This semi-regular column is written (in his own blood) by an automotive sage and noted malcontent, known as The Mechanic. Mercilessly beaten as a child with rolled-up back issues of old car magazines, our free-spoken hero developed a unique "for your own good" take on cars and the auto industry, along with an unfortunate habit of setting himself ablaze. Later, after a distinguished career as an automotive journalist and magazine editor, he cast off the reins of his musty oppressors, carved out his superego with a plastic spork and became The Mechanic.
Cash for Clunkers officially ended exactly one minute ago. Sad. A real shame. Now what is America's trailer trash going to do? Where's their next handout going to come from? Meth isn't getting any cheaper, ya know. Not even in this down market. Obama better get busy figuring out another way to give away my tax dollars.
Oh wait, that's right, his health care system will supply the great unwashed with plenty of my hard-earned money. Something to look forward to.
One good thing about Cash for Clunkers is how quickly it rid the world of Pontiacs. The brand just had its best few months in years. It's practically sold out of the very same crapmobiles it couldn't give away before Obama made Bubba's rusting lawn art worth $4,500.
What's that? You need a Pontiac G5 for target practice (basically the only thing it's good for), well you're out of luck. Some big-bellied, chain-smoker with beer on his breath and food stamps in his pocket just traded in his 1992 Bonneville SSEi on the last one. He's a guest on The Jerry Springer Show tonight and wanted to arrive in style.
Fact is, Pontiac's popularity with the Cash for Clunkers crowd shouldn't surprise. GM's excitement division had been catering to that upscale demographic for decades, and I called them on it back in February in a column titled "Pontiac and the Trailer Trash." Once again I am right. I'm always right.
Whatever. The world is finally scrubbed clean of the G3, the G5 and the G6, if not the chemical toilet crowd that they so strongly appeal to. I think we can all agree that this is a good thing.
By the way, the same Big Mac for breakfast, lunch and dinner detail also bought Chrysler out of Calibers. These people define stupid.
But Detroit's free all-you-can-eat buffet is now closed. And let's face it: The sneeze guard on the sucker was never really up to code.
And now the real fight begins. The New GM, Ford, Fiat and the rest of them are going to have to do it on their own again without the help of Obama's ATM and the sweat off of my hairy back. They're going to need to sell cars people want, to people who can actually afford to pay for them.
It's called the free market. Remember that? It's the same environment that our beloved domestic automakers failed to feed into for the past 35 years. Personally, I think it's nice to have it back. Sink or swim, people, sink or swim. It's the American way, and this is Detroit's last chance to stay above the surface and find its stroke. Fritz, Lutz, Sergio and Mulally better suit up 'cause they're going in the deep end. (Hey, Sergio, this ain't the Riviera. No Speedos, please.)
Considering we'd all like (need) those billions in TARP funds repaid, let's hope they can at least dog paddle this time. -- The Mechanic, Contributor
E-mail me at themechanic@edmunds.com.
gdmstrb says:
05:21 PM, 08/24/09
Where does one draw the line when it comes to being candid? Meth and Food Stamps? Blog or not....I find it interesting how lame put downs and such have become fashionable on automotive blogs. Last I checked this isn't www.perezhilton.com
Oh and one more thing. Last I checked the CARS program wasn't limited to the Detroit automakers, and before that EVERY single automaker (outside of Hyundai and Subaru) were reporting year-over-year sales decreases. So I guess the traction that Ford had going previous to July and August meant nothing? They were merely selling vehicles to folks on the moon, as no one here finds their lineup sufficient enough.
dg0472 says:
05:25 PM, 08/24/09
^+1. And who said it's poor people mostly taking advantage of C4C? Just about every story I've heard from dealers told of people with cash in hand and/or 750 credit scores ready to do a deal they've NEVER do otherwise.
dg0472 says:
05:26 PM, 08/24/09
Grrr. they'd, I meant. Stupid no edit button.
kotialt says:
05:37 PM, 08/24/09
Mechanic -1. Got 2 more before strikeout.
altimadude00 says:
05:54 PM, 08/24/09
How did this get by the editors? This is rubbish.
cwc1 says:
05:54 PM, 08/24/09
This isn't costing us any *tax* dollars. None. Because the national government is broke, and has been for years, and we'll never be able to climb out of the bottomless pit they've been digging deeper and deeper, faster and faster. And our kids aren't paying for it with their future taxes either. Nope, that's been spent too, many times over.
It's being paid for with Monopoly money! Which is essentially our after tax dollars, with greatly diminishing value. It's like clipping off bigger and bigger pieces off of gold coins (that used to be used as actual money), and then giving them back to the people they stole them from and saying, "See, there's still the same amount of gold in this coin as there was before. Just disregard your eyes. You can trust us." How stupid does Washington think the majority of people are? Pretty darn stupid, apparently.
cwc1 says:
05:55 PM, 08/24/09
This isn't costing us any *tax* dollars. None. Because the national government is broke, and has been for years, and we'll never be able to climb out of the bottomless pit they've been digging deeper and deeper, faster and faster. And our kids aren't paying for it with their future taxes either. Nope, that's been spent too, many times over.
