Cash for Clunkers goes...thud

[DC Tom]

So what you're saying is the put a lot of thought into this one huh? Jesus !@#$ing Christ.

 

Plenty of thought. People in the environmental lobby have been thinking about this for years. It's just that the lobby has been hijacked by simpletons who can't see beyond "carbon output = fossil fuel usage". And Congress does as Congress does: goes along with what the "experts" tell them.

 

Face it, our country is run by retards.

[Magox]

Four of the top five models sold so far under the U.S. “cash for clunkers” program, aimed at boosting the auto industry, are made by foreign automakers, the Transportation Department said today.

 

The Japanese are loving it!!

 

Free U.S money!!

 

wooohooooooooo

[Magox]

Protectionist would be to put a penalty on imports, like other countries do to us. This would be an incentive.

Initial clunkers legislation sponsored by Representative Betty Sutton, an Ohio Democrat, would have barred discounts for new vehicles manufactured overseas and offered higher payments for those produced in the U.S. than for those made in Canada and Mexico. The “Buy American” provision was dropped from the final legislation because of opposition from foreign automakers and free-trade advocates who said it would conflict with U.S. obligations to the World Trade Organization.

 

“The share of cars sold to date under this program is actually larger than the traditional market share” of the U.S. automakers, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters today. Providing tax incentives only for U.S. companies “would have caused some legal and trade problems,” he said.

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

Four of the top five models sold so far under the U.S. “cash for clunkers” program, aimed at boosting the auto industry, are made by foreign automakers, the Transportation Department said today.

 

The Japanese are loving it!!

 

Free U.S money!!

 

wooohooooooooo

 

Ford definately raked in sales GM/Chevy and Chrysler not as well. I also read Toyota had less than stellar numbers.

 

Ford Motor Co.’s July sales rose 1.6% in July from a year earlier, while General Motors Chrysler, Honda and Mazda reported smaller year-over-year declines as the government’s cash-for-clunkers program pulled people out of aging gas-guzzling trucks and into small and midsize cars.

 

 

Ford sold 158,354 cars and light trucks in the month, up from 155,866 a year earlier. That was the first year-over-year monthly sales increase for any of the Detroit automakers since January 2008.

 

 

General Motors sales declined 19.4% from July 2008 to 189,443. Chrysler Group LLC’s July sales fell 9% from a year earlier to 88,900 vehicles, less than the 42% drop in June. American Honda Motor Co. sold 114,690, down 17.3% from July 2008. Like Ford, Volkswagen of America eked out a small increase, as it sold 0.7% more, or 20,590 vehicles in July.

 

 

Cash-for-clunkers reinforced a trend that has been unfolding since gas prices peaked above $4 a gallon a year ago – the American migration out of large, heavy SUVs and pickup trucks into small and midsize cars and car-based crossover vehicles like the Ford Escape, Edge or Flex.

 

 

“This is probably the greatest one-week energy conservation program that has ever come out of Washington,“ said George Pipas, Ford’s sales analyst.

 

 

Escape sales nearly doubled to 20,241, while sales of the mid-size Ford Fusion leapt 66% to 17,610.

 

 

GM also experienced the same trend. July sales increased from a year earlier for such models as the Chevrolet Impala, Pontiac G5, Pontiac G8 and Pontiac Vibe, which goes out of production this month. However, Cadillac sales tumbled 52.6%, largely because it offered few leases, which account for a high percentage of luxury vehicle sales.

 

 

Chrysler’s most popular vehicle after its Dodge Ram pickup was the compact Jeep Patriot, sales of which soared 134% to 8,084. Even the PT Cruiser, which Chrysler has decided to revive rather than phase out, showed a 24% sales increase from July 2008.

 

 

Honda also saw evidence of consumers’ downsizing as sales of its midsize Accord, redesigned last year, slipped 28% while sales of the compact Civic rose 3.1%

 

 

 

Ford’s Pipas estimated that the annual sales rate was above 11 million vehicles for the entire industry, the first month this year the annual rate has surpassed 10 million.

 

 

The cash-for-clunkers program, which officially launched July 24, offers owners of old cars and trucks $3,500 or $4,500 toward a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle, if they scrap their old vehicle. Consumers responded immediately in such numbers that the Obama administration said demand has already exhausted the initial $1 billion allocated for the program. The House of Representative voted Friday to spend an additional $2 billion to keep the program going. The Senate is expected to vote this week on such an extension.

 

 

Cars and crossovers fueled Ford’s improvement as sales of passenger cars rose 8.7%, sales of crossovers such as the Edge, Flex and Escape soared 36.9%. Sport-utility sales fell 36.1% and pick-up trucks and vans slipped 14.5%.

 

 

But hey it's easier to speculate than find someone that did actual research.

[Magox]

But hey it's easier to speculate than find someone that did actual research.

speculate?

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...id=aOvqtH88QaJg

 

try again

[DC Tom]

Chrysler’s most popular vehicle after its Dodge Ram pickup was the compact Jeep Patriot, sales of which soared 134% to 8,084. Even the PT Cruiser, which Chrysler has decided to revive rather than phase out, showed a 24% sales increase from July 2008.

 

As a side note: while our cars were in the shop after the accident, the car my wife rented was a PT Cruiser. It's a mildly stupid combination of modern and retro features, and the cabin ergonomics leave a bit to be desired (though I've never driven a car with so much headroom)...but fundamentally it's a soundly designed car.

[Chef Jim]

This is probably the greatest one-week energy conservation program that has ever come out of Washington,“ said George Pipas, Ford’s sales analyst.

 

Ya !@#$ing hoo! What about the next 519 weeks?

