European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 6, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Agazine junkers and clunkers americans in Europe scrap at least cars a that More than 11 percent of combined registrations of about vehicles in nine most workout cars end up in government property disposal or military stripping others go to Host nation the annual disposal of cars underscores the importance of the used car in in addition to the vehicles thousands of aging cars Are kept running on borrowed a boost in new car sales fuelled by the Strong Dollar has been evident during the past two but the old car continues to play a vital role in providing affordable transportation for thousands of Low budget americans on duty in without the used Many service members would walk or Hitchhike to Many families would be stuck in the shopping trips would be vacations would be the stress of overseas assignments would be for Many Young soldiers living on the the costs of transportation would be prohibitive without the old take the secondhand car away from the service Man or servicewomen in and you ruin the Over seas says David 2nd 75th Field arty in a permanent fixture at american communities in Europe since the end of world War the old car is handed Down from owner to in a lifetime it May be used by a dozen impartial to it serves everyone from private to an object of nostalgia and the old the old and ill disposed Airton of Europe All stories by Bob Hoyer staff writer car is coddled and praised and in a never ending love hate at times it Breaks Down on the Highway or is abandoned on the parking cannibalized Tor parts and finally impounded by wringing out the last ounce of service for the least Cost is the objective of Many old car putted and sometimes fitted with inter changeable the old car May keep going and often it survives beyond All reasonable expect sentiment there comes a time in the life of every car when the Cost of keeping it on the Road becomes too the rising costs of new parts and labor often compel owners to get rid of old cars they would like to those who depend on military Exchange garages and local repair shops for maintenance usually Are the first to scrap their self help enables some owners to prolong the life of their they do repairs at Home or in Auto Hobby shops with Low Cost parts from stripping Yards that May add months and even years to the life of for the cars that must be scrapped there is an end less Stream of the Supply is replenished with the fresh arrival of cars shipped to Europe by service members from the states and from Host nation owners and use car Deal at the principal processing Center for the privately owned vehicle in japanese and european cars arrive along with new and relatively new owners often ship old cars to with the expectation of shipping new ones some prefer old cars because of the risk of Acci dents in dense european others opt for old cars because of the High Cost of collision insurance in most european still others can afford Only old buyers sometimes find that used cars Pur chased from european sources Are in worse condition than those shipped to Europe from the United in areas of heavy military German car owners seek american buyers when their cars Are due for the strict Tuv tech Ischer  cars in need of expensive repairs to pass the Tuv May make it through vehicle stations with Only minor european inspections usually Are tougher on that is particularly True in the where continued on Page 14 1985 the stars and stripes Page 13