It's being paid for with Monopoly money! Which is essentially our after tax dollars, with greatly diminishing value. It's like clipping off bigger and bigger pieces off of gold coins (that used to be used as actual money), and then giving them back to the people they stole them from and saying, "See, there's still the same amount of gold in this coin as there was before. Just disregard your eyes. You can trust us." How stupid does Washington think the majority of people are? Pretty darn stupid, apparently.
truepatriot says:
07:57 PM, 08/24/09
I wish The Mechanic would go back to whatever country he's from if he doesn't like democracy in the great ole USA.
I hope he's not paid for this by anyone but the KKK.
sabastian says:
08:20 PM, 08/24/09
Didn't the Mechanic write an article a while back called something like "Give the D3 the money?" Consistency? Anyone?
94accord_lover says:
08:48 PM, 08/24/09
Let me guess, the KKK MUST have financed this article because it disses the Almighty Anointed One, right? I forgot, can't make a legitimate criticism of the current administration w/o being labeled a racist.
Anyway, I totally agree with The Mechanic on this one. It's just another example of how the government is taking my (our) money and distributing it in ways they see fit. Who decided instead of paying down debt with all of the "found money" they managed to search congressional couch cushions for, they should use it to subsidize the purchase of cars?
I am very bitter about how the money was "found", because the roughly $3 billion used for C4C was supposed to be loan guarantees for renewable energy resources. I live near the site (Piketon, OH) where an American company (United States Enrichment Corp.) and a French company (Areva) were planning on building a nuclear power plant on the site of a former enrichment facility. Well, President Obama and his Energy Secretary/ Minion Stephen Chu decided that instead of creating 4,000 jobs over ten years by giving them a $2 billion loan guarantee, it would be better to help Bubba into a "Shaaaanneeee Ba-Rand new car". Instead of investing in a sure thing (Areva is the company who single-handedly helped France create 80% of their power from nuclear) and boosting an area in dire need of new jobs, they decided on "Cash for Clunkers". What happened to Obama's dedication to clean energy? What happened to "hope and change"?
Remember, Ted Kennedy's car has killed more Americans than nuclear energy, which, ironically, he can now trade in a clunker for instead of flip a light on powered by nuclear energy.
BTW, I am a bitter, gun-clinging, bible-toting white man. And no, this rant was not sponsored by the KKK.
brn says:
08:50 PM, 08/24/09
The first two posts pretty much sum it up. The Mechanic blew it on this one (again).
kingkhalas says:
08:53 PM, 08/24/09
Once again, the Mechanic rules!
You need a daily blog, this stuff is just too good.
Thanks again for making my day.
davesuton says:
10:23 PM, 08/24/09
Gee wiz, the big story was how the Korean's and Asians were big winners in the C4C's. When I drove past the trailer park near my work, it looked like most of the new cars were Hyundais, Kia's, Honda's and Toyotas. So I guess we have a new status symbol for American trailer trash-Wanna-be Jerry Springer guests. Its called import vehicle.
dodgeman07 says:
10:44 PM, 08/24/09
Reminds me of the joke, "Do you know what P.O.N.T.I.A.C. really stands for?".
Anyway C4C worked and now we have a new Federal subsidy for appliances starting this fall.
Yes! I understand it's going to be called "Cash for Reefer"! Get $200 off the purchase of a new energy efficient refrigerator!
This is NOT a joke.
jordanw says:
11:40 PM, 08/24/09
Well said! C4C is such a joke. I want to know how many stupid Americans took advantage of the program and ended up buying cars that they can't afford. I bet a year from now there will be reports (of course not reported by the media) about multitudes of these C4C cars being repossessed because the welfare moochers can't pay their $199/month car payment.
What is the next program that Obama is going to redistribute my tax dollars with? Cash for Shi**y Houses?
Take the ATM card away from Obama and Congress and vote in politicians in both parties that now financial responsibility and free market values!
jordanw says:
11:42 PM, 08/24/09
Well said! C4C is such a joke. I want to know how many stupid Americans took advantage of the program and ended up buying cars that they can't afford. I bet a year from now there will be reports (of course not reported by the media) about multitudes of these C4C cars being repossessed because the welfare moochers can't pay their $199/month car payment.
What is the next program that Obama is going to redistribute my tax dollars with? Cash for Shi**y Houses?
Take the ATM card away from Obama and Congress and vote in politicians in both parties that now financial responsibility and free market values!
gdmstrb says:
02:03 AM, 08/25/09
"Let me guess, the KKK MUST have financed this article because it disses the Almighty Anointed One, right? I forgot, can't make a legitimate criticism of the current administration w/o being labeled a racist."
Really? That's about the most absurd thing I've read on Inside Line/Edmunds ever! Take your political agenda and find some silly forum to spew it on. Geez.
efinils2 says:
02:51 AM, 08/25/09
For those suffering of amnesia, lets do a memory refresh: ~$1 trillion to reconstruct countries that are not our own, and their own inhabitants are hellbent in blowing them away and ~$400 billion for the very people that helped decimate our savings and retirement funds; however, as soon as the government releases ~$4 billion to help the automakers and all parties associated with that business, some cry foul...how easy some of you forget.
mirde98 says:
03:36 AM, 08/25/09
LOLOL!!!! "going to the Jerry Springer Show and wanted to arrive in style"....kills me!!!! Soo funny. I agree with The Mechanic.
kingfish4 says:
03:36 AM, 08/25/09
The Mechanic is just pissed because his Yugo didn't qualify.
