Have a FaceBook, Twitter, or other social networking account?

Link them to your fanatic account!

Add An Account

TAKE ME TO...
Automotive Industry
AUTOS: Car Enthusiasts Beat Federal ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Plan
A grass-roots protest mobilized by SEMA helped kill car-crushing measure.
Bob Golfen  |  Posted February 12, 2009   Phoenix, Az
Cars and trucks traded in for the Clunkers program will be off the road for good, most of them crushed. (Photo: Getty Images)
A major grassroots effort by car hobbyists, clubs and collectors is being credited with derailing Congress’s latest “Cash for Clunkers” scheme, which many feared would result in lost jobs and lost vehicles for valuable parts or restoration.

“This was the largest grass-roots campaign we’ve launched in our 46-year history,” said Stuart Gosswein, director of regulatory affairs for SEMA, the national organization of aftermarket parts suppliers, auto-repair people and collector-car clubs.

SEMA had battled similar proposals in the past and would guard against them in the future, said Gosswein, who operates from SEMA’s office in Washington, D.C., working to protect the rights of auto enthusiasts.

Two similar Cash for Clunkers plans had been included in both the Senate and House versions of the auto-industry bailout package, and were promoted as means to spur new-car sales, help clean the air and reduce national fuel consumption.

Basically, the programs would have created a system of federal vouchers for the owners of older or gas-guzzling cars and trucks that would go toward the purchase of new vehicles. The government would take the cast-off vehicles and crush them, regardless of historic significance or parts values.

Millions of vehicle owners were expected to buy into the plan, millions of vehicles would be reduced to flattened hulks, and billions of dollars would have been handed out. The plans would have provided between $1,000 and $4,500 in vouchers, which also could be used for riding mass transit.

But while the measures might appear beneficial to the uninformed, it could create chaos in the auto-repair and restoration industries and would have negligible benefit, Gosswein said.

“It’s one the those measures that sounds good on the surface, but it doesn’t make sense financially, and it won’t spur car sales, reduce emissions or spur fuel economy,” said Gosswein, adding that similar measures had been shot down in the past. “With the economic crisis, it started to re-emerge last summer as a way to promote car sales.”

Page 1 of 2
Prev
12
Next
bob_golfen's avatar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bob Golfen

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR
Advertising | Jobs | Feedback | FAQ | Terms of Use | NEW Privacy Policy | Ad Choices | Site Map
Fox Sports | FUEL TV | FX Network | National Geographic | IGN | AskMen
The Motor Sports Authority, SPEED and associated logos are registered trademarks of Speed Channel Inc.
All Rights Reserved © Speed Channel, Inc. 2012

All external links will open in a new browser window. SPEED.com does not endorse external sites.