Cash for "Clunker' appliances

[iheartmaytag]

I was out shopping again last night, almost ordered a new washer/dryer but was having problems letting go of the money. The salesman told me "even though I would love to have a sale now, if you can wait until November there is this new program. . ."

Low and behold I get home and it's on the TV. The government has set aside $300 million for energy efficient appliance purchases.

It's up to each state how they will regulate it and how it's spent. In any case, I am keeping the old pair for a few more months.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/JustOneThing/story?id=8374739

 

[launderess]

Money to buy cars, money to buy homes, now money to buy appl

Federal government is just handing out money, apparently the evils of printing money including post WWI Germany have been forgotten.

For a country drowning in debt, and will be for far as anyone can see, someone is being rather free with the purse strings.

 

[appnut]

someone is being rather free with the purse strings.

You got that right Laundress. I was thinking along similar lines as I was reading over the news. UGH!!

 

[iheartmaytag]

someone is being rather free with the purse strings.

Fine, Buzz kill.

No, I totally agree with you. We have gone 1 Trillion dollars in debt in the last six months. One of these days someone is going to have to pay the banker (China).

What the government is thinking is if we spend, people will buy and they will pay taxes on their purchases and the government will get their money back.

What I predict for the Car deals is: People who could not afford a new car bought one. They bought more car than they can afford and in a few months the bank/finance companies will be taking these cars back and the market will be flooded with abused, ill maintained used cars.

I honestly think when they have a stimulus like this they should specifiy you have to buy an American Built (___________) when possible. In the Clunker program the Toyota Carola was the number one purchase. Of the top ten only one was American made, the Ford Escape; which is a Mazda designed and sourced vehicle.

But if you give me $200 off the washer I may even consider a Whirl-Pool/tag/aide/more.

 

[whirlcool]

I heard this story on the news the other night. And you don't even have to turn your old machine in either! In essence, you can have your cake and eat it too.

 

[j2400]

I'm glad that there is no trade in required. The problem with this program is that I can see too many machines that should be saved because of collectible interest on the scrap heap. Without trade in, maybe a few will be spared.

I also have to question the value of this program, and whether the government should be doing it. I'm not sure I argue against going into debt, since it may be necessary, but it seems like the debt should be stuff that has a strong return. I'm not sure cash to replace cars or appliances really qualifies.

Actually, I think the top 10 replacment cars probably do have some made in the US: Honda Civic, I think. Toyota has made the Camry and Corolla here...at least once. Of course, the companies themselves are based in Japan. But Detroit has no trouble playing the buy "from us--we're US companies" while they make products elsewhere. Frankly, while I've never bought a new car, and probably never will, I'd feel better supporting workers who work here, even if it's for a foreign company, than supporting only high level executives in Detroit. (Obviously, both situations will support sales and service networks based here.)

 

[whirlcool]

Rumor has it that after the cash for appliances goes away, we'll have the "cash for humongous flat screen HD TV's next!

Remember, Obama is going to do it all! ("->!

 

[goatfarmer]

They did a program years ago, trying to get rid of older gas refrigerators. All you needed was a receipt from an appliance servicer that they scrapped your old Servel, or similar, and you got $100.00, + "reasonable" fees for the servicer. You didn't need model numbers, pictures, etc.

 

[travis]

Environmentally conscience...

Folks seem to overlook the fact that repairing the appliance you have is greener than buying something new. This assumes that there's a local parts supplier able to assist in ordering parts and that the consumer is mechanically inclined. Those are big assumptions to make. Most people won't take the time to look for repair parts, order them, and then install them.

We're a pretty select group that gets obsessed with keeping something going. As much as I love all my vintage toys, if I added a labor cost to repairing any of this, I wouldn't be able to afford it.

 

[whitekingd]

If we had out of control spending with Bush,

what the heck do we call this? Oh. I know. Out of control spending that "feels good". Saving fuel, green appliances, all have that feel good quality. But as so many of you are pointing out, it is in many ways a sham. Obama and the gang may spend the United States right out of existance.

 

[sudsmaster]

The stats I read was that about 45% of the cars sold in the program were American-made. And the #`1 or #2 selling car was the American made Ford Focus.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Top 10 per US news

1. Ford Focus

2. Honda Civic

3. Toyota Corolla

4. Toyota Prius

5. Ford Escape

6. Toyota Camry

7. Dodge Caliber

8. Hyundai Elantra

9. Honda Fit

10. Chevy Cobalt

I had not read the Focus before but it does make sense. Though Motor Trend isn't very kind calling it "rental fleet worthy" They have proven to be reliable, well built cars from what I have heard.

 

[sudsmaster]

It's nice the the appliance rebates won't require trade-ins. But it's kind of superfluous in California, where we've had similar rebates for energy efficient fridges, washers, dishwashers, etc for a number of years. If this however makes the rebates last longer (typically in California they have to be renewed each year) and for a higher value, then that would be a good thing.

I wouldn't mind getting an Electrolux Washer/Dryer set... but even with $200 in rebate it would still be a tall ticket.