Cash For Clunkers

[Bill Foster]

My apologies in advance for anyone who is an unemployed US auto worker.

The final statistics for the Cash For Clunkers program might uncover the problem with the American

[tech]

For the most part, I agree. Even to the point of the service departments losing work.

Working at an independent shop however, the story was very different. Many folks brought in vehicles that had been sitting around for months or years to have them put in road-worthy condition...to the point where an additional mechanic had to be hired.

Overall though, C for C was a bust. For the economy, for auto makers, and for the people that fell for the ruse.

[610Alpha]

[QUOTE=Bill Foster;50985]
Service departments got hurt because there was an unusual surge in new cars, meaning less service work for a few months. Since most mechanics work on commission, they don

[Bill Foster]

Oh yes, the "stealership," (yes, I have worked there before ) pays the overhead for the entire business in large towns. If there isn't enough money coming from there, they will just hire some more techs. Everyone starves. In the town I live in, there is a mass migration to lesser paying but more stable employment. A couple of the manufacturer's reps are starting to worry, but not the dealer management. Their worry ends at the bonus they receive the end of the month. This breeds theft by those who stay.

Example: A recent widow needs to keep her poor choice of a vehicle going. Soon after her husband passed, she went to the stealership to see what she needed to do to get her behemoth 12 mpg SUV to last longer, as she wasn't left with much cash when her husband unexpectedly passed. They came up with hundreds of dollars of work...none of which needed to be done. She confided in a friend whose husband worked for an independent shop (she never trusted independents before). He printed out the info from the owner's manual for her. Some of the work they wanted to do would actually void her remaining warranty. The other things were 50K miles too soon. All she needed was an oil change and her tires rotated. No, not all mechanics are thieves. I was one for 30 years and I NEVER did work or suggested work be done that wasn't necessary. Like some doctors and some dentists, there are those who will deceive for their own gain. By the way...her friend's husband refused to do the work. He told her to find someone she really trusted.

[dusso]

you aint looked around. I've never paid over $900 a car. I typically get 20,000 or more miles out of one. If I have to spend $300 on any one repair, I junk it and get another. I typically spend less than $300 per year on repairs, and I don't do anything fancy in the way of fixing, either. i aint got the tools or the training, and aint gonna waste the time or money doing so, either. Another mini-van is always easy to find, and I can live in it if I must, store a PILE of stuff in it (as vs paying $60 a month or more storage on it) etc. I always throw away the rear seats, and I'm considering doing the same with the passenger seat. Anyone needing a ride from me can just sit on whatever I've got piled up over there. :-) gotta have a backup vehicle anyway, no matter how nice a car you have. When I was single, that was a 250cc combo off-on road bike, strapped inside of the van. Now the gal has a little old car that I keep up for her, and I just call her if I have a problem with the van.

[dusso]

no, what she needed was a hubby

with enough responsibility to have decent life insurance, and enough sense to have a decent mileage, smaller vehicle for her. or a friend who cared enough about her, and knew enough to sell that pos suv for her, and get her a smaller, higher mileage car.

[jimmycthemd]

with enough responsibility to have decent life insurance, and enough sense to have a decent mileage, smaller vehicle for her. or a friend who cared enough about her, and knew enough to sell that pos suv for her, and get her a smaller, higher mileage car.

This is the real answer. When my dad passed away, they had a full size van (they liked to camp in it...not a conversion van...just sleeping bags in the back of the van). She didn't feel comfortable driving the van. They were living in Florida at the time and my other siblings were in upstate NY. I lived in Colorado. I drove down over Christmas and helped her look for a used sedan along with finishing up several 'honey-does' that my dad left behind (nothing major). So....my REAL questions are; first, does she have any children and second, if so, WHERE WERE THEY? Family should take care of family.