Hey everyone and nice to meet all of you. Well I cant believe I'm saying this but I'm actually shopping around for a new car!

For my entire driving life I've only owned one car (a 96 Ford Explorer with a ton of miles and not a lot of life left). However, with this new cash for clunkers program, I could get $4500 for this hunk of junk (I only paid $5000 for it many moons ago) and this opportunity may be too good to pass up. btw, I've always been one of those people that thought buying a brand new car was a poor investment, waste of money, etc. so this is a big step for me haha.

So I know I still want the versatility of an SUV but the fun, reliabilty and gas mileage a hatchback from Honda or Toyota can offer. That is why my decision has come down to the Fit and the Yaris (with the Versa in 3rd place). Now I like the Fit the most but the Yaris price tag also has me intrigued. I'm very interested in the Honda Fit Sport model and was wondering how much I could talk down the dealer's price? Also, any opinions on Yaris vs Fit (is Fit worth the extra money)?

Any and all help, advice, suggestions will be gladly welcomed. Once again, sorry for the long post and ton of questions and nice to meet all of you!

 

Hi and welcome to the Forums! I don't have much to share about the 2nd Gen Fit but at least get the sport. The extra money you'll be spending over the base Fit is worth it but I would suggest to get the Fit without Nav and just get an aftermarket Nav for $150-$200. You may also want to consider the safety and insurance. The Honda Fit got better results compare to a Yaris in a crash test.

 

I was looking forward to the cash for clunkers also. I have a beat up 1994 Camaro. But it is rated at 20 mpg combined city/highway so it does not qualify. I really needed that incentive to push me to buy. I guess I must keep saving.

Fred

 

keep saving up dude, the more you put in for the down payment, the less you'll have to finance.

 

The CARS program FAQ:
CARS.gov - Car Allowance Rebate System - Helpful Q&As for Consumers - Formerly Referred to as “Cash for Clunkers”

Uses the Fuel Economy site estimates (here is the comparison page, select year, make, model, transmission):
Side-by-Side Comparison

Be sure to put in the right transmission, as well as scrolling down to click on California cars (if the option is available) as that may affect mpg. There will be a little map showing, looks like this for my auto base fit in California:

And for non-California/northeast, looks like this:

That's pollution.

------

About the Camaro, do you have the 3.3l or the 5.7l? The 3.3 won't qualify with the average 20 mpg combined. But the 5.7...well, it's combined is listed as 18 mpg, and should qualify.

The Explorer 2WD in all three forms should qualify:
4.0l auto 4-spd 16 mpg
4.0l man 5-spd 18 mpg
5.0l auto 4-spd 14 mpg

And all the 4WD versions are under 18 mpg combined.

 

Its the 6 cylinder, 3.4 I think. Yeah, you are right, won't qualify. But thanks. The dealer near me finally had a sport fit with a 5 speed on the lot. First one I have seen, usually only auto's around here.

Fred

 

ok I have a 1996 Ford Explorer XLT Automatic V6 4WD. Still running and of course it's insured/registered for the last 6 years in my name. According to the following website it says it gets 16 or 17 mpg which means I would be able to get the full $4500.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Please tell me I qualify for the $4500 because if not that means no Fit for me.

p.s. How much were you guys able to get off the MSRP? If I tell them I plan on visiting other Honda dealers as well as Toyota will this "maybe" get the price down any? Thanks again!

 

I started looking around for Florida-specific programs and incentives. In another thread we started talking about the CARS program, and that there are regional programs in place for some people, such as the AirCheck Texas program:
Is your car or truck 10 years old or older? Or has it failed an emissions test? - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - www.tceq.state.tx.us

And various California measures:
California has expanded car-scrapping program to give up to $4,000 to scrap clunkers. - cbs13.com

EACH program has it's own requirements. And they cannot be combined. So you can't do a California incentive AND a Federal incentive. But that's ok too, because you might only qualify under one program.

