Tom E.

Many of those people who drove an older "clunker", had previously recognized that they couldn't afford a new car payment, the higher property taxes, and more insurance. But, then our benevolent Government convinced many of them that it was good to get rid of the old car because they would be helping to save the planet with a new "green gas saver", and their purchase would be subsidized with "free" money. So how could anyone resist that deal?

But, how many more months before a high percentage of those new cars get repo'ed, and then those same people will have no transportation at all, and those Banks that financed those loans will need another bailout.

gonefishn

When the C4 came out it was one of the only nice looking and performing cars at the time IMO (most other junk was K-cars or similar).

Went with all the intensions of buying one since I was driving an old 67 Pontiac which I loved though.

The Dallas dealer copied my license and gave me the keys to take it out all by myself. I was only 22yrs old and was surprised.

I drove it around one of the long Dallas blocks and really liked the car other then the futurama dash (I liked my analog gauges). I drove it like any new car should be driven especially one I didn't own ... slow and grandma-like.

Came back into the dealer and he said to REALLY take it around and see what it can do.

Took it hard and fast around the large Dallas block and timed myself. On the corners it was held fast but lacked the HP on the straights.

Took my 67 Pontiac 400cu around the same block and timed better so never ended up buying the C4.

Kept the Pontiac for another 15 years until an 18 wheeler in a North'Eastern blizzard hit me head on (out of his lane)

As far as the $24k per car, that is because Edmunds stated only 18% of the sales were inspired by the $4.5k and the rest of the sales would have happened anyway. So 82% of $3billion dollors went to people who would have bought anyways.

How much energy does it make to build the original car plus the new car? Crushing an already built car is not environmentally sound move ... stupid move IMO.

darguy

Indeed. I was looking at buying a '96 6-spd coupe (pinnacle of the design on many accounts) and watching prices drop slowly over time, until early C5 prices dropped lower than the '96 prices.

The C1/2 resto-mods with C4 suspensions, big wheels/tires, and FI engines are using the same basic technology. And those are generally well recieved...

ml1955

Isn't it the right of the owner to do with the car as they wish? Some people are afraid to sell cars by themselves because dealers have done all the paperwork for them and they don't know where to start in a sale, some are afraid to place ads and let someone test drive for fear of theft of the vehicle or that their house will be a theft target if the buyer is not legit. Some do not have the ability to part out the car themselves. I'm sure there were many other cars people hold in esteem traded in the clunker program, one man's treasure is another mans trash...

lars

Technically, the C4 Vettes were not eligible for the "Cash for Clunkers" program: Cars traded in had to get less than 18 mpg. C4s get over 20...

I drive my 85 every day as a commuter car and pickup truck. I now have 325,000 miles on the original non-rebuilt engine & tranny (700R4). It still gets 24-26 mpg average on every tank, and it's the most maintenance-free and reliable car I've ever owned. But if someone offered me $4500 for it, it would be sold in a heartbeat, even if they were going to crush it.

ps374

What many dont understand is that the orginal C4s were a land mark is handling and top end performance. In was able to achieve better top end performance in its second year of production than most previous Corvettes ever built. The motto in the early 80s was life begins at 150. Not many previous Corvette owners would dare attemp that kind of speed with some of the earlier C cars. As far as handling the C4 was light years ahead of previous Corvettes.

toddalin

In this case it goes by the manufacture's suggested EPA average and C4s do qualify as they are listed at 17 mpg. I've seen the list.

vettecityman53

............and the problem with socialism is that, "someday you run out of other people's money!!!"

michael62

You hit the nail on the head

vt65

a couple of months ago i sold my full load 93 Ruby Red 2 top roadster, it had 27,000 miles on it and was like new, that's the good part..... had absolutely no interest in the car when i put it up for sale and had to lower the price by 5,000 to sell it, finally got 24,000 from a collector who won't even be driving it, he needed it to complete his anniversary collection, he was the only person i had on it. I am 62 and the car was really getting to be a struggle to climb out of, the seats while comfortable were hard to get out of because the floor was close to a foot below the rocker panel....poor design! It performed flawlessly and gave excellent gas mileage. I have replaced it with a '65 Roadster and even though it isn't as "modern" as the '93, my new convert is just what i needed. I have owned 2- 75 roadsters a 77 , 56, 59 , 61 and 65 coupe, so far i think i have the best Vet yet.... just my opinion....now i have to figure out how to get it on my avtar!

Frogday

It is refreshing to see a thread where the C4 isn't being bashed. Those who have owned them can appreciate them for what they are. I've had mine for 15 years and tho I rarely drive it, I have no intention of selling it.

Low Rider

I was glad to read that the clunkers can be parted out, I was not aware of that and frankly am surprised out government actually had that much foresight
Thanks for pointing that out it does make the program a little more acceptable but not by much, it still was a stupid costly idea designed by the uninformed and unaffected individuals in power.
As far a the C4s go, I had two of them new and they were great performance cars and with proper care they still are. What hurt them was the long production run and the superiority of the C5 helped make them an inexpensive used car. A lot of them were "rode hard and put away wet" which further decreased their value.
My bottom line is that the program was a joke and destroying usable transportation for the betterment of the environment makes little sense.

65-396

Amen brother!

Tom/99

If I could get more for my cars by selling them as clunkers, both my Corvettes would be gone. To me it's all about the money, a Corvette to me, is just a car.

ARCH

Yeah, it seems like the C3 got it thid time!

ps374

Bite your tongue. How could you say such a thing while owning a C2 and a C5?

Tom/99

They both need to go away, and it's all about the money.

Blk63Vette

I think you picked a poor investiment if its about the "money". Most cars are not good investiments. Personally, I would have invested in gold or some other solid investiment. A Corvette is going to be a victim of the economy. Right now they arent nearly as much as what they use to be..

sub006

Those "clunker" 'Vettes only had the engines destroyed. The junk business will recycle almost all the other parts back to C4s and their owners in need.

And the fewer 'Vettes, the more yours is worth!

LT1driver

welcome to the liberal al gore, omama world where everyone should buy new cars that are green and boring, doesn't matter that everyone can't afford a new car....what a bunch of ******** running this country.