Free Republic

Survey: ‘Clunkers’ Buyer’s Remose Nearly Three Times Than Normal Car Buying. Survey participants were nearly unanimous in their reason... They now have between a $275 and $350 new car payment to make each month...

GM has decided to remove the ‘Mark of Excellence’ decal from all their cars, starting with the new Chevy Equinox. Obviously people don’t want big government branded on their cars — and that’s the primary reason GM is making the change. If you own a car with a GM logo, and you want it off, you can easily remove the decal in three easy steps. How to Remove the GM 'Mark of Excellence' Badge from a GM Car in 3 Steps

Ranking is based on the base model MSRP. You should be able to negotiate a lower price for the base model. Also, remember if you add additional features, you’ll could pay more. Top 10: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=116813

This is a list of 20 quotes from people that dare to challenge that assumption that the Cash for Clunkers program is a success — by pointing out he obvious flaws few talk about. View the list of top 20 quotes: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=116708

The American love affair with the automobile provides many lessons in freedom. Thirty years ago B. Bruce-Biggs devoted a book to The War Against the Automobile. In his chapter on the highway system, Bruce-Biggs noted that the one can go almost anywhere in the United States via highway. "If the preferred route is blocked or congested by some failure or by heavy traffic, you can select an alternate route," Bruce-Biggs wrote: In theory, as well as in practice, the number of routes between any two points in the United States approaches infinity. In selecting a route, you are not committed...

Ever since radios started popping up in cars, music and car culture have been inextricably linked, and everyone has a strong opinion about both. Read the List of Top 20 Songs and Listen to the Music: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=116656

Chrysler Group LLC Deputy Chief Executive Jim Press is planning to leave the auto maker by November, according to three people who have been informed of the plan. Press, 62, was the only member of Chrysler’s senior leadership team to remain with the company after a fast-track bankruptcy under the supervision of the U.S. Treasury.

2009 J.D. Power & Associates releases list of cars with the highest initial reliability. Initial reliability measures any problems within the first three-months of ownership. This list contains the top three cars in each class for initial reliability. View the list of reliable cars...

General Motors announced with great fanfare last week that its new Chevy Volt will get 230 miles per gallon. Not to be outdone, Nissan quickly announced that its new electric car, the Leaf, will get 367 mpg. If you believe that, we have a couple of auto companies in Detroit to sell you. The car companies are using the Environmental Protection Agency's draft methodology to figure out their fantastical mileage numbers. The hitch is that mpg estimates measure the efficiency of engines that run on petroleum. In an era of electric cars -- when vehicles supposedly won't be propelled by...

The Chevrolet Volt's 230 mpg number continues to be questioned. The latest to criticize is Bill Ford, who takes issue not only with the General Motors-approved 230 figure, but also Nissan's claim that its Leaf EV will get 367 mpg. The real culprit here, Ford said, is the EPA's methodology, which he argues is meaningless. "This question devolves into madness," Ford reportedly told Green Car Advisor: "The government will have to come up with a meaningful number for customers - a user-friendly label. And I think they will. I can't dispute that number, but I'm not sure it's relevant to...

Tata CEO Ratan Tata said that his company could modify a European version of the Nano to meet U.S. safety standards within three years. The biggest change would be making the micro-car meet rear-crash safety standards for the U.S. Ever since Tata first announced plans to sell a $2,500 car for its home market of India, many have been asking when it will get a version of the pint-size ride. Watch videos of the car...

Watch video: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=116521

The 'cash for clunkers' program is creating a 'new,' 'old' problem familiar with Detroit: Soon, there will be too many cars for the number of car buyers. In order to meet current demand for the 'cash for clunkers' program, GM and other automakers are increasing production substantially. However, the ramping of production will create an old, new problem: Too many cars on the lot come Labor Day (When Cash for Clunkers program officially ends, and the artificial demand cedes). Historically, when dealers flood the market, despite forecasts of diminished demand, they bleed billions. It's the reason why Detroit needed a...

Cars for penny pinchers: Try driving something small, light and foreign. These cars are ranked by the estimated cost to drive the car for five years. Includes insurance, repairs, maintenance, fuel and interest on payments. Only two American cars made the list for 2009. See the 10 cheapest cars to own...

