Readers Respond: What Do You Think of the Cash for Clunkers Program?

Responses: 26

By Erin Huffstetler, About.com Guide

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just another way the goverment has to make car dealers richer and try to put us deeper in debt
—Guest shirley taylor

I'm curious. 1) If we are really trying to get the clunkers off of the road, why is the deadline no more then 25 years old? In our small town, 25 years old isn't old at all for a vehicle. 2) My husband and I are trying to get completely out of debt & this just screams big car payment that people can't afford. It seems that the gov't is just trying to save GM (which they now own), so they are teasing us with this. 3) Let's try something else instead of crushing these cars. Lets give extra help or compensation to small business mechanics who take these vehicles and make them more fuel efficient. Then, reasonably, cheaply (since they're clunkers), sell them to people who are really struggling, but still need a good, dependable vehicle.
—Guest Christy

I wholeheartedly agree with the above statements. I can't afford a new car, that's why I'm driving a 1998 Honda Civic with 177,000 miles on it. BUT, I get around 40 MPG because I try a modified version of hypermiling - I drive 55 MPH on the road in order to keep the RPMs down so I don't guzzle as much gas. Normally, before last year's burst at the gas pumps, I got around 30 MPG. But once I started driving sensibly, it shot up to 40 MPG. Thanks for the great site, Erin.
—Guest Mark

way too many regulations. Other than being a running car. two mpgs is not enough to make a car more fuel efficient. I have an 87 that does better than a new car
—Guest Cyndi

I am looking for a fuel-efficient USED car, so the CARS Program won't help me. It seems to be geared only to help the new car dealers! What about the rest of us that can't afford a brand-new car?
—bf0932

Should be called Cash for GAS GUZZLERS, because I have a clunker that gets 4 mpg too much to qualify.
—Guest Betsy

Ok, the green in me says it's awesome that we are working to conserve fuel. But the green in me is also horrified that the only thing said about the old cars is that they will be crushed! Not melted down to become new fuel efficient vehicles? Seems kind of wasteful if that's the case...
—marceleric

My friend just traded in her van. It was a lot of hoops to jump but she is so happy with her new car.
—eildtcher

There are a lot more of us poor people that have a clunker that meets the requirements than there are people with incomes over $50,000. I have a 94 mini van with almost 300,000 miles on it, but I can't afford the payment on a "new" car, so the plan does me no good what so ever.
—Guest Dianne

That is all fine and good. But does the government realize that the reason we are driving clunkers is we can't afford a new vehicle. Some people have no idea how hard a lot of people are having it. We can barely make our monthly bills, are on food stamps and are rolling down hill fast. Dumb people.
—Guest Fran

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Erin Huffstetler
Frugal Living Guide