And he really had his heart set on getting a Hyundai Accent so that he could update his living quarters, and could move out from under the underpass bridge.
zoomzoomn says:
04:33 AM, 08/25/09
I don't know a single dealer in my area that has yet recieved their first payment. ZERO! One dealer I was talking to is out $1.8M and waiting to be reimbursed!!! They stopped the program early when they found out how much they are having to go through to get their money back. The process, it would seem, has a certain amount of red tape. It's pretty clear cut, but the dealers keep getting the claimed vouchers rejected for niggly details. Add to that the fact there's up to a 10 day period allowed for response...on the initial claim and the resubmissions. The dealers weren't banking on this type of delay. Literally. Maybe the gov will add interest! Ha!!!
wrinklebump says:
04:56 AM, 08/25/09
The Mechanic isn't racist, as his tirade over 'white trash' makes obvious. He likes being stupid. He gets paid to be stupid. Alan Greenspan could post an eloquent defense of Obama's economic policy and the Mechanic's next commentary would question his gender.
As his last column makes abundantly clear, the Mechanic really only cares about one thing: cars. Anything that he perceives as even remotely threatening to cars, the truth be damned, is the devil. This is not an intelligent or reasonable position, and any intellectual assessment of the world today would reject it as preposterous. But he is not, and to his credit, doesn't claim to be, a reasonable individual.
What the Mechanic is, as I've said before, is something of a nihilist. He's convinced himself that the world is essentially an unsalvagable mess, everyone sucks, especially poor people, so the only thing worth doing is going fast.
nissanfanatic says:
05:06 AM, 08/25/09
LMAO! First of all let me thank the Mechanic for giving me a good laugh today. Yeah this was a little stereotypical, but it was really good for a laugh. (now for the serious part)
First and foremost this is a place for car enthusiest to discuss topics on cars. This is NOT a political forum. If thats what you want, log on to foxnews.com an get your jollies off there. Yeah, you wont like the Mechanic's opinions if you're not obsessed with cars and look at life in basic mechanical, layman mindset that you cant polish a turd. And why are you taking it so personally? You have to agree hands down that these guys (mostly GM) did not take advantage of the free market.
"By the way, the same Big Mac for breakfast, lunch and dinner detail also bought Chrysler out of Calibers. These people define stupid."
Yeah they define stupid because these are the same idiots who said the Neon sucked (which it did) and where thankful that they made the "better" Caliper. They're pretty stupid to me too.(thats MY opinion)
"Let me guess, the KKK MUST have financed this article because it disses the Almighty Anointed One, right? I forgot, can't make a legitimate criticism of the current administration w/o being labeled a racist."
I'm not gonna say that I cant believe you said that because you're Pontiac driving, bitter, gun-clinging, bible-toting white man. Its what you do (thats not my opinion because he admitted it himself). But I'm just wondering why you said it on a car blog. Go somewhere with that stuff man.
Oh and BTW, if you stopped just toting that Bible around and stopped clinging the gun so you could turn the pages and read it, you wouldnt be so judemental about another fellow human being that you barely even know.
thammer62 says:
05:12 AM, 08/25/09
Those that disagree with The Mechanic - you're doing him a favor by responding and saying so. Does anyone know why Rush Limbaugh and Bill O' Reilly get such good ratings? Because they are polarizing - people that like him watch/listen, and sometimes people that hate him watch/listen. All The Mechanic wants is responses. The more you type how much you hate him, the more polarizing and interesting he becomes to his backer. If you hate what he says, don't respond. Trust me. No responses will make him go away a lot more than tons of responses for each article. And I usually agree with his views, but not this one. His articles stir the pot and his opponents unknowingly become his financial supports.
fuhteng says:
05:57 AM, 08/25/09
It was pretty funny, but I've come to realize that The Mechanic is like South Park. Some of the episodes are brilliant (What Pontiac Should Have Been and the 2004 Election Commentary) and some are lousy (this one and anything involving Mr. Hankey).
Anyways, I hope that C4C works. I really don't mind the $3 billion given out. It would be given out to someone anyway ):
neuspeed says:
05:57 AM, 08/25/09
Great satire!
jacton says:
06:14 AM, 08/25/09
Oh and BTW, if you stopped just toting that Bible around and stopped clinging the gun so you could turn the pages and read it, you wouldnt be so judemental about another fellow human being that you barely even know.
You seem to conveniently forget that this country was founded by gun clinging, bible toting rebels. And I read nothing in that post juding anyone esp. on the comment you quoted.
get a life.
1487 says:
06:14 AM, 08/25/09
"How did this get by the editors? This is rubbish."
This is edmunds. You are surprised.
Why is it that conservative idiots like the Mechanic always assume that anyone who takes advantage of an incentive program doesn't pay any taxes? I don't get that. How does he know that everyone who participated in C4C is taking "his money"? What is the basis for that?
