Quote:
Originally Posted by djplong
Richie: I'm going to say this respectfully. Which way would you want it? There are many here who decrie the fact that we don't have an energy policy to get us off of imported oil. IMO, this is a VERY justifiable criticism of EVERY administration back to Nixon.
So here we have a policy of a tax rebate encouraging purchase of a vehicle that consumes FAR less gas than most - and in the "average" daily situation consumes *NO* gasoline. (The "average" is that the overwhelming majority of Americans drive less than 30 miles per day).
So now the proposal is to "speed up" the tax rebate from your Form 1040 to the actual point of sale. I believe this is A Good Thing. Why? Because now the buyer has to come up with the $35K bottom line for the car instead of financing $42K and getting the tax rebate. [This also makes it more affordable for people who might not have that much in taxes due but are saving up for such a car] As far as the government is concerned, it's a wash. Just a matter of timing for the $7500.
In my case, I drive 60 miles r/t for my commute 9 workdays out of 10. From what I'm reading, 35 miles seems to be the 'real world' all-electric range of the Volt. So I can be using less than one gallon of gas per commute. Right now, I use 2-2.5 gallons per commute. Buying this car could cut my gas consumption IN HALF. (I already cut it by a third when I went from my old Intrepid to my Camry in '06)
Mind you, this doesn't do much for GM's bottom line because they sell FAR more numbers of OTHER vehicles. The Volt is (I hope) the wave of the future but it has to start somewhere. Like lots of other electronics, early adopters pay a premium and this seems to be no exception. Advances in ultra-capacitors and other technologies will hopefully combine with scaled manufacturing to cut the cost of these vehicles.
So here's a policy that helps cut foreign oil dependence AND promotes domestic manufacturing. That SHOULD be a Good Thing, yes?
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I don't like the idea of helping you pay for your car. The Federal Government is going to give $7500 to present to GMC for every person that buys these cars that the people have shown they have little interest in in order to get them to buy them. It doesn't sit well with me. If they were attractive products, this would't be necessary.
I don't like the idea of the taxpayer being used to prop up an expensive product people didn't want, and the company that manufactured it due to government's original duress.
I don't like the idea of these electric car charging systems companies lobbyists filling the pockets of politicians to get this law, you like, passed.
These cars now become one more drain on our already overtaxed energy grid that the same people who love these cars refuse to allow to expand.
This is all about Corporate money now. The government forced the hand of the auto companies and now the government is trying to ease their burden on the back of the taxpayer as usual.
This doesn't pass the smell test with me.