A bit off topic, but since most of us on here all love engines as any oil topic becomes 4 pages long in a day or two i must ask- has anyone looked at the "cash for clunkers" videos on youtube? It will make any gearhead seriously sick!
just type in cash for clunkers on youtube and you will instantly see one of the most wastfull programs our goverment has ever thought up as when these cars and trucks built between 1985 and 2008 are traded in they must have the engine siezed by useing sodium silicate solution that when run in an engine slowly turns to solid glass permently destroying the engine.
Terrable terrable waste, youtube is full of model year 2000 and newer rigs in mint condition being destroyed

Here is a early 90's chevy 350 from start to finish- there are hundres of videos, even 2003 ford expiditions!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kzPA9U4A8o

 

this mechanic is really sick of being required to perform the oppisite of his normal job title- putting a nice 3.4L toyota to death:

YouTube - Cash for Clunkers- 1997 Toyota 4Runner

 

Just like everything else the government does, the program was not well designed, and its being abused all over the place.

I've heard stories of people with 1982 Toyota junkers held together with duct tape, unable to trade in their "clunker" because it still gets too good of MPGs....... that is what this is all about. Getting the evil gas guzzling big vehicles off the road. Its stupid and wasteful.

Sad part is that someone probably just finished paying off that Expedition, and it could have been a good used vehicle for someone.

 

Makes you wonder how many welfare recipients are using not having any transportation as the reason they aren't working. Wonder how many of our tax dollars that would have freed up giving them some of those vehicles that were in good shape.

 

Now you've done it. You've got me started. And how about another government program, the gun buy back program? Hmmm. Buy them back??? Does that mean they owned them at one time? My tax dollars are being spent to buy these guns, then they are destroyed. If I want a double barrel shotgun, I can't buy it before it gets destroyed. Nope. I have to pay to have it destroyed, then go pay to buy a different one from a gun store, which may in fact be the identical model. Yep, that's efficiency for you. Leave it to the government to come up with good programs that save us money. Yep, yep.

 

My wife said the same thing when I told her about how they are blowing up perfectly good cars.

Yeah or how about giving all those trucks and SUVs to town road crews and police forces all over the country....maybe saving tax dollars on new vehicles?

I know our local police can use every SUV they can find for the winters up here in NY state. But in most cases they are too expensive new and are bought used......

The whole thing is just dumb.....

 

I just do not see the point in destroying these good vehicles. I sure hope the government wakes up soon and really smells the coffee! This is not the anser to anything!

 

One of the d@mn stupidest things I have ever seen!!!

I can't believe this is actually happening.

No one can say it's in the name of the environment, or that it's in the name of helping poor folks, or that it's in the name of saving car MFG's.

The reality is, the pollution involved is unreal.

Meanwhile poor folks who really can't afford a car or a new car are asked to watch as those who can do so... and are also asked to watch them destroy many good cars. So there is a waste, and also something to drive up prices on used cars, and auto parts for those who can't or don't drive new stuff.

And it's not saving the car industry.



But like everything, Americans sit around and let it happen, and only talk about it.
The government does what it wants because the people do nothing.

 

Well, on the positive side, it did really give a shot in the arm to a lot of car dealers.

Too bad they closed all those dealerships and put a whole bunch more people on to collecting unemployment before this started.

I remember seeing one guy who had a compact car that absolutely spewed blue smoke, but it wasn't allowed in the program because of the MPG numbers it had when new.

Meanwhile, clean running engines get destroyed...

The other up side, if you need body parts, junk yards are getting vehicles in un-crashed good condition...

 

here is a nice S80 being destroyed

YouTube - Cash For Clunkers- Volvo is TOUGH, 2000 S80 T6