Toyota was the biggest selling brand under CFC, not Pontiac. What an idiot.
ms3hothatch says:
06:35 AM, 08/25/09
The Mechanic is STUPID! I know millionaires who drive clunkers. If fact, both my father and brother have cash falling off their pockets and they drive crappy old cars (a 1991 Cavalier and a 1994 Saturn, respectively, are considered crappy for people of their means). I make good money as a VP in my Company and drive a great car. A 2009 Mazda3. A lot of pretencious people drive cars that they can't really afford (I know because I know how much people make around here and many can't afford lunch because of car and other payments, etc.). Many, but many, clunker owners are simply thrifty people who driving or owning a car is a necessity not a passion. I love cars, but have other bigger priorities like private school for my daughter, pre-paid tuition, $1,700/month 401K contribution, etc). Therefore, the Mazda3 satisfies me for now. Assuming clunkers are owned and driven by poor people only is misleading.
icecubefosho says:
06:55 AM, 08/25/09
Dear Mr. Mechanic
I love your blogs
I love the controversy they cause
I love how your sense of humor is
Keep Writing
And screw cash for clunkers. We bailed out the banks and now they're raising all minimum payments and rates on me. Cutting down credit levels EVEN THOUGH I PAY ON TIME ALL THE TIME FOR YEARS! Chase is doing it totally at RANDOM without properly seeing WHO NEEDS TO BE SCREWED OVER. If the government wanted to help me, they'd fix that crap, and give the MIDDLE CLASS STUDENTS some more aid from FAFSA. Thank you Federal Government! My mom has 4 children, one just completed law school, the rest still have to pay off our loans, and now she has cancer again, she can't afford to put me through a regular university after I had everything worked out so now I have to attend community college and work part time to save money for Pharmacy school. My dad works and gets about $100,000 a year but the government doesn't realize how much EDUCATION COSTS.
Why the HELL to I want to save the American auto industries? Heres an idea MAKE A DAMN TAX CUT FOR COMPANIES IF THEY CREATE JOBS IN AMERICA AND DON'T OUTSOURCE! Kill off that piece of junk Chrysler label, GM Doesn't deserve to live any longer, with those two gone, Ford can be our sole American car.
:ahem:
Sorry for that little rant
rsrtampaa3 says:
06:56 AM, 08/25/09
I work for a large defense contractor with nothing but conservative republicans working here and I can count 6 cash for clunkers trade ins and thats just the ones that I'm aware of.
This article is a big load of pathetic hateful crap. Sad that its on a site dedicated to CARS. Now off to Autoweek.com ...my new favorite cart site.
mrryte says:
07:00 AM, 08/25/09
thammer62-
"Those that disagree with The Mechanic - you're doing him a favor by responding and saying so. Does anyone know why Rush Limbaugh and Bill O' Reilly get such good ratings? Because they are polarizing - people that like him watch/listen, and sometimes people that hate him watch/listen. All The Mechanic wants is responses. The more you type how much you hate him, the more polarizing and interesting he becomes to his backer. If you hate what he says, don't respond. Trust me. No responses will make him go away a lot more than tons of responses for each article. And I usually agree with his views, but not this one. His articles stir the pot and his opponents unknowingly become his financial supports."
Glad to know someone has figured it out. The current rule of marketing: Controversy sells. That's why the news media focuses almost exclusively on all the people screaming and yelling at these town-hall health care debates.
Regarding "The Mechanic"-Edmunds allows him to post because of all the love/hate responses (aka:traffic) generated by his intellectual garbage. It's total lunacy, but alas, it's still "free speech."
His rants add nothing to the wealth of info to be found on other parts of Edmunds.com so rather than get worked up over it, DO NOT RESPOND OR PAY ATTENTION TO HIM.
fredzy1 says:
07:01 AM, 08/25/09
I'm sick of this crap in IL. As mentioned previously by another individual, I can go to fox news if I want to hear scared, angry people rant and rave politics. Which I don't.
Usually I ignore this "mechanic's" articles, and always regret when I don't. For example, I just wasted 5 mins typing this. At this point I only visit IL by habit... can't remember an actually interesting article I found on here that I couldn't find on any other car blog. This is just reason for me to break the habit.
porsche986 says:
07:42 AM, 08/25/09
OK, I understand that this is a blog... but still, what total and complete CRAP. "The Mechanic" rants are just plain silly. Maybe he works for Fox "News"?
How did this get by an editor? Seriously? Trailer trash? Big Three?
I am no fan of the D3, but the CARS program was not restricted to domestic auto companies...
Hey Edmunds: Cut this guy off... he tarnishes what thin content you provide on InsideLine.
tib2006 says:
07:42 AM, 08/25/09
Over the years, Pontiac has become just like Lever 2000, going straight down the toilet. What happened to what was originally referred to as GM's excitement division? Much of the time, all they did was rebadge Chevy's and call them Pontiacs? Do you really expect me to believe that a Pontiac G5 is somehow better than a Cobalt? Not a chance. I do give them credit for coming back to their roots with the G8, which is an amazingly fast car and definitely has given other manuafacturers something to be concerned with. a G3? Come on...this is for sure nothing exciting. Whats next? A G1 moped? Thats right, I forgot that Pontiac is no longer going to be a subsidiary of GM!
perrito says:
08:18 AM, 08/25/09
Wow - where to begin? First, there's no empirical basis (for a car head?) to say that it's all Pontiacs and Chrysler. Facts - the #1 traded in vehicle was the Ford Explorer, the #1 purchased vehicle was the Toyota Corolla. 80% of the purchased vehicles were imports.
That's not to say that C4C didn't have problems, such as getting $3500 for a 4 mpg (or even 2mpg) improvement - really? That's the best we could incentivize the program that's supposed to stimulate the economy and clearn air, and reduce gasoline dependency? How about 10 mpg minimum?
