This old wreck is what I thought they meant with this car program so it was a surprise when my friend Ted who works at a local automobile dealership described some of the vehicles they were taking in. You see he knows that I am waiting for the economy to get better so I can get a pickup truck. We used to have one, back when gas was reasonable and real estate was better. But like many folks we downsized and I'm still impatient that I can't get up into the woods and find those airplane wrecks.
Ted was saying that really well-cared for trucks and cars were turning up. He described one gorgeous-sounding 4x4 Ranger which was unsettling because it was so close to what I'm hoping to buy someday. I guess it's gas mileage was bad enough to earn $3,500 for the owner under the program towards a newer truck. It's good looks and excellent mechanical condition did not matter, which is bad enough.
But then he explained that they destroy the engine by pouring some super-bad stuff into the crankcase and then running the engine until it siezes up and thereby ruins itself, rendering the vehicle worthless. It's VIN number can never be used again which apparently is the point of the whole thing . . . delete the guzzlers and sell hybrids thus creating automotive jobs and stimulating consumer spending.
But good grief, and this is the old yankee in me, why pay me to destroy something that works just fine?!? Take the rusted Olds that smokes and gets 5 miles per gallon sure, but a nine year-old truck that's working just fine? Who thought up this dumb plan?
Readers, your input is welcome. Surely I'm missing the point here.
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