| Author | Message | ||
     Strokizator |
Four years ago I bought a 4kW solar system with the feds and state kicking in 50% of the tab. I'm now enjoying monthly utility bills averaging less than $5. This past Saturday I was listening to auto shop talk on the radio and they mentioned the rebates available for the Fiat 500e (a plug-in electric car). I ran down there to see if it was legit and found that, on a lease, the State of Kalifornia was kicking in $2500 and the San Joaquin Valley Air Resources Board was giving away another $3000. So I wrote a check for $5500 (to be returned to me in cash and not a tax credit) and got a 36 month lease, 10K a year (it's an around-town car) for $123.00 a month. Heck, my wife's car, even though it's paid for, is depreciating more than $100/mo and she puts close to another $100/mo in it for gas. Yearly visits to the Mercedes dealer cost an average of $400. What's not to like? So you're asking "Yeah, what about if you have to take a trip somewhere? You can't do it in that little battery-powered roller skate." Well, the car also comes with a program with Enterprise Rent a Car where I can "rent" a car up to 12 times a year and pay only for gas. How crazy is that? So what else is out there that the govt clowns are supporting? | ||
| Sifo |
Great to have free money.  | ||
| Froggy |
You should have got a Volt, just to make me feel better about that bet  Free money is great, hopefully we can get more gun and ammo taxes to fun these programs. | ||
| Teeps |
It's not free (or a good deal) if someone else is paying for it... | ||
| Strokizator |
I'm with you 100%, Teeps. This stuff is crazy. I don't feel too bad though as I'll be paying 6 figure income and capital gains taxes for 2013. They're still way, way ahead of me on this one. I'm probably not the demographic they were looking for. Now let's talk about their $100 billion high speed rail system to nowhere. It's not even going to end up being "high speed". And they're using diesel locomotives, not electric. But it will "create jobs". Talk about a boondoggle. | ||
| Teeps |
I'm 2nd gen calif born/raised; and, it's a sad state of affairs when the one of the few reasons to stay in calif is the weather. Last I heard the browndoggle, know as the high speed rail, was, that it's not going to happen. Note: the lack of capitalization is intentional. | ||
| Kenm123t |
We need more fetish taxes on Pony suits and ponies! | ||
| Midknyte |
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| Blake |
>>> hopefully we can get more gun and ammo taxes to fun these programs. Dang. From respected custodian, to basement of the doghouse in one sentence. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Dang. From respected custodian, to basement of the doghouse in one sentence. THANK YOU for saying something, I was bursting at the seams. Unbelieveable. | ||
| Boltrider |
Yeah Froggy, they should also levy a tax on video games because sitting around and playing too much can be bad for your health. They could tie the tax to that wonderful new healthcare law. | ||
| Crusty |
It's not free (or a good deal) if someone else is paying for it... It is if I'm the one getting it for free. It's funny; when I was spending hours at a lathe or CNC Milling machine, or shelling out my own money and time for T-shirts or key fobs for Homecoming, none of the folks who got them bitched about not having to pay for them. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
It's funny; when I was spending hours at a lathe or CNC Milling machine, or shelling out my own money and time for T-shirts or key fobs for Homecoming, none of the folks who got them bitched about not having to pay for them. Thanks again! Still wear it with pride. Hope you can make it to WV one of these years! | ||
| Pwnzor |
none of the folks who got them bitched about not having to pay for them. There's a very important difference. Nobody forced you to do that. You did those things because you are a generous person. | ||
| Teeps |
Crusty Posted on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - It is if I'm the one getting it for free. It's funny; when I was spending hours at a lathe or CNC Milling machine, or shelling out my own money and time for T-shirts or key fobs for Homecoming, none of the folks who got them bitched about not having to pay for them. Keep things in context please. We are talking about social engineering, redistribution of wealth and abuse of tax funds. And, you didn't take money (by force) from someone to give to someone else; for the purpose of rewarding an "approved government behavior." | ||
| Uncle |
Strokizator.....If I understand correctly, without the rebates it would have cost $5500 down to lease a Fiat 500???? OUCH! Is it really accurate to compare a Fiat to a Mercedes? (just sayin') How long are those 12 Enterprise rental time periods? | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Was wearing my "Loud Fans" T-shirt today John. | ||
| Strokizator |