So, that's two strikes on issues that would actually matter to a car lover, I'd suggest the Mechanic do a little more research before spouting off Bill O'Reilly rhetoric. One more like this and I quite the IL community.
And it's OK for me to be vexed, since I'm white (trash?). And to compare an incentive like this, which amounts to corporate welfare (yes it does, read about the program carefully), to the attempt to provide health care coverage, is just ludicrous. Man up, Mechanic, or retire.
segalisb says:
08:24 AM, 08/25/09
I am all for free speech and all... but edmunds should think twice or thrice before allowing this individual to post. The purpose of this blog is automobiles, not spewing derogatory nonsense and racism (i.e., the speedos comment). I don't find this funny at all in this content even though I am not "trailer trash" or Italian and don't suffer from lack of sense of humor. There is place for everything, however. It's easy to disparage the poor and call them stupid and complain about your tax dollars, there is no cost to it to the writer because those constituencies are underrepresented on this blog. But please look in the mirror. Who are you? How much do you pay in taxes? I am betting that of the 4500 dollars that the government provided, your share was actually 1 penny, if at all. Please note that the rich, who pay much in taxes are not complaining about this program or about the proposed health care plan. It's their taxes paying for it, not yours. And you're obviously not bright enough to understand that that this was an investment that yielded an important return to our economy by keeping many employed. That's not as much fun to talk about as making derogatory remarks, I know. If you're so opposed to government funding, let's be consistent... no medicare or social security for you, no postal service, no military airplanes, no space station, no reliable airplane engines, no GPS, no Internet, no a million other things that are the direct result of government investments. Stop yelling about how bad our government is. State governments are incompetent, but the federal government employs many bright hardworking people who make your life easier and safer while you badmouth them. We're are the government, dude. Go and vote. If anyone is trailer trash here, it's you.
mind_ride says:
08:37 AM, 08/25/09
Dear IL,
We all love cars. That's why we're on this site. We believe that the many public policy issues involving cars are important, require a grasp of the facts and well-articulated opinions.
Therefore, quit insulting our intelligence by giving this guy a forum!
Find someone who loves cars and knows how a bill becomes a law!
What does TARP have to do with Cash for Clunkers?!!
moparbad says:
08:40 AM, 08/25/09
Why complain now? Race to the bottom for Edmunds and specifically Inside Line and Straightline began a long time ago and before they started The Mechanic blog entries.
When Bob Holland was replaced the TMZ style of Autoblog appeared.
Journalism and professionalism have been replaced by anyone with a computer and an internet connection being considered an automotive expert and journalist.
Don't get upset, Edmunds exists only for entertainment value and to sell advertising, it is a for profit business, not a newspaper.
audisport says:
08:43 AM, 08/25/09
This was a great article. It pissed all of you off, which is exactly what "The Mechanic" trys to do. Take a step back and breath people. It's tongue in cheek. Come on, this stuff is hilarious.
detroitbandit says:
08:56 AM, 08/25/09
I don't mind tongue in cheek, but this column truly is rubbish. Not entertaining or funny. The mechanic should take a look at Jeremy Clarkston on how to be funny and mildy offensive. This column plain missed the mark.
kingkhalas says:
09:08 AM, 08/25/09
some might say that this article is "troll bait."
eville_stu says:
09:23 AM, 08/25/09
Love it! Totally agree with all the sentiments above... Pontiacs suck and the world is a better place without them :)
greenpony says:
10:18 AM, 08/25/09
The Mechanic just writes what he thinks. There's no fault in that. But last I checked, Ford hadn't accepted any handouts from Big Government, so it's inappropriate to imply that they have, or that would fail without Big Government support.
strangelove says:
10:53 AM, 08/25/09
The only thing worse than the Mechanic's point, is the writing he used to convey it. This guy is lame, and I groan whenever I see another of his articles published. He's not shocking and irreverent, as he probably fancies himself. He's just a gas bag that can barely right, probably a cousin to some IL editor who begged to have his stuff "published". That, or he *is* the editor, which would explain why they keep getting posted.
/snore
porschecarrera says:
11:27 AM, 08/25/09
Mechanic +1 I was driving to work this AM and stopped at a light, surrounded by large pickups and SUVs. For a second, I thought gas was back at $1.99 a gallon. My next thought was what a waste of my (tax) money, to be subsidizing people who, using C4C money, buy another pickup or SUV. I'm not a left-leaning environmentalist, but if Obama really cared about the environment, rather than the D3 companies, he would have mandated C4C cash be used for cars getting at least 28 MPG. Instead, it was watered down, why? I think it was because the government, which now owns 2 of the D3, was afraid it wouldn't be able to get rid of the gas-guzzlers sitting on ITS car lots.
playdrv4me says:
12:40 PM, 08/25/09
I am literally laughing my ass off at those of you who actually believe that the brass at Edmunds actually reads and -cares- about what you have to say on a silly blog post like this. As mentioned above... by posting, you just justified the entire existence of the blog. It's quite hilarious.
clarkma5 says:
12:49 PM, 08/25/09
Is there any point to these articles? He doesn't have a researched fact in any of them, they're just stupid.
playdrv4me says:
01:19 PM, 08/25/09
"He's just a gas bag that can barely right..."