[blzrul]

As a side note: while our cars were in the shop after the accident, the car my wife rented was a PT Cruiser. It's a mildly stupid combination of modern and retro features, and the cabin ergonomics leave a bit to be desired (though I've never driven a car with so much headroom)...but fundamentally it's a soundly designed car.

OMG PT Cruiser is a Neon with a box on top. Even the Turbo can barely get you up a hill. It looks cool and that's about it.

[DC Tom]

OMG PT Cruiser is a Neon with a box on top. Even the Turbo can barely get you up a hill. It looks cool and that's about it.

 

"Looks cool" is perhaps the last thing I would say about it.

[Chef Jim]

"Looks cool" is perhaps the last thing I would say about it.

 

Yeah, it sounds like the only thing you liked about it was it had room for your gianormous noggin'.

[IDBillzFan]

"Looks cool" is perhaps the last thing I would say about it.

Seriously. It seems like every time I see one on the road it's being driven by the old woman who used to yell "Where's the beef?" in the Wendy's commercials.

[ExiledInIllinois]

As a side note: while our cars were in the shop after the accident, the car my wife rented was a PT Cruiser. It's a mildly stupid combination of modern and retro features, and the cabin ergonomics leave a bit to be desired (though I've never driven a car with so much headroom)...but fundamentally it's a soundly designed car.

 

 

Same here when I got in my accident in May!

 

We used it to pick up the new pet in late May... Nicknamed it the Pet Cruiser... I didn't give a sh*t what the familia would throw at it!

 

Oh if you want headroom and legroom (front)... Believe it or not, that is why I like my 2006 Jeep TJ Wrangler.

[Alaska Darin]

All these complaints whenever an incentive program benefits the middle class. But this is a drop in the bucket compared to the trickle down policies that gave huge tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations, who still took the money and ran to cheap labor outside the U.S., costing us jobs and slowing the economy. I'm tired of waiting to be trickled down on, it's about time the benefit went directly to the middle class. I wish they would extend this program to major appliances like ovens and refrigerators manufactured in the U.S..

 

Perception plays a big part in economics, and if people see others starting to spend, they will feel more confident in the economy and start to spend themselves, which will draw down inventories, which requires more production, which requires more workers, and the economic engine becomes primed for a recovery.

It doesn't benefit anyone. It's an incredibly expensive program that this country can't afford but I'm sure your masters appreciate your regurgitation.

[Dante]

Initial clunkers legislation sponsored by Representative Betty Sutton, an Ohio Democrat, would have barred discounts for new vehicles manufactured overseas and offered higher payments for those produced in the U.S. than for those made in Canada and Mexico. The “Buy American” provision was dropped from the final legislation because of opposition from foreign automakers and free-trade advocates who said it would conflict with U.S. obligations to the World Trade Organization.

 

“The share of cars sold to date under this program is actually larger than the traditional market share” of the U.S. automakers, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters today. Providing tax incentives only for U.S. companies “would have caused some legal and trade problems,” he said.

I thought I was pitching in yesterday when we bought the Ford Edge(not a cash for clunker deal) only to read the sticker. Final Assembly in Oakville, Ont. Well, at least I'm supporting the town right next to the one I grew up in.

[Dante]

OMG PT Cruiser is a Neon with a box on top. Even the Turbo can barely get you up a hill. It looks cool and that's about it.

My wife has one. Has cool green flames on it. It was my father in laws car. He's a hot rodder so its chopped. Kinda babby moon/painted rims. I feel like a jerk off driving it so I never do. As for the car itself, I don't like it. Style over substance. Uncombortable. Interior design kinda sucks.

[K-9]

Yeah, it sounds like the only thing you liked about it was it had room for your gianormous noggin'.

 

You mean it has room for that humungous hump on his back, right?

[ExiledInIllinois]

You mean it has room for that humungous hump on his back, right?

 

Only with the top down.

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

As a side note: while our cars were in the shop after the accident, the car my wife rented was a PT Cruiser. It's a mildly stupid combination of modern and retro features, and the cabin ergonomics leave a bit to be desired (though I've never driven a car with so much headroom)...but fundamentally it's a soundly designed car.

 

I agree in some respect. I like the exterior look, but the interior is lacking. But I heard that PT Cruiser don't fare well in accidents.

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

speculate?

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...id=aOvqtH88QaJg

 

try again

 

* would have barred discounts for new vehicles manufactured overseas

 

* at boosting the auto industry, are made by foreign automakers, according to Transportation Department data.

 

How many people in America are employed by Toyota and Honda

AND are those cars that were purchased also manuactured in the US?

 

Ford also manufactures a lot of their vehicles shipped to the states. And What of Mexico?

[Magox]

* would have barred discounts for new vehicles manufactured overseas

 

* at boosting the auto industry, are made by foreign automakers, according to Transportation Department data.

 

How many people in America are employed by Toyota and Honda

AND are those cars that were purchased also manuactured in the US?

 

Ford also manufactures a lot of their vehicles shipped to the states. And What of Mexico?

The point is, you accused me of speculating, the truth is that you were talking out of your ass in regards to that.

 

To answer your question, they are produced here, but they are still Japanese companies. Those sales add directly to Japanese GDP, not U.S. Indirectly it does help, because it helps maintain jobs and etc, but the bottom line is they are Japanese companies.

 

Also in regards to this statement:

 

would have barred discounts for new vehicles manufactured overseas

 

I don't know if you caught this, but the word would was used. So in other words, they aren't barring discounts for new vehicles made overseas, that would be a protectionist issue.

 

But for the record, I like the Cash for Clunkers program, for the reasons I had listed in previous posts, all though nearly half the car sales are benefiting Japanese companies.