Private sector creates additional plan:

Automotive Stimulus Program Requirements:

1. Current vehicle is a 2006 or older
2. Current vehicle is operable
3. Current vehicle has been owned for a minimum of 6 months
4. Current vehicle has been registered for a minimum of 6 months
5. Current vehicle has been insured for a minimum of 6 months
6. The replacement vehicle has to be more fuel efficient
7. Incentives vary based on current vehicle and desired vehicle (visit www.AutoStimulusPlan.com for details)
8. Incentives vary by State, Make and Model. Incentives may vary in some states due to state laws that regulate to automotive advertising and promotion.

Top U.S. Dealers Create Auto Stimulus Plan to Help Consumers Left Behind By Government's Cash for Clunkers Program: www.AutoStimulusPlan.com - AOL Money & Finance

And:

The Automotive Stimulus Plan, which will exist in addition to the Cash for Clunkers cash rebate if that plan receives additional congressional funding, was initially conceived as a way to complement Cash for Clunkers (while it was still running) since a surprising number of people wanted to make use of the program but couldn't, either because their cars narrowly missed the eligibility requirements or because the cost threshold of a new car was too high. It was partly for this reason that the Automotive Stimulus Plan was designed to include used as well as new cars -- so that people from a wider array of financial backgrounds could also receive incentives to trade in their car for something more fuel efficient.

Ashley Rindsberg: Dealers Bail Out Cash for Clunkers

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The cars traded in won't be destroyed, but will probably be resold. And buying a used car is acceptable. Whatever is bought has to be more efficient than whatever is traded in.

I think that's a pretty good idea. The vehicles coming in have to be relatively new, so they aren't clunkers.

And each person's improvement is relative. Minimum being 2 mpg better. So you could get a little extra for your vehicle, even if you're trading in one that gets 14 mpg for one that gets 16 mpg. The next person comes along, and might end up trading for your former vehicle (after it's been fussed over at the dealerships), because they are trading in their 12 mpg and increasing by 2 to get 14 mpg.

It's only at selected dealers, the ones who put it together are the ones who benefit.

It works like this:

n the case of Cash for Clunkers, the private sector is stepping in with a program called the Automotive Stimulus Plan, which goes live August 4th. The plan offers car buyers a trade-in incentive if they choose to buy another car -- new or used -- with improved fuel efficiency. Buying a car with an improvement of 2 mpg over their old car entitles customers to an additional 10% above the Bluebook fair trade value of their trade-in. If they choose a car that gets a fuel efficiency improvement of 5 mpg over their old car, customers get 20% more trade-in credit than the Bluebook value of their car. So, if you go to a participating dealer with a car valued at $10,000, for example, the dealer will give you $11,000 trade-in credit for that car if the vehicle you purchase (used or new, foreign or domestic) is 2 mpg more efficient. If the car you buy is 5 mpg more efficient than your current car the dealer will give you $12,000 of trade-in credit for your $10,000 car. (Take a look at the Kelly Bluebook site to use the Cash for Clunkers calculator to see what incentives your car entitles you to.)
--------

 

Ha! There's more to it than just a name of a manufacturer though, and little sales add up to big amounts:

That means foreign automakers produce five of the six top sellers, although several of those, including the Toyota Camry, are built in the United States or Canada.

and:

Administration officials also had noted that vehicles produced by Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group accounted for 47% of the vehicles purchased under the program, slightly above their U.S. market share. In the data released Wednesday, that figure dropped to 45%, which equals their market share.

Still, GM cars accounted for the highest percentage of cash-for-clunker sales, with 18.7%, followed by Toyota Motor Corp., Ford, Honda Motor Co. and Chrysler. And "well over half" of the vehicles produced by non-Big Three automakers were assembled in the United States, according to the Department of Transportation.

 

Senate roll call on additional funding for the CARS program:

