year old car that gets about 30 MPG, I think I should get a voucher for a hybrid like the new Fusion or Prius that do much better..

I think it's just a few miles per gallon better than your old car. I just don't know whether they left the new car provision in there or whether people can trade their 1998 13 mpg truck in for a 2004 Prius.

http://www.cashforclunkersfacts.com/bill-faq

However from what I have read this bill is supposed to be temporary and will go back to a vote and for more refinement if it is going to be permanent past November so even if it doesn't look good now since your son can't qualify for a new car things might change.

and you can get $3500 for a car getting 22 MPG a 22% improvement. But if I trade my 30 MPG clunker in on a Prius that gets 50 MPG a 66% increase I get nothing.

It's worse than I thought.

bill was designed to hopefully get the real bad gas guzzlers off the road and to spur the car industry not get already fuel efficient cars off the road. The other issue as has been pointed out is meeting the qualifications for a new car but that and other things can be worked out if they decide to keep the bill past November.

Why not just give anyone a voucher if they trade any car for one that gets say a 50% improvement in fuel millage. This bill just seems like taking my tax money and giving it to another, "spread the wealth around". Like I said before the people I know that have the old gas guzzling land yachts can't make payments on a new car anyway. Most people I see in an old 1977 Oldsmobile are usually alcoholics that drink up their pay checks. The COPs know those type cars as an easy DUI/DWI target.

it seems the program doesn't allow for buying of used cars and your description is not of people who would qualify for a new car loan or even know of the program. Also if you are a person who has a gas guzzler and you qualify for a new car loan what is to stop you from getting a Prius
or something better than the 22% increase in fuel efficiency. Also it seems like you get a bigger credit for buying the more fuel efficient car. I think the reason they are not offering your suggestion is because it would be too expensive to start up and not the main objective of the bill which seems to be to try and get some of the worst offenders off the road and spur the auto industry. The major stickler of the plan seems to be whether the people who drive the 18 mpg vehicles will be able to qualify for the new car loans and pay for the vehicle.

things?

I know there was talk about removing it, I think from Susan Collins. But in the end I think they kept it. So now there's even more money for people who have good enough credit to qualify for a loan in these times.

It took 5 months.

What are the car dealers going to do with the hulks. Turn around and sell them again? Can second owners then turn them in again "for the cash"?

The good thing about this program is it's money they can't use to purchase 2000 lb. bombs to drop on Pakistanis living in mud huts.

I don't who picks on it..the repukes wanted to kill ..it must be good.

And it ain't just the gas consumption that this will help. It'll eliminate some of those cars spewing blue clouds of toxic exhaust. Bravo to the administration for their successful "prodding."