New car buyers asking dealers to “show me the Carfax” will now be able to confirm that the mint-condition ‘91 Mercury Grand Marquis they’re about to buy was not supposed to be scrapped during the Cash for Clunkers initiative.
Carfax Inc. and Experian Automotive’s AutoCheck, the leading sources for basic vehicle history reports, say they’ve acquired from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the VINs of vehicles that should have been scrapped.
There are no confirmed reports of ex-Clunkers making their way back onto the road and the federal government required numerous extra steps to prevent the cars from surviving long after they were traded, but the history report companies are not ruling out the possibility of isolated fraud incidents.
“Dealers may unwittingly pick up a vehicle that was unscrupulously, somehow through a salvage auction or recycling facility, not clunked they way it was supposed to have been,” Edie Hirtenstein, senior product manager with Experian, told Automotive News.
11/06, 9:08 AM
posted by:
2WheeledSpeed
Who would want a 91 Grand Marquis in any condition?
But, probably a smart idea to do this.
11/06, 9:24 AM
posted by:
04focus
Well that’s a good question. If a clunker got glass poured into its engine oil, can a junkyard LEGALLY do an engine swap and sell it on? Isn’t it like any old salvage title car? If I found a mint condition Volvo 960 wagon that was clunkered, can’t I buy a Ford 5.0 crate motor and drop it in and title it a salvage?
11/06, 9:41 AM
posted by:
Szabla
I thought that the clunkers were destined for recycling or somesuch and were not to ever be on the road ever again.
11/06, 9:53 AM
posted by:
ajm11
I could see a few of the vehicles that got traded in could go missing from the salvage yards. Examples would probably the 1997 Aston Martin DB7 Volante, and two 2000 Jaguar XK8 Convertibles that were traded in under this program. I would also like to meet the idiot that traded in a 1987 Buick GNX under clunkers to ask what the hell he was thinking.
11/06, 10:36 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Why does the text of the article reference a ‘91 Grand Marquis but they show a picture of an ‘88?
11/06, 11:25 AM
posted by:
NO more oil for GM is retarded
I’m sure a lot of gm products were traded in. lol
11/06, 11:27 AM
posted by:
tastyorange
A 1991 Grand Marquis as shown in the above photo is MORE CAR than most of the crap on the market.
At least it looks like something… not a freakin tin-foil and plastic blob on wheels
11/06, 11:30 AM
posted by:
DenverGuy217
Wow Johnny, you’re scaring us with the fact that you immediately knew the difference between an ‘88 and ‘91 Grand Marquis Mustang-Civic-Celica okay but a GRAND MARQUIS? .
11/06, 11:36 AM
posted by:
Sector_15504
@ johnny
Wow. I think you spent a little too much time here. lol.
11/06, 11:46 AM
posted by:
leftwingagenda
yeah, johnny, step away from the keyboard…now, if you can still read this, grab a phone book and flip to the mental health section, call the first number listed and make an appointment (i was about to add “find your insurance card” to that, but i caught myself)…i’m sure the guys at LLN would be happy to provide a copy of your previous comments as background material for your therapist…
11/06, 11:59 AM
posted by:
BlazeAbraham09
The man knows his cars well enough to distinguish an ‘88 from a ‘91. Get off his nuts.
11/06, 12:38 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Look assholes, just because I knew that fact but didn’t know what grade my daughter was in the other day does not in any way point to the need for me to perhaps… and I stress perhaps… re-evaluate some of my priorities.
Besides, grade 11… grade 10, whatever. I’m just glad she didn’t ask to be driven to school… now that really could have been embarrassing.
11/06, 2:18 PM
posted by:
American_Cars_Crap
I bet all you guys have overweight mothers who stink up the washroom in the morning with their nasty feces. Thats why people like you drive old clunkers like a grand marquis. those are cars for old fat people with no class.
11/06, 2:32 PM
posted by:
dAVE mAN
My first car was a 1989 Crown Victoria (basically same car). It was god-awfully slow and had the sloppiest handling you can imagine… but it was an F-in’ tank. I (often on purpose) crashed into so many solid objects and didn’t even put a scratch on it. It had it’s fair share of “old car” problems, but overall was very solid mechanically. I ended up giving it away to a close friend and he put another 20k miles on it after I was done with it.
11/06, 4:50 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
Panther tank versus Panther body Crown Vic?
11/06, 8:46 PM
posted by:
johngalt
Hell, johnnycanuck, my daughter’s 13, and her aloofness (aloofidity? degree of aloofitude?) makes me forget I even have a daughter, let alone what grade she’s in. Thanks for reminding me. And tell me it gets better, please. She’ll love me again someday, right?
11/06, 11:36 PM
posted by:
ktulu
marqiuse is a dolled-upo caop car
11/07, 3:09 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
johngalt, don’t worry… they never stop loving you. Why give up something they can someday use as a weapon?
11/07, 5:57 PM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
johnny.. embarrassing for you both if you’re driving her in an ‘88 or ‘91 Grand Marquis!