How to blow up an engine?

[takza]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waj2KrKYTZo


So why are the dummies burning up cars?


http://environment.about.com/od/cashfor ... unkers.htm

[splatterdog]

Lookes like more insane amounts of tax dollars well spent.....

I hope the former owners voucher isn't denied.

At least no T4WD's were harmed with this madness. Let's hope scrap prices don't skyrocket again further threatening old metal.

[ARCHINSTL]

At first, I thought "Well, at least the scrap supply will be increased, so most old J-tin will be less attractive to scrap."
Then I read the second link that takza provided, and it stated that the program requires salvage dealers to destroy the entire drivetrain only - and then be free to salvage the rest of the hulk. So it seems the overall tonnage will not necessarily decrease a lot.
This drivetrain scrappage will not be really felt until a few years down the road when it will affect less-provident folks who can afford a "clunker," but will be unable to find parts to fix their aging drivetrain - whether a tranny or engine part.
Who knows - this could even be extended in the future to include J-tin simply on the basis of their age, regardless of their economy. Although...folks driving 25-year old J-tin are not likely to be necessarily driving it because they cannot afford something else. Kinda like folks dumping hot Chevelles because they get 9mpg (well, sorta like...).
Tom M.
P.S. If the first video is how the engines are actually to be destroyed - that's a lot of fuel that will be wasted for tens of thousands of cars - not to mention the gaseous pollution and the oil on the ground when they grenade, which then gets washed into the streams, etc....

[takza]

That was a decent looking Volvo they trashed...though I'd have never bought it due to the mpg. My 4 cylinder 4x4 truck has an 18 mpg mixed EPA mpg...I manage 24-25 mpg city/hyw in summer at least.

If things go the way I think they might...the cash for clunker program might just be the start as far as the kind of thing to expect?

I think food and energy prices are going to be heading up again as soon as there is a little more world economic growth. Too many people want to live like Americans...

[Petros]

So why are the dummies burning up cars?

This is the glorious so-called cash for clunkers program, taking perfectly good cars (nothing older than '85) and bribing buyers of expensive new cars, by over paying for the used cars, with taxpayer money (that we do not have) to buy new car. None of those cars in the clip look like clunkers to me.

So the more affluent buyers of new cars get to have tax payers help pay for their new car purchase, and the perfectly good used cars get trashed. This drives up the cost of both used cars, and car parts. Think of all the wrecking yards that will not have good engines to resell, to keep the older cars running. This is supposed to help save the environment? What does it do to the economy?

Thanks to the congress, senate and President that you folks elected. I think it must be a requirement to be an elected official to have part of your brain missing. How else do you explain this stupid wastefulness? The so-called Cash for Clunkers program was supposed to last a year, but was over budget within the first week. And these are the same people that want to run our health care. How can anyone take what any of these incompetents say seriously. They have never demonstrated competence at anything they do. Yet they are going to save our economy, our health care, and our environment? You would have to be an idiot to believe that. The best they can do is get out of the way, cut taxes and stop spending our future away. Money will flow back into the economy when the government stops punishing hard work and achievement, are rewording incompetence and laziness (like this!).

Enough said.

[danzo]

I'm glad Takza posted that video, I didn't know the "clunker" engines were getting trashed. In Texas we have what appears to be a little better program called Air Check Texas. Car buyers can trade in a 10+ year old car that has failed emissions that they have owned for at least one year. They get $3000 ($3500 if they buy a Hybrid) towards a new or not-less-than 3 year old car. There are a few catches - the car purchased must be from a "clean running" list, which includes most cars available (has nothing to do with mpg). Also you are not allowed to participate in such a program if you earn more than about $30k per year. Like Petros said, we have a terrible policy of not rewarding hard work and success in this country, which may wind up being our downfall. Hope it doesn't happen.

Anyway the "dirty running" trade in then sold to a wrecking yard with ACT spray painted on it. The engine is also spray painted neon orange since the yard is not allowed to sell it to anyone. But if you are handy with the turpentine and see a part of an engine you want, you might just be able to snag it.

The effect this program has is that we are seeing more intact cars in j-yards with viable parts (esp body parts), as opposed to cars that have been crashed to BeJesus and back (which often have useless drivetrains anyway). I'm not gushing over ACT, but it does give peeps like me a few better choices when I go yardin'.

California has a similar program, but they also buy emission-failing cars for $1000 without requiring the seller to buy anything. Both of these programs are effective at getting dirty running old cars off the road. Makes you wonder why people crab about new SUV's making pollution. The old cars are the problem - ask anyone who works in an inspection station. The old 85/15 rule.

Just my $.02

[Don Jorgensen]

So why are the dummies burning up cars?

This is the glorious so-called cash for clunkers program, taking perfectly good cars (nothing older than '85) and bribing buyers of expensive new cars, by over paying for the used cars, with taxpayer money (that we do not have) to buy new car. None of those cars in the clip look like clunkers to me.

So the more affluent buyers of new cars get to have tax payers help pay for their new car purchase, and the perfectly good used cars get trashed. This drives up the cost of both used cars, and car parts. Think of all the wrecking yards that will not have good engines to resell, to keep the older cars running. This is supposed to help save the environment? What does it do to the economy?

Thanks to the congress, senate and President that you folks elected. I think it must be a requirement to be an elected official to have part of your brain missing. How else do you explain this stupid wastefulness? The so-called Cash for Clunkers program was supposed to last a year, but was over budget within the first week. And these are the same people that want to run our health care. How can anyone take what any of these incompetents say seriously. They have never demonstrated competence at anything they do. Yet they are going to save our economy, our health care, and our environment? You would have to be an idiot to believe that. The best they can do is get out of the way, cut taxes and stop spending our future away. Money will flow back into the economy when the government stops punishing hard work and achievement, are rewording incompetence and laziness (like this!).

Enough said.

Hey Petros!
You are such a problem solver. Been to any town hall meetings to share your insight?

[Petros]

Hey Petros!
You are such a problem solver. Been to any town hall meetings to share your insight?

I have been to more than a few, even before the angry mobs showed up. I have met all my elected officials at one or another, even the President (not the current one). The local ones I am on a first name basis. But it does little good, they have other considerations based on how they create laws rather that what is best for the country. It would be easy to point out a long list of hypocrisy and outright lies about who they claim to be helping with the laws, but it comes down to rewarding those that help them get elected, both contributors and special interest groups. It is just the way politics is done. They get and keep their jobs by lies, half truths, distortions and hypocrisy.

I used to think they were all stupid (I would actually read the laws they passed, unlike most of them) until I got to know them better. I do not care for most of them, but I now know they are not stupid, they just are using a different basis for whey they approve than I would (and most of you too). I really resent when they think I am stupid enough to believe their lies. And for those of you that do believe their constant lies, you are either naive or just stupid. They lie to you about the laws they are passing, they lie to you about what is in them, and they lie to you about how much it will cost you, and they lie to you about who will benefit from it.

The so-called cash for clunkers is a good example: it is supposed to "stimulate" car sales, but all it does is shift income (which we do not have) from those that earn it to people that buy new cars, and raise the cost of the used cars. You will not stimilat the economy by going down the street breaking windows, it might help the income of the window repair man, but it takes money away from buying other goods and services that are necessary. It just impoverishes those it takes money away from. That is what government is good at, impoverishing the income earner.

It is such a shame too, these big spenders, lairs and crooks control over half of all money earned in this country, including the money you and I earn. That is why I do not care for politicians much. They do not even know enough to be ashamed of their lies and looting of income from the average worker.