SHOCKER! The Big Winners For Obama's Cash For Clunkers Are The Asian Car Companies!

How is the a shocker, they make the most fuel efficient cars.

— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 6:40:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 10   

the whole program is truly ridiculous. here's a shocker: give people HUGE amounts of cash to buy cars and....THEY BUY CARS. maybe if the government pays for 20% of houses people will buy houses! could you imagine!

washington is tripping over itself with excitement over this program and just goes to show how completely detached the beltway is from the reality that the rest of the country lives in...

— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 6:45:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5   

SHOCKINGLY, top 10 trade in clunkers are all american cars, 7 of which are produced by the same manufacture, 6 of which are the same vehicle from year 1994 to 1999.

— ghosthunter (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 6:45:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 11   

Ford is the big winner. My Ford stock went from $1,80 in march to $8,40 earlier this week

and how are japs selling fuel efficient cars a shocker? if idiot Bush administration had not killed any fuel efficiency standards and promoted huge SUVs, maybe that would not be the case.

And those jap cars are made in USA anyway. from camry to civic- they're all made in kentucky or ohio

— DinamoR (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 6:50:23 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

The Civic is assembled in Ohio and Indiana (along with Alliston, Ont). The Camry is built in Kentucky.
The Prius will soon be built in Mississippi.

Atleast the Focus isn't built in Mexico (as far as I know).

GM and Chrysler aren't on there because they don't deserve the business. Ford does.

This doesn't prove anything though. Toyota/Honda people were just holding onto their vehicles an extra year or so (because they didn't have a lease timeline to follow) until the economy settled down, but this gov't thing gave them incentive to move their purchase up a few months. Would've happened anyway, gov't just got in the way and messed up the natural purchasing cycle.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 7:01:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

Obama is such a dounce.

What a maroon!

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 7:04:47 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -7   

Shocker! Those have already been the top selling cars since the beginning of time!

But I am all for this program. The buyer receives a $4500 discount basically for giving a car that is worth next to nothing. The auto dealers sell their cars without having to lose profit from offering severe discounts. Not to mention how this will jump start out economy a little, cut down on emissions, while giving the consumer a safer, more efficient, automobile. If each car sold using this program cost about $20,000 or so, then the auto dealers made an astonishing $4.4 billion in sales the last week, with the consumers saving $1 billion!

— guambombboy (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 7:09:42 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

There are plenty of local Honda and Toyota dealers in my area. Those sales people were smiling!!! As for it not helping Americans. How about painting the full picture before you blab on about half assed data that isnt thorough and was done without appropriate reseach. 001, stick to copying and pasting articles from other sites. It works out better for you that way!

— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 7:10:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Just wasted my time trying to find out why this is such a shocker for the OP. Just wondering if you have any problems with Japanese companies making fuel efficient cars?

— BMWRU (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 7:17:55 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7   

The Camry, Corolla, and Civic are built in the USA. Trade treaties don't allow us to favor American manufacturers with incentives. It's against WTO rules. Besides, we'd just be retaliated against. Plus we can't succeed if the world economy isn't doing well. We're all in this together.

— robertb (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 7:47:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 15   

Cash for Clunkers was just extended in senate 15 minutes ago

Sweet: ))

— DinamoR (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 8:30:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

*Jobs at the mfrg plants of the transplants.
*Jobs for salesmen.
*Profits for dealers.
*Safer vehicles on the road.
*Less oil to be imported.
*Cleaner air.
*Hundreds od millions in local and state tax revenues.
*Millions in DMV fees for the states.
*Millions spent on tv and print advertising.
Millions in revenue for salvage yards.
Parts to keep other vehicles still on the road running longer.

All of these are benefits to Americans, that far outweigh profits going to (publicly traded btw) Asian car companies.

Who loses? No one.
The taxpayer pays a very small amount for a program with so many benefits.
The only potential criticism is pulling sales forward. This is a worthwhile risk. Worst case, these cars would have been sold eventually. Best case this jumpstart is a kick in the pants to our consumer economy that gets the economy rolling a few months sooner than if we had left it to its own devices.

