Cash For Clunkers – This is The End, Beautiful Friend
Update – C4C on life support – Stays Alive until Noon Tuesday! Well, sort of. Dealers have until noon tomorrow to file for reimbursements
Much like Capt. Willard and Colonel Kurtz, car buyer and our government have traveled up river to find a common ground – to save their auto industry, or have it put down. Regardless of the outcome, that journey is over, Cash for Clunkers is coming to an End. How will history books record C4C? Will it be a rousing success for the automotive industry in America? Or a triumphant waste of time for the American People? Some experts are doubting the “Environmental Impact” of C4C, which was one of its main selling points. Others claim it to be the greatest thing to happen since the invention of seat belts. You can’t doubt a big turnout, as this past weekend had dealer lots packed with voucher-waving customers. The Department of Labor is shipping in workers to help relocated junked cars, and thousands of assembly lines across the country have rehired laid-off employees due to new vehicle demand.. And lets face it, if the CARS Act wasn’t successful, would so many other countries be mimicking it?
Canadian Cash For Clunkers
Canada saw it’s version of C4C kick in last week, which offers upwards of (are you ready??) … $300 dollars per trade in. Chrysler Canada has announced they will match and even beat this number if you come pick up a new CDJ vehicle – upwards of $1500 on top of the $300. (source: Canada.com)
Viva La Clunkers! Cash for Clunkers Chile
The government of Chile is currently trying a similar program, in order to “stimulate new truck sales” in the country. Chilean officials agreed to introduce $4 billion Chilean pesos ($7.3 million USD) to subsidize consumers buying new trucks, thus relieving the roads of 500 old ones built before 1984, which produce higher emissions than newer models. Sales of new heavy trucks plummeted 51% in the first seven months of 2009 – hopes are 250 new vehicles will hit the pavement this year and 250 more in 2010. (source: WSJ)
Ich Bein Ein Clunker! C4C in Germany
Clunkers are being taken off the road in Germany as well, but not only thanks to a C4C-type program: thieves are grabbing beaters from German streets and selling them in for cash. Then the cars (approx. 50,000) are shipped out of the country, given another chance to pollute. Some of the vehicle destinations include Africa and Eastern Europe. Maybe Lt. Aldo Raine needs to have a word with these German car thieves. (source: treehugger.com)
As tens-of-thousands of Americans still wait for their Gov’t Endorsed Vouchers, 100,000 more are rolling out of dealerships in a new, or pre-owned, fuel-efficient rides. But, as with any government program, we may have to wait and discover just how successful C4C really was.
In the end, cash for clunkers did stimulate some new car sales. Unfortunately, it did that at the expense of the poor, auto repair shops, used car dealers and car donation charities.
Aug 24th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
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