Re: Scheme to Fund Crushing of Over 15 Year Old Cars

[James Montebello <jamesm@domain.elided>]

So, after having actually read over the text of the bill in question, 
I'll make these comments:

This bill proposes to fund state run programs.  To qualify, the state 
program must:
  
 - be voluntary
 - provide financial incentives including direct payment and a credit
   towards a new "fuel-efficient" car/light truck
 - require the vehicle to be operational and registered when turned in, 
   so no junk-yard raiding
 - the programs must allow more more than 1 vehicle per year per person,
   so no mass scrappages (there is an out for non-profits, so car
   donations can be scrapped en masse)

btw, this is also about fuel efficiency.  No mention of smog laws, smog
levels, pollution, etc.  Strictly fuel-efficiency.  The turned-in car must
fall below a defined line of fuel efficiency to qualify (which, if it's
the CAFE standard, is something like 24mpg, so even my '84 GTV6 wouldn't
qualify, let alone a Milano).  It also means that someone could not turn
in a '67 Camaro and go buy a Suburban with the proceeds, as the new
vehicle has to be above the fuel-efficiency line.

I note that SEMA's objections basically hold little weight.  They also
vigorously objected to similar bills in California, using hysterical
language about how priceless classics were going to vanish overnight,
owners were going to find their cars seized at smog checks and crushed,
etc.  Didn't happen.

The CA "incentives" are to pay a pricely $450 to the owner of an old
clunker to be crushed.  Now, with Fed funding, maybe they'll raise this to
$500 and an $500 credit towards a new Corolla (CA built, y'know) or 
something.

Frankly, we'll lose a lot more cars to rust than we will to the crusher
because of this bill.  If it provides a possible new outlet for people to
dump their 1980 Dodge Colt for above market and buy a new econobox, I
hardly see this as a bad thing.  The idea that the proposed incentives
will ever make it "more attractive" to scrap, say, a 1750 GTV than it
would be to sell it on the open market or to APE, et al, is mildly
ludicrous.  Tired Milanos are cheap, but they aren't THAT cheap.  About
the only Alfa I can think of that is cheap enough to worry about is the
1750/2000 Berlina, and only if it's in very tired condition, and even
those can easily be parted out for over $1000. 

Go to the Thomas link below, read the bill yourself.  The relevant
section is called:

SEC. 803. ASSISTANCE FOR STATE PROGRAMS TO RETIRE FUEL-INEFFICIENT MOTOR 
VEHICLES.

james montebello


On Thu, 7 Feb 2002, Johnson David-QA2282 wrote:

> OK, I'm going to try this one last time before I contact Richard for help.
> I've mailed it twice over the last two days and it hasn't gone through.
> This time I've tried to remove anything that might trigger the various traps
> he has to protect us against junk postings.  My apologies if this turns out
> to be a duplicate.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> 
> Has anyone else seen this?  I haven't noticed it on the digest, so hopefully
> I'm not repeating something that has already been gone through.  I'm
> reporting from an article in "Auto Restorer" magazine (good rag, anyone else
> sub$cribe to it?).  Applicable to US digesti only:
> 
> Senate bill 1766 is being introduced with a provision (section 803) for
> federal funding of scrappage programs for vehicles more than 15 years old.
> SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) is fighting this bill, and is
> urging automotive enthusiasts and businesses to send letters to Senate
> members and pass the word around to as many as possible.
> 
> The magazine points out that these programs would result in many interesting
> late model cars being junked, along with other models serving as useful
> sources of common parts.  In our case, this would mean it would become more
> attractive to scrap cars such as the Milano and, not long from now, even
> 164's, along with Spiders, GTVs, Alfettas and so forth.  Just one more thing
> that will make our cars scarcer and harder to find used parts for.
> 
> This despite the fact that many of us use these cars as daily drivers,
> thereby saving the world from the pollution of new car manufacturing.  I was
> going to ask why they never consider this in pollution legislation, but I
> guess I know why - because the manufacturers lobby for car replacement
> schemes rather than true pollution reduction.  The rationale for a scheme to
> junk gross polluters immune from smog checks (pre-1968 in my area)  is
> clear, but why junk cars like the Milano that in many areas have to pass
> quite stringent emmisions tests?  In my county, any post-1981 car has to
> pass a rolling road test, not just a tailpipe sniff.
> 
> So there it is.  Anyone have any further insight into this bill, or care to
> comment?  Although this is not specifically aimed at Alfas, I'm sure it will
> have some effect.  I think it is time to lobby for provisions to protect
> significant older models from the crusher.
> 
> Dave J.
> Island Lake, IL.
> 1964 2600 Sprint
> 1987 Milano Verde (will be daily driver when I sell my Chevy, and fix the
> motor)
> 
> P.S. I've also found the following links which may be of interest.  You can
> find the exact wording of the bill on the following website:
> 
> http://thomas.loc.gov/
> 
> Type in bill number S.1766 and you will find the whole thing.  You can
> scroll down to section 803, which is where the scrapping program is
> described.  Seems genuine as far as I can tell.  Summit Racing also has
> something on their website about it.  A form letter for you to send to your
> Senator, and a link to a site where you can look up who to send it to and
> where if, like me, you don't pay much attention to poitics:
> 
> http://www.summitracing.com/news/index.htm
> 
> Apparently they were even emailing warnings about this to their customers
> (they must not have my email, as I have ordered from them a few times).
> 
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