Will The Obama Administration Be Able To Quantify The Savings In Oil For The CARS Program?.......

It would be great that after this program is ended that the Obama Administration is able to quantify how this program has pushed us down the road of 'energy independence'.

It would be neat if they have records of the poor gas mileage clunkers traded in and the additional gas mileage of the newly purchased car under this CARS program.

I would like to see figures such as:

"X" # of clunkers that got only "X mpg" for newer and more fuel efficient cars that now will get "X" additional mpg - if we extrapolate that additional mpg over the average miles a person drives in a year - that they can derive a number that shows how many less barrels of oil we would be needing if we had not had this program.

I think that promoting such a number would be good for the psyche of the American people.

Does anybody know if they are collecting good data to get us to such a number? It would have been a smart thing to do for the Obama Administration and to help launch future programs of this nature.

The question is if it needs to be manually entered, or if the dealers are doing some of the work while they process the applications. If the latter is happening, then it really shouldn't be tough to mine the data for just the sort of statistical results you're looking for.

It is easy to divide one billion by forty five hundred and it is also pretty easy to determine the make and models of the great majority of the cars turned in. From that one could guesstimate the average milage, subtact it from the milage of the new vehicles and Presto...There is absolutely no doubt that this not only is an energy saver it is also very stimultive. New cars are flying off the showroom floors because of this..This also helps to create a glut in oil so prices fall. It is a win-win situation and Boy Howdy do Republicans hate that. It is no wonder some will stand up there and make complete fools out of themselves trying to convince Americans why this program is Socialistic or worse, run by Hitler wannabes..

1. The savings can only be calculated for the useful life of the traded in vehicle. My understanding many of them were getting ready to drop down the ownership curve (maybe junking it instead of getting out the low residual value by reselling has some benefit). Hope these cars really do get junked are not resold. Also what qualifies for junking - does going to a junkyard for parts qualify - if so then the overall effect on reducing mileage of these clunkers will be reduced (they will be used to keep more clunkers on the road). Turning them into a cube is the only way to capture the full oil savings.

2. How many of these clunkers are actually replacing the family's smaller car (ie the one driven to work for example). You trade in the minivan and get $4500, sell your small car, purchase a small car with the $4500, and then buy another minivan/SUV etc - why not - prices are way down and oil is going down as well. Many 2 car families operate this way. No way to haul kids to soccer etc in a 4 person small car. Also weekend trips with the dogs, luggage, camping equipment etc.

3. Anyone thought about the moral hazard of rewarding these polluters with this windfall?

4. How many additional sales over the long term are being generated by this program? Typically a car is not something you buy more of because of a reduction in price. What happens when the program ends and fewer individuals are in the market for a car.

5. Back to pt. 1, these clunkers represent an important opportunity for lower income families to own cars (especially large families which need larger cars). You are driving up the cost for these cars for these families.

6. Paying for the $1B (or $3B). This is debt that is going to be paid 3 or 4 generations from now. I know compared to AIG its nothing, and, if you are going to spend money creating an opportunity for buyers and sellers to get together (the spread within the $4500) this may be one of the best ways to leverage this spending. We produce and sell more cars in the short term - which is a good thing (but we may be canibalizing later sales). I don't understand why there was not a domestic content requirement in the bill.

7. I do hope that really good policing goes into this program. It smells like something rife with abuse (starting with sweet heart car dealer deals).