Senate roll call on 'cash for clunkers'
By The Associated Press (AP) – 29 minutes ago
The 60-37 roll call Thursday by which the Senate agreed to a $2 billion extension of the "cash for clunkers" program.
A "yes" vote is a vote to pass the bill.
Voting yes were 51 Democrats, 7 Republicans and 2 independents.
Voting no were 4 Democrats and 33 Republicans.
ALABAMA
Sessions (R), No; Shelby (R), No.
ALASKA
Begich (D), Yes; Murkowski (R), No.
ARIZONA
Kyl (R), No; McCain (R), No.
ARKANSAS
Lincoln (D), Yes; Pryor (D), Yes.
CALIFORNIA
Boxer (D), Yes; Feinstein (D), Yes.
COLORADO
Bennet (D), Yes; Udall (D), Yes.
CONNECTICUT
Dodd (D), Yes; Lieberman (I), Yes.
DELAWARE
Carper (D), Yes; Kaufman (D), Yes.
FLORIDA
Martinez (R), No; Nelson (D), Yes.
GEORGIA
Chambliss (R), No; Isakson (R), No.
HAWAII
Akaka (D), Yes; Inouye (D), Yes.
IDAHO
Crapo (R), No; Risch (R), No.
ILLINOIS
Burris (D), Yes; Durbin (D), Yes.
INDIANA
Bayh (D), Yes; Lugar (R), No.
IOWA
Grassley (R), No; Harkin (D), Yes.
KANSAS
Brownback (R), Yes; Roberts (R), No.
KENTUCKY
Bunning (R), No; McConnell (R), No.
LOUISIANA
Landrieu (D), Yes; Vitter (R), No.
MAINE
Collins (R), Yes; Snowe (R), Yes.
MARYLAND
Cardin (D), Yes; Mikulski (D), Not Voting.
MASSACHUSETTS
Kennedy (D), Not Voting; Kerry (D), Yes.
MICHIGAN
Levin (D), Yes; Stabenow (D), Yes.
MINNESOTA
Franken (D), Yes; Klobuchar (D), Yes.
MISSISSIPPI
Cochran (R), No; Wicker (R), No.
MISSOURI
Bond (R), Yes; McCaskill (D), No.
MONTANA
Baucus (D), Yes; Tester (D), Yes.
NEBRASKA
Johanns (R), No; Nelson (D), No.
NEVADA
Ensign (R), No; Reid (D), Yes.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Gregg (R), No; Shaheen (D), Yes.
NEW JERSEY
Lautenberg (D), Yes; Menendez (D), Yes.
NEW MEXICO
Bingaman (D), Yes; Udall (D), Yes.
NEW YORK
Gillibrand (D), Yes; Schumer (D), Yes.
NORTH CAROLINA
Burr (R), No; Hagan (D), Yes.
NORTH DAKOTA
Conrad (D), Yes; Dorgan (D), Yes.
OHIO
Brown (D), Yes; Voinovich (R), Yes.
OKLAHOMA
Coburn (R), No; Inhofe (R), No.
OREGON
Merkley (D), Yes; Wyden (D), Yes.
PENNSYLVANIA
Casey (D), Yes; Specter (D), Yes.
RHODE ISLAND
Reed (D), Yes; Whitehouse (D), Yes.
SOUTH CAROLINA
DeMint (R), No; Graham (R), No.
SOUTH DAKOTA
Johnson (D), Yes; Thune (R), No.
TENNESSEE
Alexander (R), Yes; Corker (R), Yes.
TEXAS
Cornyn (R), No; Hutchison (R), No.
UTAH
Bennett (R), No; Hatch (R), No.
VERMONT
Leahy (D), No; Sanders (I), Yes.
VIRGINIA
Warner (D), No; Webb (D), Yes.
WASHINGTON
Cantwell (D), Yes; Murray (D), Yes.
WEST VIRGINIA
Byrd (D), Not Voting; Rockefeller (D), Yes.
WISCONSIN
Feingold (D), Yes; Kohl (D), Yes.
WYOMING
Barrasso (R), No; Enzi (R), No.
(This version CORRECTS that Democrats Leahy and Warner voted no, not yes, and Republicans Corker and Alexander voted yes, not no. It also corrects the breakdown of the vote by party.)


The Associated Press: Senate roll call on 'cash for clunkers'

 

my dad is trading his 1997 Toyota T100 clunker with over 245,000 miles for a 2010 Toyota Corolla S.....

he passed on the Fit and Civic.......

 

Good for him! He'll get better mpg and probably get a much more comfortable and fun drive!

Has he decided on a color and interior yet? The cloth interior for the S has blue flecks and would look really nice with the blue exterior! The leather option is nice. And the basic value package includes the remote lock-unlock and cruise control. That would be handy thing to have.

Is he going stick or auto? Their auto is only 4-speed. For around town driving, though, that's all you really need.

Have you let him drive your car or has he tested a Fit?

 

Consumer Reports CARS page includes Best new car values, Best vehicles under $25,000, Most reliable new cars, Most fuel-efficient cars and SUVs and more:

Cash for clunkers: How to trade in your guzzler

If you haven't traded in your clunker yet, browse some of the good info at Consumer Reports.

Edit add-on...unfortunately, a lot of it is for subscribers only. ARG! But there is some available to read.

