Masarati in Cash for Clunkers

NYSpeed Automotive NYSpeed Off Topic
1

Saw this on CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/08/1/delozier.maserati.cash.KUSA

http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=121299

GOLDEN - It is hoped the federal so-called “Cash for Clunkers” program will take as many as 800,000 older modeled gas guzzlers off U.S. highways. The program is designed to remove less fuel efficient vehicles from the road and spur the economy through car sales.
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Go Subaru in Golden has seen the positive effects of the Cash for Clunkers program. They’ve taken in nearly 50 clunkers since the program began.

“Probably half our deals right now are Cash for Clunkers,” Billy Mills, general sales manager for Go Subaru, said.

Most of the clunkers Go Subaru has taken in through the program are predictable. Many are large SUVs and pickup trucks. Some are in pretty bad shape.

“Ninety-nine percent of them are clunkers,” Wes Guthrie, a salesperson at Go Subaru, said. “I took somebody’s car in the other day that their door wouldn’t shut anymore, and they were using a bungee to shut the door.”

Then there was the “clunker” a man drove onto the lot that surprised everyone.

“I was like, ‘Wow, that’s a cool car,’” Guthrie said of the 1985 Maserati BiTurbo.

The Italian sports car is in near-mint condition with its odometer reading a mere 18,480 miles.

“It is kind of one of those cars where you go, ‘Wow. Can’t believe that one is a clunker,’” Guthrie said.

But it is. It qualified for the program and the owner received $3,500 for it that he used toward a new Subaru Impreza.

The interior of the Maserati is pristine, with all leather, suede and wood trim. The issues with the car were under the hood.

“He said that he could drive it down the road for about 10 minutes, and then he had to call his mechanic,” Guthrie said of the owner’s experience.

The Maserati owner had been trying for many months to sell the car without success. His asking price for the car was roughly the same as the $3,500 he got from Cash for Clunkers.

“So he got what he was asking for it,” Mills said. “He just got it from the government instead of a customer.”

While the Maserati stands out in the lot full of clunkers, it will suffer the same fate. The car will have its engine destroyed and the car will be crushed.

“Its one of those cars where you go, ‘Wow, I wish it didn’t have to be crushed, but unfortunately it does,’” Guthrie said.

2

hmm, so a not running right, probably polluting like crazy, gas guzzler from the 80s is off the road and another 4 cyl with good mileage is on. sounds like the intent of the program. although it sucks that a cool car had to go in the process.

3

I gotta say, I feel more for the less-than-ten-years-old Jeeps and Escapes and Tributes than I do for this Masarati.

4

the Bi-turbo has to be THE worst car they EVER made

5

sounds like it was a piece of shit

if it was worth money, it would have sold

6

A biturbo is DEFINITELY a clunker.

7

I saw a top gear where they talked about how terrible the biturbo was, and by the sounds of it, the world is a little bit better now.

8

lol,motorweek seems to think otherwise about the bitrubo…

Key points of the video…

runs the 1/4 in a blistering 15.6
gets 20mpg! see,its not a clunker.

LOL

9

just cause it was of the Maserati brand doesn’t make this car not a clunker.

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Business/images-2/1988-cadillac-cimarron.jpg

Need I say more?

10

It looks like a rebadged Buick Century.

http://www.cargurus.com/images/2008/03/26/16/44/pic-13402.jpeg
pic-13402.jpeg800×283

11

Biturbo tribute video.

I no longer give a shit.

12

Good.

13

that article is wrong. the cars dont get crushed. junkyards buy them and sell them for parts. i work for westherr toyota and ive been blowing up cars for about a month. we have 200 cars coming… i blew up a range rover and 2 mercedes sedans. those sucked to do. just think of the price when they were new? crazy

14

Truth. Junkyards buy them and part them out like any other insurance wreck. The yards are loaded right now. They’re just getting to the junkyard a little faster than they should. Don’t get me wrong, I think the whole concept of this program is ridiculous, but it’s not like the parts are going to waste. As for the Biturbo, no big loss. I’m more sad about perfectly good full-size pickups getting crushed, even though I’m not a truck guy by any means.

15

X…many numbers… Those things fucking suck ass. Carb’d V6 twin-turbo, try again.

16

actually, I believe the cars have to be crushed within 6 months after having been taken in. So you can use them for parts til then.

17

This is true, however the engines are seized right after they are approved…And a BiTurbo is definitely a clunker :smiley: