Germans get cash for swapping to cleaner cars

[jwight]

$3,250 bonus is part of stimulus plan; some fear local carmakers will suffer

Fabian Bimmer / AP file

FRANKFURT - Crush your wreck, get a check.

The German government is paying people who junk old cars a bonus of $3,250 toward a new, environmentally cleaner vehicle, as part of a $67 billion government stimulus plan.

It's getting car shoppers' attention. Abdul Kamand of Frankfurt said the deal looked good as he admired new Volkswagens this week at a Frankfurt dealership.

"I've got a Golf with more than 10 years on its back; the car's old," Kamand said. "Through this I can make a profit. They're giving me more than I'd be able to get for the car if I tried to sell it."

Germans get cash for shift to cleaner cars - Europe- msnbc.com

[vwW12]

Originally Posted by jwight

Germans get cash for shift to cleaner cars

Surely the new vehicle will polute less than a 10-yr old car: technology marches on.

However, a significant share of the environmental impact of any car is incurred when the car is originally manufacured:

A couple of tons of metals and plastics (oil) to be mined, transported, smelted, refined, molded, hydroformed, stamped, painted, shipped, etc. All of which is energy intensive (oil, coal) from A to Z.

So... by discarding perfectly operating vehicles, aren't they using up more of the world's resources needlessly?

[BigWarpGuy]

That is assuming that they do not re-use/recycle the components from the vehicle traded in. If they did, would not the impact from manufacturing new vehicles be lessened?

[Old smart]

Re-cycling old, clapped-out smarts is a big part of smart GmbH's mantra. At least in Europe.

[forestacademy]

Recycling cars in Germany is the LAW

Note the recycling information in side your drivers door

[Old smart]

S'pose we had little green triangular arrows with a 1 or 2 inside to stick on the bumper. Wouldn't that get the Prius crowd's goat!

[Suze]

Originally Posted by Old smart

S'pose we had little green triangular arrows with a 1 or 2 inside to stick on the bumper. Wouldn't that get the Prius crowd's goat!

from cafepress

[forestacademy]

Originally Posted by Suze

from cafepress

Not sure Zippy would consider this a gift. More of a warning

[Suze]

Originally Posted by forestacademy

Not sure Zippy would consider this a gift. More of a warning

When the time comes, Zippy will be proud to do his part.

[vwW12]

Originally Posted by BigWarpGuy

That is assuming that they do not re-use/recycle the components from the vehicle traded in. If they did, would not the impact from manufacturing new vehicles be lessened?

Yes, but to what extent?

Recycled metals must be melted again. Recycled plastics must be liquified, refined, emulsified, pelleted, and subsequently molded again.

Granola sites such as the following state that it is best to keep the old, more polluting car than to inflict the cost of a new one on holy Gaia:

Buy a New Car or Keep the Old: Which is Better for the Environment?

When Used Cars Are More Ecofriendly Than New Cars: Scientific American

Is Keeping your Old Car Better than a Hybrid? | EcoGeek - Clean Technology

So it looks like the German plan is like some experiences that have been tried in the past: pay a man to dig a hole and another to fill it back up.