Cash for Clunkers is supposed to help save the auto industry and the environment. Basically, someone with a perfectly operable car, from as early as 1984, getting 18 MPG or less, can trade that car in for $3500-4500 in cash towards the purchase of a "cleaner" vehicle. This program will work to some degree, but it is also absurd on a number of levels.
The government is already out of money! They aren't able to reimburse for the trade-ins that have already happened and have a huge back log. Just further proof that we cannot trust our government to handle even the simplest programs, much less complicated ones (like Healthcare).
Some nice cars and classics have been made the last 25 years. Ford Mustangs, Chevy Camaros, Cadillacs, BMW 5-series, Audis... the list of eligible clunker cars is huge and disheartening to some owners. Some of you drive a clunker as your every day driver! Its a shame that perfectly operable cars are going to be scrapped in the name of GREEN.
Is a paltry MPG improvement really doing that much more for the environment? According to the program, for a 1 MPG improvement for the new car over the old, the owner of the clunker still gets $3500! The cash is great for the buyer but in terms of the amount of oil saved, it is irrelevant. Also, the $3500 will make up about 1-2 years worth of gas. After that, its a wash (at least they have a new car) as 1 MPG isn't really a noticeable difference.
For car lovers, this is the most disturbing thing. Jack Kevorkian would be proud. As part of the government's Cash for Clunkers program, one of the requirements for the clunkers is that they not be in operable condition after trade-in. Meaning, a perfectly operable car, that just happens to get great mileage and is totally functional, practical and operable (think Chevy Suburban), would be scrapped and would have to follow this dreary procedure:
Appendix B to Part 599 - Engine Disablement Procedures for the CARS Program
Engine Disablement Procedures for the CARS Program
THIS PROCEDURE IS NOT TO BE USED BY THE VEHICLE OWNER
Perform the following procedure to disable the vehicle engine.
Since the vehicle will not be drivable after this procedure is performed,
consider where the procedure will be performed and how the vehicle
will be moved after the procedure is complete.
1. Obtain solution of 40% sodium silicate/60% water. (The Sodium Silicate
(SiO2/Na2O) used in the solution must have a weight ratio of 3.0 or greater.)
2. Drain engine oil for environmentally appropriate disposal.
3. Install the oil drain plug.
4. Pour enough solution in the engine through the oil fill for the oil pump to
circulate the solution throughout the engine. Start by adding 2 quarts of the
solution, which should be sufficient in most cases.
CAUTION: Wear goggles and gloves. Appropriate protective clothing
should be worn to prevent silicate solution from coming into contact with the
skin.
5. Replace the oil fill cap.
6. Start the engine.
7. Run engine at approximately 2000 rpm (for safety reasons do not operate at
high rpm) until the engine stops. (Typically the engine will operate for 3 to 7
minutes. As the solution starts to affect engine operation, the operator will
have to apply more throttle to keep the engine at 2000 rpm.)
8. Allow the engine to cool for at least 1 hour.
9. With the battery at full charge or with auxiliary power to provide the power of
a fully charged battery, attempt to start the engine.
10. If the engine will not operate at idle, the procedure is complete.
11. If the engine will operate at idle, repeat steps 6 through 10 until the engine
will no longer idle.
12. Attach a label to the engine that legibly states the following:
This engine is from a vehicle that is part of the Car Allowance Rebate
System (CARS). It has significant internal damage caused by operating
the engine with a sodium silicate solution (liquid glass) instead of oil.
Ouch. My eyes started to well up while reading this. Certainly there are people in the world who can use these parts, engines, or cars. I'll admit that in some cases, scrap is the best alternative (thinking of a 1995 Kia Sportage) . But in others, I'd hate for someone to turn in their Mustang 5.0. Ice Ice Baby!
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