Quoted message said:landotter said:Seems that every tradesman that would have driven a 2.4L four banger
Toyota fifteen years ago, now has a gargantuan model with a V8. My
neighbor uses a Dodge version of this obnoxiousness to haul a good 2-3
gallons of paint at a time.This is due to unintended consequences of a tax law.
It went something like this: At a certain point, congress said "we
should give farmers and other businesses a big tax break on trucks
they need. If their truck weighs over 6000 pounds, they can deduct
the entire cost of the truck." Pretty much, it meant a free truck -
but only if it were heavy enough. That is, a dump truck or something
similar.Then came the grossly overweight Hummers and their ilk. Purposely or
not, they exceeded that weight limit, but for no good reason.Pretty soon, every business with a good enough accountant - and/or a
small enough conscience - was buying a huge monster to do the job of a
mini panel truck. I know one such person. As he told me, "Frank, I
hated to do it, but it was a free truck. I just couldn't turn it
down!"Your tax dollars - and their lack of tax dollars - at work.
Seehttp://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/biz_tips/20030403a1.asp
- Frank Krygowski
I'm not sure the consequence actually /was/ unintended, though, Frank.
As you know, production cycles for an auto are measured in years.
Detroit made hundreds of thousands of these leviathans and wasn't
selling them.
If you look at the sales data, they were dead in the water /until/
Uncle Georgie's ... what was it ... "Jobs Bill??" came along.
As you say ... fully deductible vehicles ... virtually flew off
showroom floors.
Thankfully, a few legislators figured it out ... years later ... and
plugged that loophole.