This web site calculates the your official estimated mileage using the new method and lets you compare to a new car. 10 mpg improvement gets top clunker trade-in.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/sbs.htm
Yeah, that's great, except when you turn your car over for the buyout, they crush it.
I believe you only need a 5 MPG improvement to get top dollar for a truck.
They only take vehicles built from 84 on, but the web site only goes to 85 vehicles.
I wonder if they would take an 84 if it was built in 84.
and after its crushed it gets shipped to china to be made into the parts of your new car, yay! :toilet:
I can't wait for all these cars to start at $3000 for a rusted out peice of garbage.
Thats why its cash for CLUNKERS, not cash for nice but old cars.
I'll trade in my festiva if I can get a new car that gets a combined city/hwy of 48mpg and is under 10 grand. And is as simple to work on.
I keep wondering how many guys at the dealerships will "grab" a cool ol' car when it is traded in and either takes it home or takes a bunch of stuff off of it ?
Also, to qualify for the credit, you have to prove you have owned the car for over 1 year.
More than that, you have to prove insurance on it for a year..
http://www.cars.gov/
Important Things to Know
- Your vehicle must be less than 25 years old on the trade-in date
- Only purchase or lease of new vehicles qualify
- Generally, trade-in vehicles must get 18 or less MPG (some very large pick-up trucks and cargo vans have different requirements)
- Trade-in vehicles must be registered and insured continuously for the full year preceding the trade-in
- You don't need a voucher, dealers will apply a credit at purchase
- Program runs through Nov 1, 2009 or when the funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.
- The program requires the sping of your eligible trade-in vehicle, and that the dealer disclose to you an estimate of the s value of your trade-in. The s value, however minimal, will be in addition to the rebate, and not in place of the rebate.
Check this site frequently for the most recent updates from the government.[/B]
something about "cars" dot "gov" just bugs me
Is the 18 mpg calculated the "new" way, or the "old" way?
The only '87+ cars that don't get 19 mpg from the combined cycle is the AT 2.3T. All others are ineligible.
Various '83-'86 cars are eligible. All assuming you use the "new" method, which results in lower mpg.
if you read the terms of the bill youll see it more likely they want your nice but old car and not your clunker. i think alot of people are gonna get burned when they bring thier "clunker" in and get turned away.
i read on USA Today that the list of cars has changed...imagine that. Also, I dont know if it's true, but i hear that next year you will have to pay INCOME TAX on the $4500, so be aware cuz the government does NOTHING for free!
I just looked up, on Fueleconomy.gov, which of our cars qualifies for the Cash-for-Clunkers. An 88 TC with the Auto trans qualifies, but with a manual trans TC does not qualify. The really wierd one is an 88 Cougar 5.0 qualifies, but an 88 T-bird 5.0 doesn't..how do you explain that one?? They are essentially the same car! Was the T-bird really that much more aerodynamic?
I hate to see any nice 5.0 cougars get sped because of this program.
Dont worry mine is staying in the backyard till i have the 99 paid off so that i can get to work on the 87. Of all people my dad actually suggested that i turn both cougars in and i was like WTF? you were the one begging me not to sell it when i lost my job at Sunrise.
I think we are planning on trading in our 98 Catera, as most of you know I hate this car. It really doesn't bother me to know it will be crushed, in fact it gives me a grin on my face.