Ok, now all I have to do is decide what vanilla GM or Chrysler product
I'd rather drive than my 2001 VW Beetle TDI on a daily basis.
Mmmmm... I'm drawing a blank.  Somebody help me out.  It has to
average 45 MPG during my commute, come with a manual transmission, and
be fun to drive.

But I can see how this would work for others!  :-)

On 4/17/09, joel walker <uncajoel@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> all this credit card talk got me to thinking about all this economic
> stimulus stuff.
>
> and an idea popped into my head. (hey, it happens!).
>
> suppose, just suppose, that instead of giving money to the car
> companies, the government just reimbursed them as they GAVE their
> inventory away.
>
> An Alternate Ecomonic Bailout Stimulus Package Deal :)
> (bailout to me has always been what you do with a parachute when the
> plane is on fire or the wings are falling off. stimulus? well, the
> less said, the better).
>
> tell me what you think ...
>
>  1. GM and Chrysler would GIVE away their inventory of cars to
> customers.
>
>  2. the government would pay wholesale prices to these companies.
>   no paperwork fees or any other sorts of fees would be allowed
>   at the dealer.
>
>  3. the customer/recipient would be responsible for all local and
> state
>   taxes, as well as insurance and licensing costs.
>
>  4. the customer must agree to keep the car for a minimum of three (3)
> years.
>   it cannot be sold prior to that time.
>   it may, however, be traded on another new car during the three
> years.
>
>  the idea is, this would reduce the ailing car companies inventories
> of unsold cars.
>  and could be used in place of some of the 'bailout' money.
>
>  it would help the economy in the following ways:
>   a. less gas should be consumed by newer more efficient cars.
> (in theory anyway)
>
>   b. less greenhouse emissions should be produced by the newer cars.
> (again, in theory)
>
>   c. auto dealers would reap benefits from their service departments
>    when these cars need oil changes and other maintenance.
>
>   d. the customers would have more money to spend on other local
> economy
>    purchases since they are not making car payments.
>
>   e. it might even cause the companies to recall laid-off workers to
> build
>    more cars for the program, thus giving some relief to the
>    workers and to the suppliers to the companies assembly lines.
>
>   f. it would increase the volume of business for auto insurance
> companies
>    since it is likely that a lot of people who cannot afford an
>    auto now would get one under this program. so money needed to bail
> out
> insurance companies would be less. maybe.
>
>  however, some issues might cause problems:
>
>   i. if the customer already has a car, even an old clunker,
>    what do we do in that situation?
>    should they be forced to trade it in? or give it to the dealer?
>    if so, should certain aged cars be scrapped?
>    or should the cars be resold? this might cause a problem with the
>    used car dealers becoming overstocked very quickly.
>    and with free new cars available, who would want a used car?
>
>
> anybody got any additional suggestions? other than scrapping the whole
> idea. ;)
>
> unca joel
>

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Chris S.
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