Teeps,a vehicle lease payment is dependent upon the amount of money you put up front. You see commercials all the time to lease a Lexus for only $379/mo. The fine print is that they require $6700 up front. Lower down = higher payments and vice versa. In this case I put the full amount of the rebates. If I had put $1500 down I could have pocketed $4000 in rebate checks but used them up in higher monthly payments. It's funny that you ask if it really accurate to compare a Fiat to a Mercedes? It's just the same question my wife asked me. She seldom drives, and then only on local errands. She knows she should get rid of her Merc but is dragging her feet. She's not excited about the swap and that's why it's important that everyone reminds her how cute she looks in the Fiat. I haven't checked out the rental restrictions yet or just what kind of car you can get. Electric cars cannot stand on their own merits, at least not yet. Calif has mandated that 15% of new car sales be electric/fuel cell, etc by 2025. This whole rebate thing is just social engineering. But as a second car it's a viable option as a lease only. If you were to buy the car and the batteries died, the replacement costs exceed the value of the car. Charging times at 110V are long at up to 12 hours but 220V gets that down to 4 hours from full discharge. Up until late last year Calif was giving away 220V charging stations free ($600+) but that ended. Now if they just gave away tires . . . | ||
| Crusty |
Keep things in context please. We are talking about social engineering, redistribution of wealth and abuse of tax funds. It is in context. Why is it OK for me to put in my time and cash to make a small group happy, but not OK for the government to put in time and money to make Americans happy? What's the purpose of Government? To collect taxes and redistribute the money to the betterment of the entire population, no? | ||
| Etennuly |
I used my Bazootie Saturday.....and every day that I have ridden my Uly since I got it!  Best damn farkle to hit the Uly! We still love you Crusty! And not because of your kindness and generosity. Although, you are the best Santa I have seen in this family. | ||
| Sifo |
To collect taxes and redistribute the money to the betterment of the entire population, no? Can you please let us know where that is in the Constitution? Thanks! | ||
| Aesquire |
I think he was going for sarcasm. ( I hope ) I'm not going to bitch. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all, again, for buying my old minivan. I used the Cash For Clunkers program to dump my minivan when the drivers seat collapsed. On one side. ( the nickel & dime phase... aka $500 a shot more often and accelerating was a factor too ) The ironic part is the rust bucket you all bought from me ( again, Thanks! ) had one near perfect part, and that was the engine they destroyed to prevent resale. I do have a question about the glass/glue goo they used to wreck the engines. What else is it used for? and Why did we have so much of it? I'd be really hypocritical if I bitched about another taking advantage of social engineering tax credits. Yes, Cash For Clunkers was expensive for the results. But it did get results, and the ones desired. ( less pollution & better gas mileage cars on the road ) It ALSO had side effects, like the higher price of used & then new cars, and the insanity of Corvettes being trashed and my suspicion that some customers got a bit ripped off. Seriously, are you telling me that darn near any running legal Corvette is worth less than $4000? ? There are a lot of this type of social engineering things going on. I also took advantage of the tax credit for buying a high mpg car, and this year will take advantage of the credit for a high efficiency heat pump. The local "home repair" radio show has a host who bought solar panels, ( and he pimps them on the show, for money ) and took the credits for that. I have my doubts as to the practicality of all the different programs, and some make no economic sense, but in general, cutting your taxes to help you pay for a home improvement that helps the whole community looks like one of the better ones. Rebates on an electric car? Not making me angry. I question the economics, and it looks like a sweet deal for Strokizator, but I can't tell how much it really hurts everyone else. You ARE being forced to pay for a little less car pollution. ( and higher prices for, say, natural gas, if that's the source of power he's using now ) Just like you did when you bought my old minivan. Thanks again. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Crusty, that is exactly the opposite of what our government is supposed to do. | ||
| Crusty |
Oh. Um; what's the government supposed to do? | ||
| Blake |
Establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, secure the blessings of liberty... | ||
| Kenm123t |
Blake we need to eradicate Socialists keep a few in cages To teach every one here is Evil do not let it flourish! | ||
| Fredfast |
"promote the general welfare" Are you ignoring the general welfare part? | ||
| Aesquire |
Kenm usually the socialists build the cages. See parrot above. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Are you ignoring the general welfare part? It's merely a redundant property of the justice, tranquility, defense and liberty. It has NOTHING to do with handing out pay checks. | ||
| Fredfast |
"See parrot above." You follow me like a puppy dog. |