Notice also this for California:
" Air regulators strengthened the Legislature's directive by providing Californians with vouchers to buy fuel-efficient cars. To qualify, cars that are model year 2009 or older would have to get about 28 miles per gallon. The standard would increase to 42 miles per gallon for model years 2010 to 2015. "

Obviously, the 2009 Fit qualifies. But the new Insight does not. The new Insight is a 2010 model, and only has 41 mpg combined. Interesting, no?

But both the 2009 and 2010 Pruis meet the requirements, easily.

So in California, for the California-specific program, it's time to buy the 2009 model year items.

My old car wouldn't have qualified for anything as IT WAS NOT RUNNING. LOL! I was thankful for $75.00 and the free towing away.

 

I don't WORK for them or anything, I'm going by the information they have posted. Your vehicle would appear to qualify using the information you have given. It shows 16 mpg combined for your specific vehicle. And buying the FIT which would have equal to or greater than 10 mpg better than your former vehicle, you should also qualify for the full $4,500 incentive.

I'm not sure how much wheeling and dealing they will be doing on prices with that incentive, even though the incentive doesn't come out of their pocket. They'll probably say that you're already getting more than your car is worth via the program, isn't that enough?

You can say that it's not out of their pocket and you want a really good deal.

Remember that the program runs through Nov OR UNTIL THE AMOUNT IS REACHED that is for the program. If everyone runs out and buys a new car the first month and exhausts the funding, then it's over. Dealers do have an advantage in that certain cars WILL be in demand.

Take a look at Edmunds:
Edmunds used Ford Explorer car appraisal. Used Ford car pricing.

Before adding on any options that might increase the value, the trade-in value there is under a $1,000. So you're basically getting from the government $3,500 off the FIT. None of us got $3,500 off our cars.

If you can get your new FIT at MSRP, and get the $4,500 voucher credit for your old car, I would say "RUN, do not walk, to your nearest dealer as soon as the program starts and get your Fit post-haste!"

For $3,500 off MSRP I might have camped out overnight! LOL!

 

Thanks a lot for the info. I knew the program expired Nov 1 but I had no idea they could end it early once they reached "x" amount of dollars. I better start looking around ASAP. I'll try and negotiate as much as possible because it doesn't hurt. Once again, thanks for all the help. I'll be checking out some dealers within the next few days and reporting back. If anyone has some last minute tips,comments or suggestions please post.

Thanks again guys!

 

Looking it up on fueleconomy.gov (listed in the gasguzzler bill as the official source) all 3 of the 4WD '96 Explorers qualify as none have combined numbers over 17 mpg. So with the rest of your data you look like a winner if you can qualify for financing AND you find a registered dealer. Since the Fit is rated at 30 mpg you should get $4500 as its more than 10 mpg better. And you can buy an 08 and qualify if you're looking to save money by not buying new.

The dealers I talk to have indicated there will be little discounting as the Fit is one of the favorites to be bought. If you get a thousand off consider it a really good deal.
Last, the Yaris is smaller and drives like an Aveo. The Versa drives like my fathers 1984 Olds but does have more back seat room.
good luck.

 

haha, I haven't taken the Yaris or Versa for a test drive yet but your description makes me not want to lol. Thanks!

Also, there is one Honda Dealer about 50 miles away from me that has one of those $1,000 off any new car purchase coupons/vouchers. You think they would allow me to use that along with the cash for clunkers?

 

^ Yeah, it should add up with the Cash for Clunkers. And as far as I'm concerned, you can use Costco's Auto Program for additional off the new car. C:

 

We don't know. We don't work there.

But you can always ask. Keep checking the CARS.gov site for updates, sign up for the updates. Check the expiration date on their coupon/voucher.

We should have made a sticky topic on the CARS program. I'd be more than happy to look things up for people. I noticed on another site that TONS of people were asking about their own car...but not providing the info necessary to look up the car they owned. Like saying ONLY that it was a 96 Ford. UH, what, we're supposed to read minds?

They don't really know where to go for information or how to look it up. And I can understand because I was new once too. I remember sitting at the AOL Welcome screen...waiting for something to happen. I knew NOTHING.