The highly touted “success” of the government’s program to pay individuals up to $4500 to trade in old cars for newer, more fuel efficient cars has reduced the quantity of older cars available and boosted their price. Inasmuch as older cars are the only vehicles that low income earners can afford, this segment of society has been negatively affected by the program. Presidential Press Secretary Robert Gibbs dismissed criticism that the “poor” are bearing a disproportionate impact. “The government has poured billions into urban transit systems to serve the poor,” Gibbs argued. “They should be happy riding the bus, not...

Friends Fix Classic 1966 Chevy Malibu for National Guard Medic Returning from Iraq. Watch Video: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=116412

List: SUVs dominate the list of vehicles that topped the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highest crash-test ratings. View the Rankings: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=116407

My ride is a classic 1962 Chevrolet Impala anniversary edition two-door hard top. My love has a 283 Chevy small block engine, and when it cruises by on a Sunday you can hear what American automotive muscle sounds like. The Impala was bought by my grandfather as a gift for my aunt so she could commute to UC Davis. After her stint at UCD the car was parked in an open tomb (i.e. the back yard) and was left to nature's devices. For 16 years, rain, sleet and a multitude of shrubs, trees and vines consumed the car, leaving it...

BusinessWeek Senior Writer John Carey on whether the cash-for-clunkers program will result in lower consumption of gas. Watch Video: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=116374

Cash Bribes for Clunkers Alexis de Tocqueville said, "The American republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's own money." The U.S. Congress is unconstitutionally bribing the American people with $4,500 to buy cars in the "Cash for Clunkers" program. Many struggling families can't afford new cars and rely on the purchases of used vehicles. Hundreds of thousands of cars are being traded in and destroyed, not resold. This takes thousands of used cars off the market, driving prices upward. In turn, this dries up the supply of used parts thus...

Watch video: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=116352

Watch video: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=116331

OK, these ridiculous mpg claims are starting to get out of hand. Earlier this week, General Motors announced an estimated 230 mpg for the upcoming Volt extended-range EV--a claim that was later undermined by the EPA. No doubt attempting to steal a bit of GM's thunder, Nissan claimed (via Twitter) that its upcoming Leaf EV could do better: "Nissan Leaf = 367 mpg, no tailpipe, and no gas required. Oh yeah, and it'll be affordable too!" At first, we thought this was an odd claim to make, seeing that the Leaf is fully electric and (as stated in the same...

Watch Videos: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=116320

Watch Video: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=116322

Conservation: The Chevy Volt is said to be able to get 230 miles per gallon. That's if it's continually plugged into a fragile and overburdened power grid. Where will you be when the lights go out? Since most U.S. electricity generation is not carbon-free, the Congressional Research Service agrees. The "widespread adoption of plug-in hybrid vehicles through 2030 may have only a small effect on, and might actually increase, carbon emissions," it observes. "If you are using coal-fired power plants and half the country's electricity comes from coal powered plants, are you just trading one greenhouse gas emitter for another?"...

Alternative Energy: A government report says reliance on electric cars will do little to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and may merely shift our dependence on foreign sources from one set of dictators to another..."If you are using coal-fired power plants, and half the country's electricity comes from coal-powered plants, are you just trading one greenhouse gas emitter for another?" asks Mark Gaffigan, co-author of the GAO report. The report itself notes: "Reductions in CO2 emissions depend on generating electricity used to charge the vehicles from lower-emission sources of energy."

Highlights * Many dealers are now requiring consumers to sign an agreement to pay back the ‘clunker’ credit if claim is denied * Official government rules for the CARS program forbid such agreements * Consumer advocate groups called on federal officials to crack down on abuse Some dealers are participating the the CARS program, informally known as ‘cash for clunkers’ but cherry picking to follow the rules that benefit them. Apparently, among all signatures required at closing, many dealers are including a clause that if the government denies the claim for your ‘clunker,’ you must repay the $3,500 or $4,500...

One doesn’t usually tune in to the Rachel Maddow show for car reviews, but there is quite a buzz in the media these days about the new General Motors electric car, the Chevrolet Volt, and Maddow doesn’t want to be left behind. Can anyone blame Maddow for being excited? Who wouldn’t be enthused after hearing about GM’s recent announcement that the Volt, which is expected to herald a new dawn for the company when it is released next year, will get the equivalent of a staggering 230 miles-per-gallon! I’ll take two of them! Before you trade in your Prius, however,...

