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Smart Shopper Cash for Clunkers - Does it Work for You?
2647 messages, Last post on Oct 01, 2009 at 6:33 PM
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I Traded My Clunker and Bought a....?
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I guess my old GM car is a fuel efficient marvel as far as you are concerned As far as *I* am concerned? Saying that something stinks below 18 doesn't mean it smells like a rose at 19. Maybe as far as government is concerned 19 is great. I don't think anything below an average of 29-30 is that good, and it is hard to find something like that today. It doesn't take much to hit that 18 mark for a sedan with the new EPA fuel economy test. And it amazes me. Then again, I would love a full-size wagon with a small diesel engine, so clearly by today's market standards, I am a member of a lunatic fringe.
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Replying to: hwyhobo (Jul 10, 2009 8:08 pm) I would love a small diesel engine in a hatchback or wagon too but the closest thing to that right now is the Jetta TDI Sportwagon. The TDI gets 34 combined on the EPA test but probably gets closer to 40 mpg real world as the EPA test punishes diesels by about 18%. I doubt there is anything out on the market today that gets over 30 combined that unless it is a hybrid or a small diesel like the TDI. For my part of the country a hybrid really wouldn't work as the cold weather and snow would make it useless for four or five months out of the year. Batteries don't work so well when it is below freezing for months at a time. The XFE cobalt does get 30 combined on the EPA test so a real world driver can probably get that up to 32-33. Remember the new EPA test is pretty dumbed down because people complained that they could never get the mileage of the old EPA test. If you knew how to drive you could do 10% better then the old 2007 and under test. Too bad most people don't know how to drive. The Forrester that I normally drive as a demo is rated 21 combined for the new test and was rated 24 combined for the old test. I usually get between 24 and 25 overall even though the car has over 160,000 miles and is getting very tired. Getting back to the TDI in this long rambling post I could chunk my old Jeep for a TDI and get the $4,500 bucks. Plus pay no sales tax in my state. Plus get a $1,300 tax credit. It is something I have to consider. I just hate giving up the versatility and all weather capability of the jeep. Nothing stops that thing and it has been dead reliable even with over 150,000 miles. |
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Just go here and hit the green leaf. Put you current clunker info in and it will tell you if it qualifies. ford.com
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Replying to: hwyhobo (Jul 10, 2009 8:08 pm) Well, you said it, not me.... Actually there are a bunch of us on that fringe. A full size diesel wagon would be perfect for me. BR - 150K utterly reliable Jeeps are hard to come by. I could see holding on to it. |
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Has anyone successfully negotiated a scrap value for their car under Cash for Clunkers? In the legislation and current NHTSA statement on cars.gov, both state that 1) dealers are required to provide a 'best estimate' of the scrappage value of the car, and 2) dealers are authorized to retain $50 of the amount paid for scrappage as payment for the administrative costs of the program. The NHTSA statement has a footnote that "Allocation of any remaining scrappage fees is subject to negotiation between the dealer and the purchaser." I've called a few scrapyards and they've quoted $100 for the whole car, and a relative said that the going rate for metal is $5/100 lbs, which also works out to about $100 for a 1 ton car. But under the legislation the dealer and/or junkyard are allowed to sell parts off it as well, just as long as the engine is scrapped and the drive train pieces are not sold together. I got rear-ended a year ago and got a quote for repairs from the bodyshop listing the back liftgate as a $312 part and a few years back got quotes for a door costing $250. I know there are junkyards working as middle-men storing the vehicle and waiting for a need for parts, and they certainly deserve most of the difference in value for parts, but the dealership must be getting more than $100 for the car if I give it to them for free. So I was finalizing a deal for a car and finally got the dealership to give me an estimate of the scrap value of the car and they quoted black-book value at $450. So I offered to split the difference between black book and the mandatory $50, so I get $200 and they get the car and the rest of the benefit of selling off parts or selling the whole vehicle to a junkyard for parts. They refused to negotiate on it at all. Several times I've had to convince them that I wasn't arguing to get a "trade in" value in addition to the gov't rebate, but even after we got that clear they won't negotiate on the scrap value. I know it's a somewhat small component of the overall sale, but I feel that it's important to negotiate a fair value for each component of the deal. Otherwise, to answer the general premise of this discussion and throw in my two cents, C.A.R.S. works for me because I have a 93 Jeep Cherokee (EPA MPG=15) worth around $1k. I was planning to buy a used 3-5 year old car for $10k-$15k next year. But with the $4.5k rebate when I move to a more fuel efficient sedan, I'm looking at buying this year and a new car instead. Based on quotes for Nissan Altima 2.5S cars, I can get one for ~$14k out the door, so I still end up paying about as much as I would have for the new car. In agreement with post#169, those of us who have clunkers are not minimum wage people. I've had my car since 2002 and enjoyed having no monthly payments on the car for the last four years. Just as an Engineer, I value functionality and saving money and my wife is harassing me to buy a more 'professional' looking car. It's true, the environmental aspects of the bill were watered down and it's a shame to junk my car while it's in fine working condition, but at lease the US bill requires MPG increase and allows any car purchase, whereas European bills are just for domestic cars with no MPG requirements. |
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Replying to: british_rover (Jul 10, 2009 7:53 pm) Wow, you still have that old beast? From what I've heard, those things actually are pretty fuel-efficient, if not the most sophisticated in other respects. Lemko had an '88 Park Ave that could get 29-30 mpg on the highway, I think. Didn't you mention that you've been able to crack 40 with your Bonneville, if you nurse it just right? Those early Japanese V-6 cars tended to not be very fuel efficient, in general. I think it's because they tended to be more powerful, premium, driver's-type vehicles, with fairly high horsepower and agressive gearing. The 1985 Maxima, for example, is only rated at 15/20 with the automatic, although it's 17/23 with the stick (17/22 if you bought it in Cali). IIRC, the original Camry V-6 was a small 2.5L unit, so it was probably more of a revver as well, and coupled with aggressive gearing. I don't think Japanese V-6es really started getting economical until the later 1990's, when they reached larger displacements, and were better-suited to loafing along like an old pushrod...although they were ready to rev up when you required it.
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My '94 minivan's battery died 2 months ago, and then C4C came up, and now that old junker is worth $4500! I jumped it yesterday, and rev'd it for a few minutes, but then it kept dying when I took my foot off the gas. I'd hate to have to pour money in it to cash it in. It is registered, insured, but out of inspection (PA). Do I need to be able to drive it to the dealer, and have them be able to drive it around the lot 'til the scrapper picks it up?
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Replying to: spazvt (Jul 12, 2009 2:59 pm) I'm with you on this all the way. I would go ahead and make the deal without your due on the scrap. Then file a complaint with the NHTSA when they make the final rules available. I would hope they make that portion clear in the final draft. A vehicle with a decent body is worth a lot more in parts than a rusted out hulk with a good engine.
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Replying to: guntherhops (Jul 12, 2009 3:26 pm) I guess if it doesn't start the next day it's not your problem. |
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Replying to: gagrice (Jul 12, 2009 4:09 pm)
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