And, it's constantly changing, so that what was accurate yesterday may not be accurate today. You have to keep checking their site.

Notice on the Consumer Reports recommended cars for the Cash for Clunkers/CARS, that the Toyota Yaris is NOT included:
Cash for clunkers: Recommended cars that qualify for a voucher: Consumer Reports Cars Blog

And notice the prices and mpg ratings. The price for the base auto Fit listed is the lowest price on the listings, and has the second highest mpg rating without being a hybrid. The best mpg without being a hybrid is the base manual Mini Cooper...which gives ONE more mpg combined and costs over $5,000 more.

I don't know about you, but a $5,000 difference in price will buy a LOT of gas and it would take longer than I plan on living to make up for the difference in mpg. Because I don't drive much.

 

The bill says that the 'clunker' credit is in addition to any rebates, offers, etc, pg 10, line 4. BTW, a lease is also available as well as purchase. you will have to wait for Senate passage however, and you only have a year afterward to consumate the trade.
It wouldn't hurt to contact the dealer now and line up your acquisition. There may be a long line if he registers but many dealers may not register because it is a pain-in- the-butt to process the trade!

 

ok guys, once again sorry for all the newbie questions but I'm very new to this process in case you couldn't tell...

So I got a quote from a local dealer and got the following back:

So are they saying the negotiations will start at $15,509 and we'll go up/down from there?! That would be quite a bit in savings! What do you guys and gals think?

p.s. Also I read the fine print for the $1,000 off coupon and it states it can only be used if taken off the vehicle's MSRP so looks like I cant add it on on top of this offer.

 

I'd say the offering price is $18035 with 780.20 added to the 17255. Tax and tags are extra. Did you check what $1000 off MSRP of a non-nav auto Sport is? He may need to get the nav off his inventory.
The final price depends on his need to meet quotas, Honda's assistance, and his inventory. But current offer is good ballpark start.

 

My wife and I were going to use the cash for clunkers program as well by using our 99 chevy blazer worth somewhere around $1500 trade in. We went into the nearest Honda dealer with the best rated customer service and talked numbers. The issue with the CASH program is of course as you already know once they run out of the 1Billion dollars allocated to it there's no more and you may be left out. That wasn't a chance we were willing to take so the dealership gave us $4500 trade in for our piece of junk beater without using the CASH program.
Although the program doesn't technically start till the 23rd I have heard the local FORD dealerships advertising that they're doing this early so for all we know they're not the only ones in the nation doing this so by the time the 23rd rolls around who knows how much money will be available.
Anyways I feel we had a bit more purchase power than the average person since we did buy 2 new Hondas at the same time but its worth a shot to go see what they can do for you right now. The issue also is that July is according to a lot of analyst the best month to purchase since there seems to be a spike in sales more so with the CASH program that by August the dealerships will be less likely to deal.

Good luck.

 

Hyundai started doing it a couple weeks ago:
Hyundai starts accepting Cash-for-Clunkers trade-ins early

Hyundai begins giving cash for clunkers rebates: Consumer Reports Cars Blog

Early Cash for Clunkers Gamble Paying Off for Hyundai - U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

Hyundai is covering the $4,500 themselves until they can submit for the amount from the government. It may or may not work out. The bill may be adjusted to not allow any trade-in prior to the official start date.

I kind of see it as "cheating" on Hyundai's part, because if it is allowed, the government will have an avalanche of rebates going to Hyundai.

That's a problem for people who didn't want to buy a Hyundai. Those people who are waiting for the official start date to buy the car of their choice could be left out. Not fair.

I totally recommend getting down to the dealership of your choice to get the car of your choice the day the clunkers (CARS) deal starts officially.

There has been discussion of extending the bill:
Cash for Clunkers News - U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

But don't count on it. Just get in as soon as you can!

 

I think they are planning on using the cash for guzzlers bill and gave you the benefit regardless because they sold 2 Hondas.. The $4500 is easily covered by the profit margin on 2 Hondas so I think you got a fair deal and they did also. Congrats and good luck.