William Davison

Cash for Clunkers May Cost Up to $45,354 Per Vehicle

Yes exactly why don't Americans look at examples of how things are done in other countries, is it a "not invented here" syndrome. Europe, Canada and Australia all appear to adopt practices from outside their own borders. For example the UK copied the successful Swedish bank bailout model (but not very well) while US use one invented by ex employees of Goldman Sachs, oh and Goldman made record profits recently!

On Aug 03 04:12 AM Jean-Paul Renoir wrote:

> This is exactly what the British government had concluded years ago
> when they studied the French and Italian programs,before considering
> one themselves. None of this is out of the box thinking ,and merely
> underlines the demagoguical nature of the curent government.Same
> with healthcare, why don't they invite British, French,and Canadian
> healthcare administrators, before trying to reinvent a faulty wheel.

Auto MPG: The Economics of CAFE, Part One

Well things will have to change, be it CAFE or Taxation, probably both. The Lemming like behavior of the America car industry is a warning. When the US uses 25 barrels of oil per person to UK's 11 with much the same standard of living, its time to start thinking why that is and quickly.

Auto MPG: The Economics of CAFE, Part One

Are you not all missing the point, US cars are just not as good as European or Japaneses cars and have been for decades. The fuel consumption is pathetic compared to mainstream European and Japaneses cars, this plan may at least remedy that issue, although the US target is only 78% of European Union target for 2020. My Fiat Bravo already gives 20% more than the US target NOW!

Face it, very few American cars are what Europeans would call a drivers car, the suspension is too soft to give a good ride, the build quality is poor, they are over weight, too big for the streets of many of the worlds cities and handle like a truck and look like one.

Germany cars are well made, reliable and are real drivers cars. Even Britain can build better and more interesting cars than US car makers. Where is the US equivalent to a Mini or a Jaguar, as for Aston Martin in your dreams.

US cars don't sell well in world markets and appear to be designed that way. Yet their Europe brands are good; the Ford Focus, Fiesta and Mondeo are very good cars, world cars. Both Ford's and GM European models probably already meet CAFE anyway, why not just build them in US. As for the extra $1300, what about the quality of the car, does this mean nothing to Americans. A more fuel efficient car will be a lighter, smaller and a drive better, than the ugly trucks, many Americans drive. Do Americans really not aspire to drive something that drives like a BMW.

As for CAFE causing job losses what nonsense, look at the mess the US car industry is in now, by deliberately building gas guzzlers that can only be sold in US or the middle east instead of proper cars like Ford do in Europe. The US car makers have persuaded US consumers with help of tax breaks to buy light trucks when oil prices were low, which they knew would never sell in volume in Europe or Japan. CAFE may force them to build some decent cars that can compete with European and Japanese cars.