I think the whole program is like a coupon from the sunday paper - it's a nice savings if it's for something you were already about to buy, but their goal is to get you buy something that normally you wouldn't.

If you were already in the market for a new car it's great for you. If you weren't, then I think you'd be better off without a new car payment and higher insurance rates. Assuming you buy a comparably sized vehicle, trading the 16-18 mpg you get in a monty for a 20 - 25 mpg in a newer SUV is going to take a long long time to offset the car payments you'd get. Now, if you traded a suburban for a prius that may be a different story! But even if you are trying to be green, the amount of energy/pollution that goes into the manufacturing of the new car is huge! It would be way greener to keep the older car on the road with a little worse fuel economy, provided it has a cat and a working emission control systems.

I'll keep my old cars - I can open the hood and recognize all the parts! Plus I don't need an engineering degree to change the spark pugs.

BTW, those of you claiming the bailout is for the unions is totally unfair. While unions (like everything else) have both good and bad sides, no welder on the assembly line in detroit decided to keep make hummers when the public clearly wanted smaller, fuel efficient cars. Management needs to take their share of the blame too. And it's a big share!

You can only buy union built cars?

A tax break for those that can afford a car payment at my expense.

I pay $150 a month for full coverage on my Monty AND Miata together. Sounds like that's not bad <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> I do have a $500 deductable, but I just want to be covered in a total loss situation <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I love this idea! I'm also a bit of an abuser.(It must be a woman thing) My Monty is an ark on wheels and has transported everything from my miniature horse(he walks right up a ramp into the back) to mini goats. (You should have seen the gas station attendant that happened to notice two horned sets of slitted goat eyes peering back at him through the darkened glass <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />....but I digress)

I really do need to sit down and do the math. Good point about the insurance and one I didn't consider yet. I'm still in the debating the idea stage. (Meanwhile the program may run out of money and take a painful decision off my hands.) My situation is that I'm not that mechanically inclined to be able to fix a tranny or major issue and parts are already hard to come by in my area.

I have a daughter getting her driver's permit next month and my only other vehicle is an Avalanche and she's reluctant to drive such a giant beast that has poor rear visability. I'm also starting to worry about safety issues and air bags. It's funny how I've been fine driving the Monty for 18 years and not worried a bit about rolling over or an accident and now suddenly that's all changed.

On one hand I want to be loyal to the truck that's been a rock for me and the best vehicle I've ever owned but the logical side realizes that the truck isn't worth $4500. I've been thinking about trading it on an HHR, but it means giving up 4 wheeling and my pack horse. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

I'll never replace the Montero with something that is as versatile, reliable or affordable, but the reality is powertrain issues are probably looming in the near future.

A little follow-up on this, based on yesterday's conversation with a dealer:

I received a phone call from a new car dealer who was nearly in a panic to get rid of a car he had taken in on trade. The dealers have seven (7) days to disable the engines on these cars, complete the paperwork and get them off their lot to a recycler, or face a severe penalty.

If you've ever thought a dealer played a good game of poker with a car you wanted to buy, this program is the other side of the coin. The fear is almost comical, but very, very serious. Any dealer who tries to get cute with these cars is asking for big trouble.

Frank

Cool! This may mean more parts at the pick and pulls! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

It will, but if you see a vehicle that is designated a clunker, you should be aware that the yard will be required to crush it within 180 days of the initial turn-in at the dealer, so you'll need to grab stuff when and where you find it or it'll be gone forever.

Frank

Good point Frank. Mean's we can't dilly dally about when they're there, they're essentially on their way out.

I was thinking the same thing!

Also, be aware that although the legislation only requires the engine block be withdrawn from resale, the methodology of disabling the engine block with sodium silicate will render the heads, cams, crankshaft and all internal parts unuseable. You will still be able to use the engine accessories (alternator, water pump, starter, manifolds, etc) that are not damaged - but some of these engines may get hot enough in the processing of seizure that manifolds will warp.

I do want to tear down one of these engines to see what happens to it. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" />

Frank