That has got to be some poor attempt at sarcasm or one of the most ironic things I have ever read.
segalisb says:
01:39 PM, 08/25/09
playdrv4me:
By this logic, acknowledging and protesting offensive behavior only validates the offensive behavior? And re he is just saying what he thinks.... no problem, but a consequence of exercising the right to free speech is accepting the consequences of what one says. If people find the mechanic's comments offensive, they have the same right to say so. I am sure many mechanics are offended by his nonsense.... And can we also stop the nonsense with "Big Government"? Most people who say this don't even understand what that means.... Like what, specifically, do you all mean when you refer to "Big Government"? Are you opposed to the existence of the EPA, the FDA, the FAA, the Department of Justice, the Supreme Court? If you get don't to it, most people's complaints have to do with local government not federal, but nobody wants to acknowledge that the reason their state or city government sucks is because they don't even know when the elections are, much less vote.... Stop yelling and take some responsibility for your action instead of blaming the "Big Government." I bet all the people at GM and Chrysler whose jobs were saved also used to listed to Rush Limbaugh and Beck until they needed the Big Government to save them from living on the street.....
segalisb says:
01:41 PM, 08/25/09
Audisport:
You know what also pissed all of us off? racism, bigotry, terrorism.... According to your logic, all of that stuff is "great" because it pisses reasonable people off?
jwsc85 says:
02:17 PM, 08/25/09
I don't care if you hate cheap American cars..but it's not fair to write off everyone who buys one as "stupid." Some young hard working Americans like myself, a teacher who is trying to pay rent in Boston, grad school, taxes, insurance, etc. are lucky enough to afford a car at all. Not all of us have the cash for an $18,000 dollar Civic, Corolla, or Jetta. Hell, I'm lucky enough to even afford a parking spot to park my Pontiac G5...which I got with remote start, ABS, and XM radio for $14,200 back in 2008. I'm happy with the car and I'm glad I was able to put almost $4,000 dollars into grad school. I feel this makes me smart...not stupid as you imply a cheap American car owner is.
dr1ve4fun says:
03:46 PM, 08/25/09
Lol... The comments are almost as good as the article. These articles are for entertainment. Quit getting your panties in a bunch people.
mortal1 says:
04:02 PM, 08/25/09
Dear mechanic,
Thank you. Up until this point I thought you were yet another opinionated gearhead that; while sometimes annoying, was still worth reading.
You've shown me the error of my ways. I won't waste another second of my time reading your adolescent scrawl.
93aero says:
04:23 PM, 08/25/09
so as the mechanic. are you writing this from your own perspective, on your own people? i don't understand whats so bad about CARS, it did a great job helping the car industry, something overlooked alllllllll the damn time. Now its actually getting help and youve got nothing good to say about it??????????? Your semi-regular column is one to attract drama, your like TV, but without pictures, u know, a book, but shorter and less coherent. people will flock to your outrageous way of thinking and risky analogies. but i see thru this as this is nothing but a way to vent your slander towards anything that gains you the populous. I'm surprised Edmund's has been posting your trash, especially since everything you say is contradicting and knocks the car industry, tho Edmund's sees you as a way to get people looking, your like the celebrity who strips naked and runs down a road screaming "anarchy in the UK", to gain attention for a dwindling cause
fgibson says:
05:07 PM, 08/25/09
This column is one of the most disgusting posts I have read on a site not filtered out by Google Safe Search. Frankly, I am surprised Edmunds agreed to publish it.
As far as I can tell, the thesis boils down to "poor people are gross and stupid, which is why they buy Pontiacs, which are pieces of crap." Wow, publishing that article made the world a better place.
The author acts as if the poor are poor by choice, as if everyone born in a trailer park, if he or she put in the work, could be successful. That's just not true. Imagine you grew up in rural Texas, went to terrible schools, and had no successful role models to emulate--what do you think the odds are you'd be a roaring success?
I only hope the author's lack of empathy reflects ignorance, and not his character.
bsegalis says:
05:41 PM, 08/25/09
I am actually proud of how many people rejected this nonsense. Hope Edmunds takes notice.
pwt says:
05:47 PM, 08/25/09
Dear Mechanic,
Who the hell are you, really? What is your educational background? Are you Ivy League? How much money do you make? Are you making six figures? How far separated are you from the folks you endlessly deride as "Trailer Trash"? Your point of view doesn't seem particularly enlightened. Your facts need some checking as well. TARP and C4C have nothing to do with each other.
This posting was an uncalled for and unnecessary assault on the poor and buyers of American cars. Edmunds' advertisers should take queues from sponsors of Fox's racist blowhard and pull their advertising on InsideLine. I, for one, will never click on Edmunds again. Hopefully, others will do the same. How's that for free market, hack?
ponchoindian says:
06:13 PM, 08/25/09
Ok, the first "trailer trash" comment about Pontiac I could brush off as someone who probably owns a BMW and hates that a G8 will run with it for thousands less...but come on. Who is the mechanic and where does he get off ranting like this. Although I can agree with his view of tax money being given to people to buy cars (foreign cars at that!), taking a shot at Pontiac like that is completely tasteless. I have lots of family who has own Pontiacs for many years, all are professionals, none live in a trailer, and all are intelligent republicans. Why not pick on the wellfare scamming drivers of the lowered Civics and Maximas scrapping our streets and playing hispanic music loud enough to question what country we are in!
atenza94546 says:
08:19 PM, 08/25/09
This is great those that named name such as KKK and asking Merchanics to go back to their country has not realize the World move the Global move. It will keep spin as the Detroit two and thopse that call people names stood still. Welcome to America.
agfresh8 says:
09:39 PM, 08/25/09
So I'm trailer trash because I paid cash for a new car through the CARS program? This guy is an idiot. He should stick to changing oil and stop talking because he doesn't have a clue.
