Clunkers 2 Billion Approved! - Cash For Clunkers, Cash For Gusslers, By Survival Insurance

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama signed a bill Friday morning that breathes new life into the popular Cash for Clunkers program.







"Now, more American consumers will have the chance to purchase newer, more fuel efficient cars and the American economy will continue to get a much-needed boost, " President Obama said in a statement.



The move extends the Cash for Clunkers program that had burned through its initial $1 billion in funding in its first week.



The Senate had voted 60-37 to approve an additional $2 billion for the program late Thursday evening, in a rush to finish business before their August recess. The House had already voted to extend the program last Friday.



"This will be a great weekend to go out and buy an American made auto, " Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. said in a press conference after the Thursday night vote.



During the debate, Senate Republicans offered a half dozen amendments to the program. One would have banned all future bailouts and another would have provided tax credits to spur more home sales.



Congress appropriated $1 billion in mid-June for the deal, which was meant to stimulate the economy and get people to turn in their gas guzzlers for more fuel-efficient vehicles. But when the program kicked off July 24, it drew so much interest that it almost ran out of funds, which were meant to last until Nov. 1. Last week, the House hastily approved an additional $2 billion for the program. That money is expected to keep it going through Labor Day, transportation officials said.



As of Thursday morning, there were several proposed amendments to the Senate bill, including one from Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) that would limit the provision of vouchers to individuals with adjusted annual gross income of less than $50, 000 or joint filers earning less than $75, 000. The amendments appeared likely to be voted down. Several prominent opponents of the program said they would not stand in the way of a vote on it as the Senate prepared to adjourn by Friday for its August recess. The White House backs extending the program.



On Wednesday, the Transportation Department put out new figures showing that a total of 184, 304 trades had consumed $775.2 million of the $1 billion originally appropriated. The Toyota Corolla is the No. 1 selling new car under the clunker program.



Forty-five percent of the new car sales are from the Big Three American automakers. General Motors was the most popular choice, with 18.7 percent of the buyers choosing one of its vehicles, followed by Toyota with 17.9 percent and Ford with 16 percent. After the Corolla, the top-selling new vehicles are the Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Toyota's Prius and Camry. Of the new vehicles not manufactured by the Big Three, according to a preliminary analysis by the Transportation Department, "well over half" were made in United States.



Of the trade-ins, more than 80 percent are trucks, the government said, with Ford's Explorer and F-150 pickup topping the list. The average miles per gallon of the new vehicles is 25.3, compared with the trade-ins that average 15.8 miles per gallon.



The program has been plagued by troubles. Consumers were confused as to which cars qualified as the government changed the rules. And dealers said they spent hours trying to log onto the government's Web sites to put in paperwork on the deals they had completed. Transportation officials say they have resolved those issues by improving the computer system's capacity and beefing up contracted staff to help run the program.



Under the program, consumers can turn in their clunkers for a voucher worth up to $4, 500 toward a new vehicle.



Some dealers said they continued to have strong sales under the clunker program, but others said they ran into problems collecting their government payments.



Mario Murgado, president of Brickell Motors in Miami, said Wednesday afternoon that seven of the 47 applications he submitted to the government were rejected, mostly because of paperwork problems.



"It's organized confusion, " he said of the program, adding that the government has not explained things clearly to consumers or dealers. "You've got to dot all the i's and cross all the t's."



HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS:



The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be administering the program. Car dealers, not consumers, will need to register for the program on the site; the only official Federal website. If you have a car that qualifies, you can contact any local car dealer to help you with the program. Stay tuned to this website for breaking news and details on the CARS program as they are released. By signing up for our email alerts, you be the first to know when important details are released.



Join our lively discussion about the program by clicking on our "Speak Up" button.



Does Your Clunker Trade-In Qualify?



This website is created by consumers for consumers. We are receiving emails everyday about the program and we have been updating our FAQ page, so take a moment to read all the questions and answers that we have compiled. You should also follow us on Twitter for real-time updates. The final source for all rules is cars dot gov.



