The Wall Street Journal recently reported that a new German program, giving motorists $3,200 toward the purchase of a new car if they scrap a car at least nine years old, has been a “roaring success.” So successful that German car-buyers are racing to dealers only to find they are out of stock!

The program took effect Jan. 27 and sparked a car-buying frenzy unlike anything the staid country has ever seen. Most of the vehicles flying out of showrooms have been smaller, more fuel efficient cars – another major plus point.

To date, 134,000 vehicles have been sold under the German program.

France, Italy and Spain are offering similar programs, and it may spread to Eastern European countries, the report said. The Chinese even has a similar deal. Other industries, the reports said, are looking at how to copycat the programs.

So while we here at America Inc. stonewall such innovations because of fear that a few classic cars might meet an early end or that some of those moldy oldies could be made road-worthy again, our friends across the pond are succeeding.

Heaven forbid we learn anything of value from Europe.

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– Jim Smith