The nation’s cash for clunkers program is still weeks away from officially kicking off but lawmakers on Capitol Hill are said to be mulling an extension for the scrappage program. Congress could revisit the incentive program as soon as this fall.
The federal government has set aside $1 billion for the current cash for clunkers program but some say that won’t be enough to kick start the U.S. car market. “I think it’ll go very quickly, and Congress may have to revisit it in the fall,” Dave McCurdy, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, told Automotive News. In its current form, the cash for clunkers program is expected to generate about 250,000 new vehicle sales.
Although some automakers are already accepting clunker trade-ins, the officially program doesn’t take effect until July 23rd.
However, the cash for clunkers program is far from guaranteed an extension. Per the terms of the program, a vehicle must average 18 mpg or less in order to be eligible, heavily favoring owners of trucks and SUVs. If the majority of clunkers purchases prove to be light trucks, Congress will quickly pull the plug on any kind of scrappage extension.
07/06, 5:13 PM
posted by:
Impulsive
Not a time extension, fools … provide a coverage extension. There are plenty of old “clunkers’ that are CARS too !!!!!!!!!
07/06, 5:16 PM
posted by:
2WheeledSpeed
I can’t wait for all the retards who’s cars are actually worth MORE than 3500/4500 running to the nearest car dealer to get robbed, and then bragging to me about the deal they got.
07/06, 5:27 PM
posted by:
ojfl
What are a few more billions?
07/06, 5:38 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
Hey, 2wheel, you know what’s worse? Most of these guys are going to be purchasing Prii.
07/06, 5:50 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
CashPrintedFromThinAir for Clunkers.
CashBorrowedFromChina for Clunkers.
CashStolenFromTomorrowsKids for Clunkers.
Idiot politicians.
07/06, 5:51 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
OK beatus if you’re such a smart guy what’s the plural of Wii?
07/06, 6:19 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
That’s easy, Johnny. It’s “Wiis”. Man, that’s awful!
I heard Nintendo and Apple were going to merge and become one company. But what would they call it? Nipple?
07/06, 6:38 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
If that turns out to be true I’d like to volunteer to help them erect their new corporate logo outside headquarters.
07/06, 8:04 PM
posted by:
elviososa
Hey 2WheeledSpeed…I think you will see a lot of them…lol
07/06, 8:45 PM
posted by:
Payton Byrd
Obviously the only people who’ll be taking advantage of this are people with worn out pickups and SUVs as they’re the only vehicles that truly qualify. Any car getting under 18mpg is a specialty car that the owner is going to be partial to and won’t want to get rid of. Anybody with a 6 year old truck that runs well can get $4500+ for it. I’m about to sell my 2004 Titan to a dealership for $9,000.
@johnnycanuck
The plural of Wii is Wii Wii.
07/06, 9:02 PM
posted by:
2WheeledSpeed
Sadly you’re probably right beatusmongous… God I hate the Prius…
07/06, 10:23 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Lol @ Payton. And remember kids, bodily function humor is a gift- not a right.
07/07, 2:41 AM
posted by:
A4
I’m sure 1115 is fuming that they switched the headline photo to a toyota.
07/07, 9:20 AM
posted by:
Need more oil for GM
1115 doesn;t want to accept that all Toyotas and imported garbage are clunkers the day they roll off the dealer lots.
GM. AN American Revolution
07/07, 12:09 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
I have already written my congressman about this bill with two reccomendations.
#1: Any vehicle older than year model 1996 should automatically qualify based solely upon emissions. Even a Geo Metro pollutes more than a modern V8 pickup truck.
#2: The mileage cap should be increased to 20MPG. That would cover a large number of older 6-cylinder and V8 cars that do not currently qualify. The only vehicles that qualify under the current restrictions are old trucks and SUVs.
I encourage all of you to do the same.
07/07, 1:10 PM
posted by:
A4
I already wrote my congresswoman a nasty email, needless to say im sure it wasn’t read and I never received a response.
07/07, 7:32 PM
posted by:
coolhandluke
I was out looking for a car and the dealers told me to check out the net for info. I ended up finding a site where a guy is writing about using the cash for clunkers to buy a new vehicle. He also tells you everything you need to know. It is at http://www.slickbudget.com if you need any info about it at all. He even had links to value your vehicle.
07/07, 7:45 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
Luke, I found this on that site, and I thought it was interesting: “WARNING: Don’t buy a junkyard car thinking you can trade it in. All vehicles must have been registered and insured for at least one year by the person applying.” Honestly, I thought about it…
07/09, 10:05 AM
posted by:
karenc
If your “clunker” doesn’t qualify for a voucher, please consider donating it to charity. You”ll get a tax deduction and help a needy charity. For a list of over 1,000 charities to donate car to, just go to http://www.cars4charities.org.