Cash 4 Clunkers + EPA games = HILLARITY

[pauldun170]

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/28/report-epa-performs-11th-hour-refresh-that-makes-some-cars-inel/

[101lifts2]

Older Saab 900s are tight. They could prolly sell that thing for 4500 in that condition.

[RACER X]

can i buy a $500 hooptie and "trade" it in, or is there a length of ownership involved?

[pauldun170]

can i buy a $500 hooptie and "trade" it in, or is there a length of ownership involved?

Probably...but it will the last time the car or it's engine sees the road.


Engines are to be permanently disabled on all turn ins

[RACER X]

"Trade-in vehicles must be registered and insured continuously for the full year preceding the trade-in "


http://www.cars.gov/

[goof2]

Older Saab 900s are tight. They could prolly sell that thing for 4500 in that condition.

The way this program works they get whatever the trade in value is (in your opinion ~4500, I think you are way high) plus an additional 3500-4500 from the government.

"Trade-in vehicles must be registered and insured continuously for the full year preceding the trade-in "


http://www.cars.gov/

I believe the vehicle also has to be paid off.

[z06boy]

Humm...my 1999 Jeep Cherokee Sport with 143k miles may be a candidate for this.

[EpyonXero]

Humm...my 1999 Jeep Cherokee Sport with 143k miles may be a candidate for this.

I have a Wrangler that Id consider trading in but the program ends in November and Ill probably be buying a car sometime after that.

[RACER X]

lotta "decent" cars getting destroyed cuz of this vs the junkers

http://jalopnik.com/5324473/show-us-the-clunkers

[z06boy]

I have a Wrangler that Id consider trading in but the program ends in November and Ill probably be buying a car sometime after that.

I wasn't planning to do anything before then either and didn't realize it ended in November...it pays to read I guess. :lol:

My Jeep has been running fine and the 4x4 works great and it has cold A/C but yesterday I heard a clunk and the CEL came on...uh oh...so my plan may be altered. :lol

[Rider]

Too bad my 97 Maxima won't be eligible. :td:

[pauldun170]

lotta "decent" cars getting destroyed cuz of this vs the junkers

http://jalopnik.com/5324473/show-us-the-clunkers


I am required to drain the oil, pour water mixed with Sodium Silicate into the crankcase and run the motor until it fatally blows up. ($15,000 Federal Penalty for each vehicle that this is not done to)

...

[RACER X]

Too bad my 97 Maxima won't be eligible. :td:

why not?

[goof2]

The way this program works they get whatever the trade in value is (in your opinion ~4500, I think you are way high) plus an additional 3500-4500 from the government.



I believe the vehicle also has to be paid off.

I made a mistake. You don't get the trade in value, you get the scrap value in addition to what the government gives you.

[Rider]

why not?

Because it gets better than 18MPG.

[goof2]

why not?

It gets an EPA estimated new combined 21MPG. The cut off is 18MPG or less.

[z06boy]

It gets an EPA estimated new combined 21MPG. The cut off is 18MPG or less.

Is there a list for that ? I assume my Jeep is right at 18 or less.

[Rider]

www.fueleconomy.gov

[goof2]

www.fueleconomy.gov

Just for clarification, the number you use is the combined listing under Estimated new EPA MPG. If the car or truck is more than a few years old you cannot use the window sticker either. The EPA revised all their numbers a few years ago to reflect more "real world" driving.

All the details on the program are available at cars.gov.

[z06boy]

Well here is my Jeep.

Compare Old and New EPA MPG Estimates
1999 Jeep Cherokee 4WD
Automatic 4-spd
6 Cylinders
4 Liters
Regular Gasoline



New MPG tests are more realistic

New MPG
City-----14
Hwy-----19
Combined 16

Old MPG

City----16
Hwy----21
Combined 18






Additional Vehicle Characteristics: 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Combined fuel economy estimates are based on 45% highway and 55% city driving

[Rider]

You should be good for $4500 then.

[z06boy]

Only problem I see now is finding something on the list I want...4x4 with any power is about impossible. :lol:

I hate to get something slower than the Jeep...it will move out pretty well for what it is.

[goof2]

You should be good for $4500 then.

Not quite. It is a tiered system and the amount of the government credit depends on MPG improvement.

z06boy: In order to get any money at all you need to improve your fuel economy by a certain amount.

If you get a passenger car and it improves your economy by 4mpg or more (20mpg) you get $3500. If you get 10mpg better or more (26mpg) you get the full $4500.