 

I'm glad they kept the Clunker program going. While it IS our tax money, at least it is coming back to us. It's sending money to the automakers and helping the people out at the same time. It also helps people who can't afford a new car (like me). I traded in my old Ford Ranger for a new Fit and to say that the difference between them is night and day would still not do the Fit any justice and the difference in MPG (in reality) is about 25. Every dealer I talked to seems to really enjoy the craziness of the program (once they took a long time to learn the details) because they were/are making astronomical sales.

 

I'd read a great blog last night on the program. Here it is:
Clunker Class War - Timothy Egan Blog - NYTimes.com

But there’s another reason, less spoken of, for why some people get so incensed over little old Cash for Clunkers: it helps average people, and it’s easily understood — a rare combination in a town where the big money deals usually go down with packaged obfuscation.



The overall amount of money is paltry, to the government. But to a typical family, a $4,500 break on a new car with greater gas mileage is a big deal. Consider the extraordinary giveaways of your tax dollars that happened without serious filibuster threats by the protectors of free enterprise.
----more to read at the link, it's good stuff!!!----

I'd said something similar. $4,500 is a lot. Maybe not to some executive who gets million dollar bonuses that taxpayers paid for too. But guess who I want MY tax dollars to go to? And it isn't an executive.

It's YOU. And anyone else taking in their old car that has served them well, but it's time to get a new one.

Some people have complained that it rewards bad behavior. People bought these gas hogs. Well, yeah, they did, sometimes buying them used, for a low price, to be able to HAVE a car. To be able to get to work. Or to school.

This is my first new car. I'm almost 50. I didn't get it through CARS though. I bought used because that's what I could afford.

And I suggest that people think about it for a moment. The people that were driving gas hogs have paid for driving them. In gas. If buying a new car will save on average $1,000 per year...that means that person was spending more per year to do the same thing as anyone else with a gas saver car.

If the person had the car 5 years, they've paid $5,000 more in gas.

So in a way, it's giving people a chance to start over. And this kind of chance means more to each and every person who can use it, than the huge amount given to banks and wall street.

If the government plans on doing any new programs, I'd like to see them include more cars to be brought in on the program and the ability to buy used cars. As long as the car has been owned and insured for a year, get those ancient, smoking, polluting things off the road. Maybe not $4,500, but like a guaranteed $2,000. (not good for salvage vehicles)

Because some people who do need to get that old car off the road were passed over, check out these six stories (short):
What I got with Cash for Clunkers - Caroline Radtke: SUV to diesel (1) - CNNMoney.com

That fella with the van, he says he would write a check for a new car. But what's stopping him from doing so now? It kind of irked me a bit. Because if you can write a check for a new Prius and you're only getting 11 MPG in the van, it would seem to be a no-brainer to get the Prius no matter what was offered for the van.

The guy can save roughly $2,000 a year in gas costs.

 

Out of cars:

At Larry Miller Honda in Boise, Idaho, about two-thirds of the car lot is empty. The dealership is nearly out of 2009 models — something that usually doesn't happen until the late fall.
And the situation is so dire at a Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealership in Beaver Springs, Pa., that the owner, Michael Andretta, is essentially shutting down this weekend to repave his car lot.
"I'm out of cars," Andretta said. "I do not have a single car in my dealership that qualifies for anything."

The Associated Press: As 'cash for clunkers' ramps up, new cars sell out

 

He got his Fit!:

BEAVERCREEK, Ohio -- As the "cash for clunkers" program got more money from Congress, some dealerships across the Miami Valley said they are running low on inventory.The Hidy Honda in Beavercreek is one of those dealerships that have been swarming with customers like Ben Zemmer looking to trade in their old cars for newer models.Zemmer showed up to the dealership hoping to get rid of his 1988 Oldsmobile, which gets only about 14 miles per gallon for a Honda Fit, which gets about 35 miles per gallon.Tim Bell, of the Hidy Dealerships, said while they appreciate business such as this, they are starting to run low on inventory and rows that were once filled with cars are now empty.Bell said they are getting to the point where they can’t even fill the inventory as quickly as people need them, and he said because of this, people might not get the car of their dreams as far as exact color or model.
'Clunkers' Program Clears Car Lots - Consumer News Story - WHIO Dayton

---------

For those still thinking about it, the dealer won't be able to sell you a car they don't have.

 

Misleading ads spur NY AG action:

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has issued cease-and-desist orders to 40 auto dealerships in New York for running advertisements about the U.S. government's "cash for clunkers" program that he claims are misleading and deceptive.

In a statement Monday, Cuomo said his office took the action against 40 auto dealerships, claiming the ads fail to mention significant requirements that had to be met in order for a consumer to be eligible to get the rebate.