Please Edmunds, stop this kind of crap.
pflyer says:
09:45 PM, 08/25/09
Mechanic,
Spot on. As per usual. A couple of points.
1. This is the moral hazard socialists have created. Why should the C4C program ever end? If $4500 is good, $20,000 is better. Now that we have crossed the Rubicon, where and when do the government subsidies for anything end? How can they?
2. This is why the weak (GM/Chrysler) needed to die a natural death. The market has steadily abandoned their products (witness ever decreasing market share). Given free reign, the free market system would have replaced these poorly run companies with dynamic new companies.
3. Government subsidies distort the market place. Governments have absolutely no business picking winners and losers. It's wrong, immoral and ultimately self-defeating.
4. Fools and idiots on this very website (you know who you are) argued that GM/Chrysler were too big to fail. Well, fail they have. The sun still rose the next day and life went on. The over/under on the "new" companies is probably less than five years, absent another ill conceived bailout.
5. The C4C program made things worse, not better. Most will realize this when they look back at this sad episode in our nation's history.
6. The free market (truly free, not what we have in America today) is the only moral economic system there is. Winners win because they are better. Losers lose because they should. Consumers win because they have the ability to discriminate. Everyone gets what they deserve. Who could ask or want anything more?
6. Who's afraid of freedom? Or is security and protection of the status quo so important to the naive.
segalisb says:
06:38 AM, 08/26/09
pflyer,
Common, in "free free" markets consumers have choice? You don't know your history very well... In markets without regulation the haves fleece the have nots without restraint. When business act without restraint to maximize profit, they tend to collude among themselves and with government beuracrats. The collusion is non stop even today, but used to be much much worse. Once they collude to control markets, the only choice consumers have is to pay high prices for medicore products and services...
smatson says:
09:19 AM, 08/26/09
Ha Ha Ha. This is so true. Priceless
smatson says:
09:30 AM, 08/26/09
Ha Ha Ha. This is so true. Priceless
inlinesix says:
10:12 AM, 08/26/09
"Whatever. The world is finally scrubbed clean of the G3, the G5 and the G6, if not the chemical toilet crowd that they so strongly appeal to. I think we can all agree that this is a good thing."
I say good riddance. The domestic makers have to discard cars like these before they make them.
inlinesix says:
10:36 AM, 08/26/09
"Winners win because they are better. Losers lose because they should. Consumers win because they have the ability to discriminate. Everyone gets what they deserve. Who could ask or want anything more?"
@pflyer: nicely put.
Chrysler and GM lost considerable market share in the U.S. for many years before bankruptcy. They also lost income due to poor margins compared with makers like Toyota. Everyone argues that subsidies and other government support in Japan are the reasons why those makers survived the recession. But in a generally free market system, buyers passed over the companies in the U.S. for many reasons.
accordguy0325 says:
03:21 PM, 08/26/09
Way to go Mechanic !!! Now that we're done with cash for cone heads- we're soon to be giving cash for dead beats to replace their old appliances with our tax dollars.
Our country is beyond broke, ENOUGH with the bailouts, give aways and freebies. Vote GOP 2010/2012
fgibson says:
09:48 PM, 08/26/09
pflyer wrote: "The free market (truly free, not what we have in America today) is the only moral economic system there is. Winners win because they are better. Losers lose because they should. Consumers win because they have the ability to discriminate. Everyone gets what they deserve. Who could ask or want anything more?"
Well, let's see. I hold degrees from Yale and Princeton, and I drive an Audi. Does that make me "better" than most everyone else? I happen to have been born to a wealthy family, educated at a fine prep school, and sent to all the tutors and summer camps I required. How much of my success has been due to luck, rather than my being "better"? I would argue, almost all of it.
In America, a whole lot of people don't get what they deserve because we don't have a level playing field...far from it. If there were equality of opportunity, then perhaps, pflyer, you could make that assertion. But, so long as pricks like myself keep getting born with silver spoons in their mouths, a fully free market is going to be far, far from fair.
pflyer says:
08:13 AM, 08/27/09
fgibson,
Thanks for the reply. I'll keep this short. You said:
Well, let's see. I hold degrees from Yale and Princeton, and I drive an Audi. Does that make me "better" than most everyone else? I happen to have been born to a wealthy family, educated at a fine prep school, and sent to all the tutors and summer camps I required. How much of my success has been due to luck, rather than my being "better"? I would argue, almost all of it.
I never mentioned people were better. I said the free market is better. You are successful because you took advantage of your opportunities. Did you have a head start in life? Yes. But, you still decided freely to excel. Excellent. The free market (not a manipulated one) IMHO is utterly moral and fair because everyone (companies and individuals) can decide what to make/purchase/accomplish. All are free to fail. That is why true freedom scares most people. Hence, the welcoming of government interference.