If you get a truck it gets more complex. I would suggest looking at the cars.gov faq to try and figure it out.

[Cutty72]

Not quite. It is a tiered system and the amount of the government credit depends on MPG improvement.

z06boy: In order to get any money at all you need to improve your fuel economy by a certain amount.

If you get a passenger car and it improves your economy by 4mpg or more (20mpg) you get $3500. If you get 10mpg better or more (26mpg) you get the full $4500.

If you get a truck it gets more complex. I would suggest looking at the cars.gov faq to try and figure it out.

Everything I've read says to get $3500 you need to improve your combined mpg by at least 10. to get $4500 you need to improve it by at least 15 mpg.

So this pretty much means any pickup or SUV is out, as well as any performance orientated vehicles.

you have to be looking at little econo boxes for this to fly. and who the hell would give up a 4x4 pickup/suv for one of those?

[goof2]

Everything I've read says to get $3500 you need to improve your combined mpg by at least 10. to get $4500 you need to improve it by at least 15 mpg.

So this pretty much means any pickup or SUV is out, as well as any performance orientated vehicles.

you have to be looking at little econo boxes for this to fly. and who the hell would give up a 4x4 pickup/suv for one of those?

Look at the cars.gov, the official government website created to get information out about the program. If you are trading in for a category 1 truck you only need to improve by 2mpg for $3500 and 5mpg for $4500. It also has to get better than 18mpg.

[zed]

you can't use this program if you just want to upgrade to a newer one of what you are driving.

[goof2]

you can't use this program if you just want to upgrade to a newer one of what you are driving.

Not unless the combined mileage has improved significantly from old model to new.

[JARVIS518]

ya this is making it harder for me to find demo cars for next year

[karl_1052]

http://jalopnik.com/5324978/full-list-of-disqualified-cars-under-cash-for-clunkers-refresh

Who would cash for clunkers their E30 M3s?:?::td:

[zed]

Not unless the combined mileage has improved significantly from old model to new.

won't work for my Ranger. if they would bring the Diesel Ranger here it would be on the list.

[Particle Man]

You know, you figure they'd wait until AFTER they structure GM so more cars hit this and then increase GM sales.

[RACER X]

some people

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Wikip-facepalm.jpg

There is only a select number of small dealers doing this program.
I chose to go to a small one vs a big dealership and got a great deal.

Traded in my old car and ended up getting a 07 Chrysler 300C.
The voucher from my trade in covered my down payment +TT&L so i just drove off without paying anything.

It was a place called Econo Cars on 43rd and tc jester i think.

[Rider]

Only problem I see now is finding something on the list I want...4x4 with any power is about impossible. :lol:

I hate to get something slower than the Jeep...it will move out pretty well for what it is.

My Grand Cherokee had the 5.2L V8 and it would move out.... Gas mileage however sucked and when towing a 21' boat over mountain passes the gas mileage would drop to below 10. Gas was cheap back in those days though.

[z06boy]

Look at the cars.gov, the official government website created to get information out about the program. If you are trading in for a category 1 truck you only need to improve by 2mpg for $3500 and 5mpg for $4500. It also has to get better than 18mpg.

I checked into it and you are correct. When I found out my actual combined mpg is 16 instead of 18 (what I thought) it helps.

I may not even use this program since I don't really like most of the vehicles that I have to choose from but it is nice to know that I can.

[goof2]

You know, you figure they'd wait until AFTER they structure GM so more cars hit this and then increase GM sales.

I'm pretty sure GM has so much excess inventory that this will not be a problem.

[goof2]

I wouldn't worry about it anyway. It looks like the program may be over.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Dispatch/default.aspx?feat=1209770&gt1=33002

[Homeslice]

lotta "decent" cars getting destroyed cuz of this vs the junkers

http://jalopnik.com/5324473/show-us-the-clunkers

Um I really doubt that Volvo was 18 mpg or less, so wtf

And I wouldn't doubt this procedure causes as much pollution as the vehicles they're trying to replace.

[unknownroad]

you have to be looking at little econo boxes for this to fly. and who the hell would give up a 4x4 pickup/suv for one of those?

All the suburban/city idiots who bought SUVs that they didn't really need when they were popular, and now want to "Go Green" (tm) like everyone else.

Such a wasteful program :panic: At least they limit it to post-84 cars, so the already thin population of older cars isn't being hit again.