The ads mislead consumers into believing that their trade-in vehicle qualifies for the program when it does not or that they are eligible for a rebate of several thousand dollars, when they are not, Cuomo said.

The letters order all dealerships to immediately modify promotions and advertisements to clearly explain how the program works, Cuomo said.

"This program could be a boon for both our economy and our environment, as well as provide much-needed financial assistance to consumers," Cuomo said. "Businesses that fail to advertise honestly and try to take advantage of this federal program will face legal action by my office."

Advertisements by several auto dealerships aggressively promoted the program without fully disclosing its limitations, while other dealers advertised similarly named "cash for clunker" promotions that have nothing to do with the federal program without making the distinction, Cuomo said.

Cuomo noted the program requires the trade-in to be in drivable condition; its combined city/highway fuel economy must not exceed 18 miles per gallon; and it must be insured and registered to the current owner for at least a year prior to the trade-in. If a vehicle qualifies, the consumer is entitled to a credit of $3,500 or $4,500.

Dealers who participate in the program must register with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Cuomo said.

Consumers who believe they are a victim of fraudulent or deceptive business practices may contact Cuomo's office at 800-771-7755.

Article - WSJ.com

 

I've seen a few of those around Vegas. In particular one Dodge dealer not mentioning ANY of the requirements and listing the 1500, 2500 and 3500 as qualifying CFC vehicles (which may or may not qualify as CAt 1 or 2 trucks, but may miss Minimum MPG requirements of the class).

 

I hate to get too soap boxy, but the Republicans ought to be ashamed of voting against this. They are nothing but a bunch of crybabies that still can't get over the fact that they lost the election and they will do anything to stifle the Democrats even if it hurts the common people.

Guys like Glen Beck from Faux News spout of crazy crap like the cookies from cars.gov will cause allow the government to hack your computer and the crazies sheep-people on the right soak it up. It shows the ignorance they will jump to since there is nothing they can really say about a program that helps the economy, people, environment, and car dealers all in on swoop.

And for the matter of "helping those that made bad decisions" since when was buying the car of the day (like an 88 Buick) a bad decision back then? Yeah, we should have bought foreign cars since all the US ones are cheap junk. idiots.

 

I think you can contact your own Attorney General about those.

"Many hands make light work"

No official can be everywhere all the time. If you've looked up the vehicles and confirmed information, and know darn well it's not correct, then send off a note. Save the ad or take a screen shot (if it's online).

If a person doesn't qualify, they don't qualify. That's all there is to it. We've seen that similar vehicles from different years are rated different.

And time IS of the essence. People that DO qualify need to get their vehicle in to a registered CARS dealer. The official CARS dealers are the ONLY ones who can participate.

 

There's something you can do. Send off a note to your local city, county, and state politicians. Tell them why you think it's a GOOD idea. Tell them how it really helped you or someone you know.

If you look at some of the early articles before the program started, some people didn't think it would work. I think they got that stuck in their mind, and don't even see the good points.

So it's extra important to highlight the good aspects as you see it. From your own specific, individual point of view. Ignore who voted on what. Send the same letter to the politicians that voted "yes" as to the ones who voted "no".

"The cream rises to the top"

The cars most in demand by consumers during this program make very good points about what sells. It's an equal opportunity to take the qualifying clunker to ANY dealer that is participating.

Even with additional discounting or incentives, people flock to certain cars. For a combination of factors. They're quite reliable and dependable. Dodge Caliber is rated the most reliable of the Dodge lineup. The Fit is rated most reliable of the Honda lineup. And the Elantra tops the Hyundai reliability.
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/Reliability.jpg

They're easy on the gas. Certainly much easier on gas than whatever was being traded in as a clunker.

Those that might say it doesn't do much to cut back on gas use, or pollution, who say it's only a drop in the bucket...it certainly DOES do something. If it didn't do something, why would manufacturers bother trying to reduce pollution or increase mileage in their cars? Why would CAFE standards exist?

Can't take everyone's cars away all at once and demand that they buy new or take public transit. It has to be an encouraged and informed choice, done one person at a time. When their own budget allows it.

This program helped many people to speed up that process, without forcing them to do it. They did it because they wanted to.

 

I don't want to bring politics into our otherwise friendly discussions, but since you brought it up I'll make one comment. If you throw enough BILLIONS of dollars out there art random programs, ONE of them is bound to be successful. I wish we knew how the OTHER billions are helping the average citizen. That will be my only comment with a political taste to it.

