It has bothered me for years that several States had wanted to get older cars off the road. It bothers because I love old cars and I didn't see any real protection for those that collect and restore cars. Although, they claim should those type of laws be passed there would be some protection put into place, but for how long. When I came to Cyprus the island was not in the European Union. The surrounding European countries were trying to pass such laws. And once Cyprus got into the EU that was one of the first laws that came around, turn in your old car for cash. It had a lot of "ifs", "ands" and "buts" hitched to it. Here they don't get that much money. I see that the U.S. wants to give $3,500 or $4,500, which sounds like a lot, but as the dollar weakens it isn't that much.
I tried to find where they put the cars that they get here, but no one seems to know where they keep them. A car in Cyprus can last a very long time. I wanted to know where so that I could satisfy myself that just junk was being turned in. Not teenage Johnnie's backyard project that his parents thought was junk. They always do, you know. About 15 years ago I had a truck stolen and my mother was happy to see it go. No thought of what economic hardship it cost me.
So, now the federal government wants to do this across the vast and wide country. Who determines what is junk? England has been running this program for a few years and an English sportscar magazine recently took a look at what was being turned in. For collectors it was an eye-opening shock.
Your car might be next! Here is some the government's thoughts on what is eligble for trade-in: Cars and light trucks rated a combined (a blend of city and highway driving) 18 mpg or less; large pickups/SUVs at 15 mpg or less; work trucks built before 2002. Are they nuts! A definitive "yes." I am willing to bet that 'good' cars that are turned in will end up in some country that doesn't have that type of law. Dealers in the U.S. were sending bus' that were junk to Latin American countries for years. My car here is 12 years old and it looks very new compared to a 12 year old car in America. At least the northern States.