A battle is brewing among consumer groups, car dealers and the government over the use of contingency agreements in the Cash for Clunkers program.At issue is who is left holding the bag if a transaction goes awry.Under the Car Allowance Rebate System, a consumer turns in a qualified clunker and gets $3,500 or $4,500 off the price of a new car. The dealer must make sure the clunker and the new car meet program requirements and get the proper documentation - including proof of insurance and registration - from the owner. After the buyer drives off, the dealer must electronically...

I was chatting with a friend last night. He told me that due to the fact that many junkyards do not want cars without engines and trannys the dealers that accept "Ca$h for Clunkers" can re-sell the "Clunkers". Anyone else hear of this potential loophole?

Cash for Clunkers is not the worst program to come out of the current Congress and administration, and it may even be the best. It is certainly the only program that has any chance of achieving much of what is intended. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's worth a damn.

Highlights Higher car prices contibuting to a decreased interest in clunkers program. Smaller inventories means demand is outpacing supply. Little room for negotiations or dealer incentives. WATCH: http://www.cardealerreviews.org/?p=115569‘Clunker’ Interest Waning An industry forecast released on Tuesday showed a steady decline in ‘clunker’ related business ‘even though the Obama administration and Congress added $2 billion to the program in recent days with hopes of matching the success of its first weeks.’ “We see that interest dying down,” Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Michelle Krebs said in an interview on the consumer auto industry resource group’s analysis of buyer intentions. “It’s still high. It’s...

Regarding safety versus fuel economy, I have from day one wondered why anyone in his or her right mind would drive one of the tiny sub-compacts. While I’m sure environuts like President Obama love these things, they’re little more than a go-karts with air conditioning. Consider the so-called “Smart” car: I’ve passed them with my truck running down the interstate and watched them in the right mirror when they bobble to the right from the wind of my passing. And mind you, that’s with me driving the speed limit. I rarely get over 65 or 70 mph. The little car...

The only part of the stimulus program that is working, the cash-for-clunkers program is, in reality, a subsidy to foreign car companies, proving that Barack Obama is the best president Japan ever had. The Department of Transportation reports that the ten leading trade-ins are all American branded cars while six of the top ten new cars purchased - and four of the top five - are foreign. So the United States Senate is about to pass additional funds to subsidize the trade-in of American cars and the purchase of foreign cars. DOT reports that the following are the ten top...

The Senate passed a $2 billion extension of cars for clunkers sending the extension to the president. The House passed it last week. Pedal to the metal, Congress sent President Obama legislation Thursday night with an additional $2 billion for "cash for clunkers," the economy-boosting rebate program that caught the fancy of car buyers and instantly increased sales for an auto industry long mired in recession. The Senate approved the money on a 60-37 vote after administration officials said an initial $1 billion had run out in only 10 days. The House voted last week to keep alive the program,...

Here are the new top-ten lists for the Cash-for-Clunkers program as of last night. Among the 184,304 purchases so far, here are the top ten purchased cars: 1. Toyota Corolla 2. Ford Focus FWD 3. Honda Civic 4. Toyota Prius 5. Toyota Camry 6. Hyundai Elantra 7. Ford Escape FWD 8. Dodge Caliber 9. Honda Fit 10. Chevrolet Cobalt Note that six of the ten, and four of the top five, are Japanese models. Now, here are the top ten trade-in "clunkers": 1. Ford Explorer 4WD 2. Ford F150 Pickup 2WD 3. Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD 4. Jeep Cherokee 4WD...

WASHINGTON — Pressing colleagues to replenish the "cash-for-clunkers" program, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid warned lawmakers they might miss their August vacation takeoff plans Friday if they don't quickly pass the $2 billion measure. "If we don't work something out on the cash for clunkers," Reid said from the Senate floor Wednesday morning, he would file motions to close debate. Under Senate procedure, that could mean votes on both Friday and Saturday, when lawmakers would otherwise be scattering for their coveted summer break. "We all acknowledge there's a significant majority that want to move forward with this legislation," said Reid,...