Warner

 

Fit supply:

Consider the Honda Fit, one of the top 10 vehicles acquired by people trading in clunkers. Dealers had 50 days' worth of those left as of July 31. But Fits are going fast thanks to cash for clunkers—or rather, Honda isn't building Fits as fast as they are going. In July, Honda shipped about 3,800 fewer Fits than its dealers sold. The net result: Fits in stock dropped to about 17,000 from about 22,000 at the end of June, according to Autodata Corp.

The Fit is in decent supply compared with some other cars on the clunker program's Top 10 list. The Toyota Prius was almost sold out at the end of July, with just 13 days' worth left on Toyota lots. The No. 1 selling clunker replacement, the Toyota Corolla, was down to 34 days' supply. The Ford Escape compact crossover wagon—the best-selling such vehicle under the clunker program—is down to just 21 days' supply.


You don't need detailed inventory data to get the picture. Cash for clunkers brought Christmas in July—and now August—for car dealers. This means that if you want to get the benefit of the next $2 billion in cash-for-clunkers trade-in vouchers, you may need to 1) accept that the new car may cost closer to sticker price than you like, or 2) might not be the exact car you want.

Top Ten cars and the number of days of supply:

Top 10 vehicles purchased under the government cash for clunkers program, and how many are left.
Model.............Days' supply as of July 31
1. Toyota Corolla . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
2. Ford Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3. Honda Civic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
4. Toyota Prius. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5. Toyota Camry. . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
6. Hyundai Elantra. . . . . . . . . . . 35
7. Ford Escape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
8. Dodge Caliber. . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
9. Honda Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
10. Chevy Cobalt . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Popularity of Cash for Clunkers Makes Top Cars Scarce - WSJ.com

 

Clicq posted over here about the updated CARS site:
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/general-fit-talk/45917-clunker-fit-buying-experiences-12.html#post722412

Clicq said:
"In case nobody has seen it yet, the government site (CARS.gov) has explicit instructions not to sign any contingency agreements, and that if they have the car in stock and you have all your paperwork in order, they must let you take possession of the car."

More to read over in that post or on the CARS.gov site.

Looks like a bunch of people will be able to pick up their cars tomorrow. Or find new dealers and report the dealers that were not doing the program properly.

Reporting IS encouraged:

The dealer must reduce the price of the new vehicle by the credit amount. If a dealer has a check or credit card authorization given by you at the time of the sale, the dealer has not actually reduced the price as required by the CARS program. Please contact NHTSA immediately and take your trade-in to another dealer if a dealer requires this.

and:

If the dealer has the new car, the dealer must allow you to take possession of the car before the dealer may submit the CARS credit application to the government. Please report any dealer to NHTSA that does not allow you take possession of a new car purchased under the CARS Program.

------
WHAT NHTSA TOLD CONSUMERS (Information posted on CARS.gov - Car Allowance Rebate System - Home - Formerly Referred to as “Cash for Clunkers”)
We’ve heard that dealers are asking consumers to sign agreements with contingencies when they participate in the CARS program.
CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT SIGN CONTINGENCY AGREEMENTS TO PAY BACK THE DEALER SHOULD THE CARS CREDIT BE REJECTED.
We’ve also heard that dealers are asking consumers are asking consumers to keep their “clunker” until the deal is approved by NHTSA.
IF THE DEALER HAS THE NEW CAR IN STOCK, THE DEALER MUST ALLOW YOU TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE NEW CAR BEFORE THE DEALER MAY SUBMIT THE CREDIT APPLICATION TO THE GOVERNMENT. PLEASE REPORT ANY DEALER TO NHTSA THAT DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO TAKE POSSESSION OF A NEW CAR PURCHASED UNDER THE CARS PROGRAM. PLEASE CALL THE CARS HOTLINE AT (866) CAR-7861.
CARS.gov - Car Allowance Rebate System - Dealer Home - Formerly Referred to as “Cash for Clunkers”

 

Some people have no shame:

PHOENIX – Police have arrested and booked an alleged hit and run driver who tried to turn in his car to the “Cash for Clunkers” program.

Charles Waldrop was riding his bicycle home from work on Saturday morning when he was struck by a BMW and died. The car reportedly had extensive damage to the front.

Police say someone called in a tip after the fatal crash and Timothy Kissida tried to turn in his 1992 BMW to a Valley dealership for the Cash for Clunkers program the same day as the crash. He reportedly said the damage on the car was because he had hit a Javelina.

Detectives were able to link the crime to Kissida after they obtained a search warrant for the car.

The suspect is now in a Maricopa County jail and faces a manslaughter charge in addition to one count of leaving the scene of a fatal collision and one count of tempering with evidence.

Source (video available):
Clunkers progam helps arrest hit and run suspect | LOCAL NEWS | Arizona | azfamily.com