You right-wingers can't keep thinking things will just sort themselves out. That didn't happen in the 30's. It's not gonna happen this time. Targeted tax cuts and smart spending/investment will pull us out of this mess. This one is pretty smart spending.

— thetruth01 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 9:03:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

This has been a great success and it is good to finally have a president who can create a program that actually works, unlike the morons that we had in office the previous 8 years. With Barack and the rest of the goverment, hopefully, we will be able to fix what was destroyed.

— PerformanceGuy (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 9:32:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

001, so basically the govt should have forced ppl to buy american if they wanted the $4500? Is that what your saying? Sounds like regardless of what our democratic govt does, you will find a way to complain. I dont recall this during the bush years and there was ALOT more to complain about!!!

— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 9:34:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

Stop whining you do nothing more than promote the Superiority of the European automobiles. How's the ML doing? Put your money where your mouth is and buy an American Car.

The overall winners:
Finance companies, States getting sales tax, employees at the dealerships, shipping and transit companies, advertising agencies, television stations, Federal government for getting sales taxes from the Car companies, mortgage companies and utility companies (car industry employees being able to pay their bills), on and on and Autospies for the flame wars and such.

— 009load (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 10:39:04 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

DinamoR would you please shut your mouth. I have never read such irritating drivel about politics on this site. Everything you say is just propaganda you have been fed by someone elese. It is all talking points. When you have an original though of your own, then come and share it with us. Until then, keep your mouth shut so that rest of us can have some peace.

Seriously, nothing you say makes sense and it is obvious to the rest of ust ath you are a tax and spend liberal. The money that is going into this program is mine and yours and it just might be that some of us don't want to see our tax money being used to subsidize the purchase of foreign automobiles. This program is something that we freedom loving Americans call redistribution of wealth. That policy, as you might know, is socialism. Sure, socialism sounds all nice on the surface, but the fact of the matter is that it places too much power in one particularly untrustworthy institution...the government. That last thing the government needs is more power. Afterall, these are the same people who chastize the big three leaders for traveling in private jets to ask for a bailout and then turn around and spend $200 million on three private planes (Gulfstreams) when the United States is facing the most substantial economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Another point- this program is certainly not going to stimulate the economy. Studies have shown that Roosevelts New Deal likely extended the depression by 7 years rather than helping bring it to an end. The way to end a depression/recession is to give the people their money back and let them do with it as they choose. Our government is supposed to be for that people and that means all of the people and since you can never please everyone and do right by everyone, the best thing for the government to do is to limit its involvement in our daily lives. Life is inherently unfair and it is not made more fair when the government determines who is to receive the rewards rather than letting it be determined by hard work and individual enterprise. This program is nothing short of socialism and it only one small step from communism. You like sharing your money so much. Go to Europe where they tax you at 50 to 75% and share away. But for the love of Pete, leave me alone to make my own way in life without some idiot official telling me that I need to give some of my money to him so that he can use it to promote and program that in no way benefits me and which I do not support.

— LJ745 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 10:42:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

001, only 3+ more years to go so keep on smiling. Keep on using this so-called auto enthusiastic site to display your political orientation. What do you suggest, do nothing during the crisis? Or are you implying that the stimulus program should have been made available only for American cars? Is that the position of the Republican party, I thought Republican was into minimal gov't and free trade? I would think that getting rid of old uneconomical cars and replacing them with fuel efficient cars in some way help the environment and decrease our dependence on oil. And what do you say to those people in Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, etc. that make those Toyotas and Hondas?

— nguyenvuminh (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 10:47:00 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

The US economy expanded from about 1986 to 2008 with a minor hiccup in approx 1991. The hiccup should've lead to a longer recession but Clinton came up with the idea of promoting credit spending and prolonged the growth until 2008.