Read Our Frequently Asked Questions Page: View Answers



Consumers who would like to receive an email if there is a change or update on how the program works, can sign-up in the upper left hand corner of this site to be placed on our alert list. The official start date of the program is July 24th.



Locate a Local Dealer That Can Help



Most all new car dealers will be participating in the CARS program. Consumers who want the qualify their clunker can visit the website.



Once your car qualifies and if you want to purchase a new car from a local dealer just give a local dealer a call. The NHTSA CARS program will give you cash for cars that qualify based on the Cash for Clunkers bill; it's that simple.



If you would like a dealer to call you, complete the form on the left. On the form, fill in the car you will be trading in and indicate the car that you want to purchase.



We can connect you with a local dealer in your area who will help you with the purchase and that is familiar with the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), the new name for what the Senate and Congress has referred to as the "Cash for Clunkers" bill.



No Pre-Registration Needed



There is no pre-registration needed to take advantage of the CARS program. You can call any new car dealer and start talking about buying a new car. Please validate that your trade-in qualifies for a CARS credit, our checklist has been provided on the right.



If you would like to purchase a new car, call a local dealer. If you would like help, we can have a dealer contact you to help with your purchase.



Please make sure you include your state, zip code and phone number on the form so we can match you to a local new car dealer.



The Cash for Clunkers "We Can Help" marketing logo is property of the Pasch Consulting Group as was designed to assist car dealers advise the public that they are able and willing to help them with the NHTSA CARS program.



Cash For Clunkers Overview



Summary of Car Allowance Rebate System - Cash for Clunkers Voucher Qualifications



Min. Fuel Economy for New Vehicle $3, 500 Voucher $4, 500 Voucher

Passenger Car 22 mpg * Mileage improvement of at least 4 mpg Mileage improvement of at least 10 mpg

Light-Duty Truck ** 18 mpg * Mileage improvement of at least 2 mpg Mileage improvement of at least 5 mpg

Large Light-Duty Trucks *** 15 mpg * Mileage improvement of at least 1 mpg or trade-in of a work truck Mileage improvement of at least 2 mpg

Commercial trucks ****



Trade-in must be at least pre-2002



* EPA Combined MPG ** under 6, 000 lbs. ***6, 000 lbs. 8, 500 lbs. **** 8, 500 10, 000 lbs.



Car Dealers Handling Strong Call Volume



Car dealers we surveyed have reported strong consumer interest in the CARS program. Timothy Martell, Internet Marketing Director at Marlboro Nissan stated "Consumers want to know when we can sell them a car. They are ready to buy a Nissan car and we have to manage their expectations because they don't want to wait."



David Wilson, CEO of Preston Automotive Group in Annapolis Maryland commented "We are setting up a CARS processing center in our Preston Autoplex to handle customers who want to trade in their clunkers for a new car. Even though the CARS program starts in late July, we have been able to sell cars to consumers who come in to discuss the CARS program and don't qualify for the rebate due to their clunker's rated mpg. "

John Cleaves, General Manager at a Phoenix Chevy dealership reports "Consumers are ready to buy and waiting until the program starts. There is a strong interest in the Cobalt, Aveo and Malibu models." One Phoenix Honda dealer, Bell Honda, confirmed that calls have picked up this week and the weekend will be brisk for sales.



One thing can be said about the CARS program; it is driving consumers into showrooms or their call centers. It will be up to the dealerships to make the most of this limited window of opportunity.



Bruce Roffey from Village Motors in Conover North Carolina who sells only used cars has seen an disturbing effect from the Cash for Clunkers program. Telling his story to PCG founder Brian Pasch; "As a North Carolina used car dealer, we help people get into cars that they can afford any many people look to purchase cars under $3, 000. This program has raised used car auction price as well as cut the supply of cars that low income Americans need. For the short term, this is translating into higher used car prices for the most needy Americans. We will just have to work harder to find bargains to keep low end used car prices affordable"

By: Karen B. Cohen