> You guys know you can walk into a dealership with one car and walk out with another car and a check in your hand right? A 10 year old Mercedes in great shape is probably worth about 15-20K.
The trade-in, dealer value for my paid off car is approximately $2,100. According to Kelly Blue Book, the dealer value for a well-equipped 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK with 150,000 miles on the odometer and in "very good" condition is $5,124.
> I guess it depends on how you were brought up. I'd rather sell all my possessions at pennies on the dollar, live in a honda civic, and do odd jobs than take government assistance.
I strongly object to the insinuation that my, or anyone else's, rearing was any less moral or righteous than yours simply because I wouldn't conduct a fire sale of my assets, make my family homeless, and forgo the social services that my tax dollars have paid for. Not once in my adult life have I had the misfortune of being unemployed, gravely ill, or some other tragedy, and for that I am both very lucky and truly grateful. My childhood was the exact opposite for my family and I'm thrilled that my parents didn't pack us into the Suburban and say "welp, that's it, kids, we're on the streets now!"