Cash for Clunkers Math

rob, its time to immigrate to America!

 

I'm trying Ian. At the moment I'm trying to get a job within my company: 3 years in Killeen, TX
If it fails; at least I got one Buick saved from this tax disaster; had the plan to ship it to Europe, but decided to leave it in the US. And it will stay there for a yearly road trip.

 

There's a slogan I heard somewhere!" lets pass this bill so we can see what's in it"... duh!!!!!

 

Okay, first off, I will say that I have not read every post in this thread as of yet; only about half.

Secondly, Zoe and I learned the hard way. Our first car was this one:
1984 Mercury Marquis Station Wagon (RIP)


It died a horrible death that was in a greater part my fault due to ignorance. Our second car we had for only a few months. We knew it was faulty and it was only needed for the time we had it so it served its purpose well.
1995 Chevy Monte Carlo


Our third car was a masterpiece in its own right.
2000 Suzuki Esteem


Our fourth car was the infamous 2003 KIA Optima LX. It wasn't a bad car but it was a prime example of how newer cars are designed to be disposable carmeras with wheels.
2003 KIA Optima LX


Now here is what is funny. The KIA got the same mileage as the wagon. I don't remember what the Chevy got. It was in pretty bad shape and went through water like a monsoon. Huge crack in the water pump jacket. The Suzuki had phenomenal fuel economy. I made it to Fultom, MO (near Jeff City, MO) from Joplin, MO on one tank and IIRC it only used 3/4 of a tank to do it. The only repairs we had to do to the Suzuki was to replace the struts and it needed new tires. I won't talk about everything we did to the KIA! The Chevy, all told as we understand it to be, needed a new engine, motors for the power windows, windows, A/C everything, and something else I can't remember. The Wagon... well I don't know for sure what it needed but a new headlight for it was only $10 whereas a cheap light bulb for the KIA was $17 and to replace the entire fixture was well over $125 EACH. The Wagon would have been the easiest by far to fix by myself. Also, the wagon has the highest level of aesthetics out of all of the vehicles that I have had in my possession. It was also the most efficient out of all the vehicles, in my opinion, in the forms of practicality and personal preference. I mean, h3ll we moved an entire living room set in one load in the wagon with room to spare, so we threw on a dining table and chairs and WE STILL HAD ROOM! After we lost the Wagon we agreed, grudgingly on my part, to get a newer car since they were 'more efficient... WRONG!!! In short. WE WANT OUR WAGON BACK AND DON'T WANT ANYTHING NEWER THAN THE 80S! We will get a 'clunker' again someday and it will be a Wagon and I will fight for the damn thing!

 

I feel you pain Xavier.

mike

 

Xav: I too feel your pain. Never again will I have anything newer than 87, and back into the 70s by preference. When the time comes, those marquis wagons are out there, as are the Ford LTD wagons. They are super easy to fix, and best of all, because of the Fox platform, most mechanical parts are pure Mustang, which means inexpensive as well as readily available.

 

Zoe and I both are waiting for that day to come and it will.