Cash for Clunkers has me thinking stupid?
 

I've got an old Aerostar van with a blown headgasket worth about zip I can use for cash for clunkers. $4500 toward something new gives me some value out of it that isn't there otherwise.

First I was thinking something popular and cheap like the Honda Fit just to resell. As popular as they are I would think 2k off retail with no miles should move it.

Now I spot a brand new 2008 MX5 on a dealer lot.:facepalm: Brand new, no miles for $16,500. Take $4500 off + the extra $500 Mazda throws in I can have a brand new MX5 for 11.5k. My 94 is my DD car but it's more set up for the track than comfortable commuting. Turn my 94 into a track slut and daily drive the MX5? Try to make a few bucks reselling that MX5?

God I hate spur of the moment crap.:giggle: Pretty much have to do it this weekend or the cash for clunkers will likely go away. Any ideas or suggestions?

Has to be insured and driven for a year + in drivable condition.

If you can pick up the new MX-5 for 11,5k I'd take that in a heart beat.

Meeeh I was never much of a fan of the new MX5s... Maybe resell it and try and get a few bucks.

Track slut track slut track slut! I would LOVE to tear into a perfectly good miata again, its getting hard to find extra weight in mine to take out. But as naarleven said, your "clunker" needs to of been insured and registered for at least a year for it to qualify.

No problem on the clunker end of things. It's registered and insured. I've owned it for 4 years. Head gasket went and it's been pretty much parked but I kept minimal insurance on it. Starts, runs, drives, just not very far! Perfect POS to get back some of the money the govt' has raped me out of over the years.

cash for clunkers even have any funding left? last I heard they were projected to run out a few weeks after it started.

Remember, "The Government" is our taxes paid, everyone's.

Sure it's everyone's money paid in. No reason for me to feel I'm not getting back some of what I've put in though. As a 44 year old, married, upper middle class couple we've likely paid state, local and federal govt's nearly 1 mil in our lives. Taking slight advantage of the clunkers program won't make me lose any sleep.

Cash for clunkers was extended. Govt put up some extra money and said they'd cover any sales through this weekend.

Brand new 2008 NC for under 12k looks awfully good. KBB has it as 17K trade in value with 5K miles. I'll likely try to buy it if it's still there when i get off work this afternoon. Keep it if I enjoy driving it or sell it to make a few quick bucks.

Of course there's the problem of always wanting more power...

Put that $4500 savings toward a BEGI NC kit...

http://www.bellengineering.net/templ...5/mx5_8psi.png

Cueball.. that has to be THE scariest avatar I've ever seen... What the fawk is it and where did Joe find that? :rofl:

I'd do it, personally. The way that cash for clunkers thing is setup sucks IMHO. It has to run, drive, be insured and driven for at least a year... That means most likely its a good fucking car that some poor bastard or teenage kid could be driving on the cheap, and they want to destroy it?? Personally I think thats fucking retarded...


But if you can get 4500 credit for the POS, DO IT! lol.

Same boat, 40's, six figure income, still don't like socialism.

Do it. I wish I had something old enough to trade.

It's not like you are abusing the system or anything... you qualify.. you have a clunker.. so you are entitled to use the program, I see no issues.


Doooo it :D

Just tonight we went to Omaha for dinner. It's 50 miles each way. I drove my wife's BRG. I had already forgotten how absolutely pitiful, rough, slow a stock NA Miata was. Now that I have done more to my 99 it's getting rougher around the edges for a DD. I myself was thinking on the drive, hmmm, NC would make a civilized DD if I could leave it alone.

Ever driven one?

They are a great car. More torque...some minor mods we'd put into these cars anyway and they are a BLAST.

NC's are awesome daily drivers. They're also awesome on that track but that's another story. I'd love to drive one of those daily.

Well, you said you were going to look at the dealer again yesterday. Did it happen? Do you own an NC?

I have not driven one. I just think they are ugly as hell.

NC are not nice, the NC version 2 is though. reword suspension

sucks of all the shit i have none of it qualifys for the clunkers shit cause i dont insure all of them year round just the ones i wanna drive. Even though ive owned most of the cars and paid taxes etc on them for years they arent elligible this is super lame imo. Fix the insurance stipulation and just make it taxes and registration loophole and i would love to take advantage of it. But sadly it doesnt seem to be a possiblilty.

Fuck the fuckin fuckers.

Hate to be racist but sometimes the stereo-types fit. The dealership is owned by some sort of arab, middle eastern, pakistani, sort of guys. I walked in Satuday evening. First salesman that comes up I tell him I'm here to see that 08 Miata advertised on the internet. It's parked right out front so that's not a problem. He pokes his head in the office, gets the keys and takes a minute to talk to the boss. We go out, look over the car, looks great. I tell him I don't need to drive it, lets just get the deal done. He's all happy. Walk in the office. The two guys running the place are madly working at the computer. Tell me to hold on a minute. 5 minutes later they call me in the office.

"So how much did you see that car for?"
"16,900 on your internet special page."
"I'm the owner, I never put it up for that price."
"It was right there all day. I looked again just before driving out."
"No. It was never there. Take a look on the computer."
"Gee guys you are right. It's not on the computer anymore. In fact it doesn't even show up in your inventory list now, let alone the specials. Why did you delete it? Don't you want to sell a car?"
"No. It was never there. If you want it it is $17,999."
"Wow, that's a shame. I was going to buy it. I guess even with the clunker money and the extra $500 Mazda puts in it's still a good deal even though you aren't being straight with me."
"Clunker? No. No clunker. No clunker for that car. We sell you other Miata not discounted for clunker."
Insert sound of door closing as I leave before he can finish his tirade here.

Why the hell are so many new car dealer such friggin dishonest pieces of shit. That applies to all races in the car business, these guys just happened to be middle eastern.

Fuck me. That car was there and a great deal. All they had to do was close the deal. They were still taking clunker money, there were two other deals happening while I was there, they just wouldn't take it on that car. I called the salesman back the next day. He said he could make it happen at $16,000 with the trade in. That's a hell of a long way from the 12k it was supposed to be. My ass hurts....

I guess I'll just use the clunker to pick up a Honda Fit to turn and resell.