You said:
In America, a whole lot of people don't get what they deserve because we don't have a level playing field...far from it. If there were equality of opportunity, then perhaps, pflyer, you could make that assertion. But, so long as pricks like myself keep getting born with silver spoons in their mouths, a fully free market is going to be far, far from fair.
Oh, I think most people do what they want to. I could tell you my story (first generation American from lower middle class family/sixth of seven children/military academy graduate blah blah blah) but who cares? Life is not fair, but in a truly free society, people do what they deem is important to them. Once again, I will say, as it should be. Get the government out of the marketplace and let Americans discriminate in their purchasing decisions without interference
and our country will be a better place. Will companies fail? Yes. So what? Will companies prosper that provide superior products? Yes. Will some individuals proper while others are left behind? Yes, ones that make wise decisions (with their purchasing decisions/lives/career choices, etc...) will be freely rewarded and those that make poor decisions will not be. Again, I will say, as it should be.
msdaisy says:
06:30 PM, 08/27/09
+1 pflyer
dyzio says:
11:53 AM, 08/30/09
The Mechanic is back !:)
Yeah someone said:" The Mechanic is like South Park " .... sarcastic sharp and controverciall! :)
(BTW: best South Park episode?; "Best Friend Forever"! :)
...................
"As his last column makes abundantly clear, the Mechanic really only cares about one thing: cars (HE IS A CAR -LOVER ,
so HE IS SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT CAR CULTURE...He is a JOKER but , I belive apart from his cynism he's got really
emotional attitude towards CARS>>>?!?:).
Anything that he perceives as even remotely threatening to cars, the truth be damned, is the devil. This is not an
intelligent or reasonable position, and any intellectual assessment of the world today would reject it as preposterous.
But he is not, and to his credit, doesn't claim to be, a reasonable individual.
What the Mechanic is, as I've said before, is something of a nihilist. He's convinced himself that the world is essentially an
unsalvagable mess, everyone sucks, especially poor people, so the only thing worth doing is going fast. - and that's
why we love HIM...HE is our MOTO- GURU ...You can't understand this man !:
"....If fact, both my father and brother have cash falling off their pockets and they drive crappy old cars (a 1991 Cavalier
and a 1994 Saturn, respectively, are considered crappy for people of their means(AND THAT POPL ARE RIGHT:), EARN
MONY AND NOT SPEND IT? ARE they from SCotland?....SO BETTER THEY SPENT SOME TIME WITH THEIR KIDS< IF THEY CAN"T
ENJOY MONEY THEY MAKE - With pleasure I would taek donation from them and buy some American-Muscle -IRON:). I
make good money as a VIP in my Company and drive a great car. A 2009 Mazda3.... Many, but many, clunker owners are
simply thrifty people who driving or owning a car is a necessity not a passion(THEY ARE GAY!:). I love cars, but have
other bigger priorities like "..." - You are a Joke , man !, this is moto-fan website....and Th Mechanic is fighting for
Freedom for Car-lovers, because in few years some ignorant idiots can destroy "the concept we know as CAR"
OK...Last Obama's car? Hemi Chrysler , right? and now he drives Limousin huge Cadilac..and he wants us to drive some
shitty Econoboxes?
..for popularity/publicity he(they) would buy Prius or even smaller Econo-idiotic -vehicle ,and shout how Eco-freak he
is....It's all staged..!
I agree that environmnt is important but notice that performance cars ar rare/niche examples - one Hemi Challanger is
probably less harmfull for Mother Earth than 3 Econoboxes, and that gas-guzzler will sell in much smaller numbers ...for
f..sake ! The Mechanic is concrned that "cool-powrfull-cars" won't b aviable on dealerships, just because law prohibits it!
Let them live !
What CAFE regulations will bring is probably directing auto-market(and will try to direct US) into small, ugly, and
expensive NANO - cars (TANA NANO anybody?)!
The only small, really cool car I know is Fiat 500! (Mini, Suzuki Swift, Alfa MITO and Dodge EV Circuit(Challanger SRT8
1/4mile beater! :).. Let's say they are acceptable too:)..but look at that, hidious, rest of th bunch...
.................
I consider C4C as success, as far as I know no reallly valuable classic/youngtimers' was harmed during the process.
this is one of better spent 3bln $, (nobody asks bankers what happend to 700bln(or above 9trillion $ - conspiracy
theory?!?) bailout..ha?!?
Keep goin' Mechanic....some of US want to see Your text more often...and look at this discusion on forum :)
gmpatriot says:
07:34 AM, 09/27/09
The jerk that wrote this article/comment about Pontiac being a crappy car is so stupid he probably should be picked up for observation. I am 56 years old,I have owned more than 15 Pontiacs. I have also talked to many people throughout my life who repeated story after story about their own experiences with a Pontiac and I haven't heard a negative story yet. Some punk who probably doesn't even have a job waxes on about the Pontiac brand being and he has 0 credibility. Please read & study until you flap your jaws about something you know nothing about. Sure there were some bad Pontiacs as they made millions of cars. WWhat about Toyota? How many of these so called dependable(ugly) cars are still on the road after 20 years? The Pontiac G8 GXP I just bought is the best one I have ever driven and I'll put it up against any piece of crap you bring to the match. steve Fl.