By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

Check out the city of Chicago rounding up all the supposedly unsafe jalopies for a mass slaughter! While this particular “Jalopy Parade and Bonfire” took place in September 1948, similar events were common across the country back in the day, often heavily sponsored by new-car dealers (wait a second–sound familiar?). I’m glad this doesn’t happen anymore–the whole village-square-witch-burning vibe is creepy, what with wrapping the cars in banners proclaiming their sins and so forth. Still, there’ve been numerous instances when I was working in the garage and wanted to smack some cheapskate customer who insisted on driving away in a patently unsafe vehicle instead of doing the necessary repairs, so I can kind of relate to the impulse. But turning their ride into a marshmallow roast hardly seems an appropriate response. Check out more pics at Jalopy Journal.

Continue reading "Blast From The Past: Government-Funded Jalopy Bonfire" »

By Brian Lohnes

BangShift.com

Talk about the thing that wouldn’t die. The recurring nightmare known unofficially as the “Cash for Clunkers” program to get old cars off the road is going to be reintroduced by CARB again soon.

Yes, this time it is California specific, but again, once these programs get a toehold it’s time look out, because we’re headed down the slippery slope. This is an “enhanced” plan that is even more evil than the last one as cars are no longer required to fail a smog or emissions check to be eligible. That means that anyone who wants some quick cash for their old car could turn it in no questions asked. At least before, the car had to be running like crap for you to be able to ditch it.

California is in probably the worst financial shape of any state in the country. It’s a recognized freaking disaster, yet they are still clamoring to spend the money of the tax paying citizens to buy other people’s old cars.

What a country.  Start writing SEMA and hit the link here to read more about this junk.

By Bob Balderston

Bob Balderston

A “cash for clunkers” provision of the recent federal stimulus package was trimmed out at the last moment, thanks in part to efforts by SEMA and other enthusiasts’ advocacy groups. This time around, the familiar scrappage program was aimed at stimulating consumer activity by urging Americans to buy more new vehicles while disposing of their older but serviceable ones. One version of the proposal would have allocated $16 billion to provide cash rebates to owners of older cars and trucks who agreed to have their vehicles crushed. Where the plan ran into a hitch was at the financing end of things: the banks aren’t lending money to many seeking new-car loans, particularly the lower-income demographic targeted by the latest crushing crusade.  More…

Continue reading "Stimulus-Bill Scrappage Program Defeated" »

By Bob Balderston

Bob Balderston

Yesterday’s Automotive News Europe tidbit was that German car sales leap 21%, while everyone else’s was in the tank. The reason why? Scrappage. While the rest of the world is struggling economically, the German market stays strong, as they have the second largest export market, lead only by China. With high profits from high end automobiles as well premium domestic products, the Germans gave a 2,500 Euro bonus for scrapping cars older than nine years old. February sales were the highest in over a decade. European countries continue to push scrappage bills, much to the benefit of the automakers. Can’t be long before we see these bills here as well…