Economics has a natural crest/trough cycle, Clinton extended the bull run so he could look good by doing nothing. The higher things go, the further they have to fall. Dubya isn't blameless but he's hardly the mastermind of the current economic crisis. President Jesus is just making things worse by throwing good money after bad.

It's only now Americans are actually starting to save again because they're told spending money you don't have is bad, not good like during the Bubba Clinton years.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 10:49:47 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5   

It's sooooo funny how many people on here calculate the real benefit/consequences of this program.... ie;, they DON'T.......

YES, this will sell more cars. YES, this will create more American whatever (jobs, wealth, security etc....)but..........once the money runs out...... THEN WHAT!!!!!!!!

We tried this crap 3 years ago- remember? The big 3 offered 0% financing AND.........CASH BACK!!!!.......to buy an American Car??!!! Everyone smart said that will destroy profits- and guess what??? IT DID!!!! so....when 2008/09 rolled around those earlier incentives KILLED the Big 3 and thye took it in the shorts. And now you think a quick infusion of Gov't cash will fix the problem???? Are you that naive??? Until American cars make AND promote quality, sexy designs NOTHING will change....!!!!
Obama can throw a quadrillion dollars towards the clunkers but until we actually make ALLLLLLLL our models compete with the rest of the world we will always be behind!!!! This hasn't changed since the late 70's people- get a clue!!!!!!

— BondMI6 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 11:14:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

This program should have said that only cars built in AMERICA by AMERICANS can be bought. Makes no sense that we'd give money so we can buy cars by foreign companies built by foreigners.

— mocashflo924 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/6/2009 11:44:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

YAY!!!!!! Go Foreign cars!!!!! (Focus is a Mazda, so that doesnt count nanananahnah nah nah na!!!!)

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 12:09:38 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

WOW !

— theman440 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 12:11:28 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

I love the term Cash For Clunkers. Its funny because its a nice quaint little derogatory name. Fu*King Clunkers!!!! Lmao!!!

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 12:20:02 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Giuys if you think about it, what Obama is trying to do is erase the 80 and 90s POS cars from the market. Which is great, becuase the designs and techonolgy flaws available then were some of the worst ever.

Not many cars of interest, and most of the good coupes from the era: Corvette, Fiero, Firebird, Camaro, Grand Prix got too high gas mileage to even quality for the program. The Diesel Products got too high of gas mileage as well. Even those big GMC Siera, S15, and Jimmy Diesels from the Era got too high MPG to be allowed in the program.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 2:27:38 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

shempy, capital J!

— Invisible (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 8:21:22 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

What's a "Hinda Civic?"

— investor27 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 8:58:59 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

Ok,
1st. Its not the Asian's fault that they're ranking high, but its the garbage "3"'s fault that their product sucks that's why people don't buy it.

2. As far as the CARS program goes, it did two things only. Allowed people to get rid of their old big cars and bought new smaller ones for a better price. And the other thing is helped the manufacturers make MORE money in this short time on TOP of the bailout money that was given to them.

Helping stimulate the economy? keep jobs? that's all bull crap, no economy nor jobs are stimulated for a period of 3-4 weeks.

If they keep adding billions of $s to this stupid program, it tells you that this is nothing but a scam!!! There must be people out there benefiting from this government grant and they want to keep it coming.

For God's sake reduce our deficit, stop piling on top of it. It has been ONLY 7 months for Obama being a president, and look what he has done to the country, in ONLY 7 MONTHS!!!! God have mercy on us we still have 3.5 years to go, if not another term.

— Designer1 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 11:57:42 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

This is not the first program of its kind. In 1992, former President George H.W. Bush developed his own "cash for clunkers" plan, touting it as a market-based approach to environmental policy. Another such program proved to be a huge success among consumers across Europe after it was introduced in late 2008, although halting the incentives has turned out to be much more complicated than introducing them.

— topneuro (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 12:51:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

This is what happens when you elect a president who is not an American. he doesnt care about america.