The new ObamaCare program to fix both Social Security and Health Care. http://www.cradlesforcodgers.com

WAKARUSA, Ind.— President Barack Obama brought his latest prescription for recovery Wednesday to this economically ravaged region of northern Indiana, promising to “unleash prosperity for everybody, not just some.” Obama announced that the federal government will distribute $2.4 billion in 48 taxpayer grants to create electric cars and recreational vehicles. The grants will be divided among 25 states. Afterward, the president talked with Chuck Todd, NBC’s political director and chief White House correspondent, who relayed questions submitted by msnbc.com readers. During his address at the old Monaco RV plant here — where 1,400 people were laid off as the company...

My father owned and operated a junkyard in Tucson for a number of years, and I learned a lot about the auto recycling industry helping around the office and as a delivery driver. So as a junkyard enthusiast, the “Cash For Clunkers” program naturally caught my interest lately. Though it looks to be the product of good intentions, I don’t think the legislation understands that junkyards already comprise an efficient, well developed recycling system for salvaging vehicles, with a beneficial result for the environment overall. I’m skeptical that ...

By now most of us are aware of the Cash for Clunkers program that bubbled up through sewage pipes of government and sat, like a gator waiting in the toilet, for an unsuspecting and extremely vulnerable victim. After less than week, the program went bankrupt. This is par for the course for a bunch of politicians who think using a chubby intern as a cigar snipper is well within the bounds of OSHA regulations. The problem is that the rampaging pack of societal Dr. Mengeles that is the Democrat party seems to be considering throwing a few more billion tax...

Not everyone is content with blending in. Some style their hair into a Mohawk, others adorn themselves with elaborate tattoos, and even more dress in all sorts of wacky clothing that most of us would consider wearing only on Halloween, all in an effort to be unique. And some people's desire to be distinctive doesn't stop there. While a nondescript sedan or sport-utility vehicle does the trick for many, there's a small cadre of Americans that isn't content with a car that looks like a car. They follow another path in terms of the rides they drive. The following (all...

How will this program end? Just as retailers learn that perennial discounts and clearance sales train customers to wait until the next clearance sale, and the automakers themselves have gone through cycles of rebates, zero-percent financing, employee pricing, free balloons for the kiddies, etc., Uncle Sam and Aunt Nancy may be training auto buyers to wait for a federal rebate. Given the extent of federal involvement in the auto industry, how long will it be before Cash for Clunkers turns into a social engineering program for which cars to buy, and do we favor UAW-built cars over non-UAW cars, etc.?...

Introduction: Here's a quick summary of the program. Cash for clunkers is a government run program that allows consumers to trade in their old car for a new one that is more fuel efficient. By doing so, they receive a credit toward the purchase or lease of said new car of $3500-$4500. Then, the dealer crushes the old car and makes it unusable. Then, the dealer fills out mountains of paperwork and hopes to get that credit back from the government. The program was supposed to run for about four months but was out of money in four days. Now,...

Keep in mind that President Obama is using his credit card . . . your credit card, to fund his Cash for Clunkers program. So, it's really not aptly named, "Cash for Clunkers," it should be called "Credit for Clunkers."

Good morning. In my 10 years as a freeper this is my first vanity thread. I just could not stand to stand by and see the environmental scam that is brewing with the Klunkers for Cash program. 1st a little backgorund, I have been an enviromental professional for 30 years, and was a pioneer in emissions calculations and estimations that were promulated and implemented mostly in the early '80's, and really came to fruitition with SARA TRI regulations in about 1987. The jest of my heartburn starts with the premise in the first place. Point 1- I am not an...

Rarely has a program as small as cash for clunkers received so much attention. Yet, the cash for clunkers program has received more attention than much bigger programs like the Public Private Investment Program which started out as a $1 trillion program. So, how does it work and is it a good idea?

Scary information about the cars.gov website. This was on Glenn Becks show today. VIDEO HERE

Glenn Beck exposes a privacy agreement on the "Cash for Clunkers" website that in part reads: "This application provides access to the DoT CARS system. When logged on to the CARS system, your computer is considered a Federal computer system and is the property of the U.S. Government."