— iamdabest1 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 7:19:23 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Shut Up Birther, go back to Kentuckistan Boy!!!!!

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 9:18:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I95,
You do realize the national debt also grew significantly during Clinton's Golden Era. So what surplus are you talking about? If you have debt, there's not such thing as a surplus as any unspent money should be used to pay down the debt.

Gotta love this, on his way out in 2000, he has the gall to say the U.S. can payoff the debt by 2010 if they follow his advice.
http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/new/html/Fri_Dec_29_151111_2000.html

At this rate, your debt is going to be larger than your GDP by the time Jesus is done destroying your HOPE and CHANGE nation.
http://www.usdebtclock.org/

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 9:38:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Big deal, the world hates us anyway, to hell with it. Dont pay the debt, as a matter of fact ignore the debt.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 9:41:47 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

We can do something for the world so great that would make them love us so much they'd throw us money everytime they see us, and not ask a single quetion about it.

The United States can become a sentient being that brings upon good tidings upon the Earth, but no we have to Pay for huu76's Stupid Lexus, Invisible's stupid Acura, Joe_Limon's stupid G8, and Obama's Stupid Suburban. Iam just joking about the cars, except for huu.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 9:49:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

and Obama.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 9:50:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Hey Anybody see tonight's episode of Eureka on Sci Fi where they advertised the Subaru Impreza WRX big time and then the Sheriffs Deputy got one, and then the bar geek got one, by trading in his old Clunker which was a Chrysler Le Barron. That was some slick ass inuendo and hinting, nice Subaru pulling a Hyundai trick out of the hat I see.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/7/2009 10:27:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

"Big deal, the world hates us anyway, to hell with it. Dont pay the debt, as a matter of fact ignore the debt."

Jesus is doing just that. The world only hates you when you don't act like a bunch of pussies. The world loves Obama because he's more worried about being popular than doing what's best for the US.

Pretty soon Americans won't be able to afford anything except Hyundai's and that's only if Hyundai continues with their marketing campaign of paying people to buy their cars.

btw smoke, I don't drive a Lexus but my car was built in America by Americans. My next car will be Japanese but still built in Canada or the US, not by some 3rd world chump in Korea who wishes they were European because they feel inferior to the Japanese.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 8/8/2009 12:39:15 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

lmao huu, nice intraracial nationalism I see. Americans cant afford Hyundai/KIA Already huu. My Accent gets looks and questions from people everyday, then they say "Well I dont want to buy a new car right now."

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/8/2009 4:33:19 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

by the way huu. You should get that Lexus HS 250.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/8/2009 5:06:21 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

lol at all the economic "geniuses" who've lambasted this program.

say the average new car purchased cost ~$20,000. the gummint's $4500 is barely one-fourth the price. the balance still has to be paid by the buyer. so the gov't gets FOUR TIMES the economic stimulus for each dollar invested!

that's far better retutn/effect than the "investments" to bail out detroit, wall street, the banks, etc. etc.

i guess the whiners are expert in Bushonomics, where the more money you LOSE, the better "leader" you are! LOL!

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 8/8/2009 5:54:33 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Exactly XYZZ. This is a psychological reccession here. If Obama was to do a second stimulus, he should give everybody $5000-$20,000 vouchers or cards to spend within a 3 year time period to entice job creation.

You can buy anything with these cards: A down payment towards a car or a house, a machine for your business, Clothing, Food, a hot dog stand on E-Bay to start a buiness, a sex toy, an oil change, a wheel alignment, gas, a set of wheels and tires.

They should not give out checks, becuase people will save and not spend, and the goal is to get people to spend so jobs can grow. After 3 years the unemployment rate will be about 5-7 percent.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/8/2009 9:11:15 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

If someone steals your card, you can call a special number to get it deactivated, and get a new on sent in with your surrent balance on it. Thats what Id do if I was Obama.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 8/8/2009 9:13:21 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1