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Clunker for FIT buying experiences

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  #81  
Old 07-30-2009, 12:17 AM
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Traded in 96 Ford Explorer for the full $4500. Got the Fit Sport for $13,500 OTD. Deal went smooth without a problem. Dealer was packed for a Monday night and they all told me the CARS program has been a big success as far as sales go so far for Honda.
 
  #82  
Old 07-30-2009, 01:19 AM
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Originally Posted by TaffetaWhite
YAY SANDY!

And you could be right, they may have seen the "you can have $50.00 for fees" part and missed that it's supposed to come from the scrap value.

They could have their own deal bounce back, because of that, if they don't work on fixing it. But that would be THEIR problem, THEIR error.

P.S. where did you find the title hiding?
Just got back from delivering the title to the dealer (and stopping for dinner). Husband made them photocopy the title and sign the copy stating they had received it. Logged 160+ miles on the Fit today alone due to this debacle (two round trips).

After searching through my files in vain, trying to find my "auto" folder, I found the title at the bottom of a basket of "miscellany" that I had removed from my desk eons ago. Whew!

Sandy
(BSP Fit Sport)
 

Last edited by SandyD; 07-30-2009 at 01:22 AM.
  #83  
Old 07-30-2009, 01:51 AM
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New Fit owner here. Tuesday I traded a 1989 Jeep Cherokee for a Fit Sport MT. $16,590 + tax. The dealer gave me $250 scrap value for my jeep. I got $4750 for something I paid $400 for 3 years ago.
The salesman I worked with said he had already done 9 CARS trades by that point and seemed to know what he was doing. It took some time to complete all the paperwork but nothing looked too complicated.
I was very satisfied with the dealer, Fisher Honda in Boulder Colorado. It's the first time I have ever bought a new car and didn't feel like I had to take a shower after.
 
  #84  
Old 07-30-2009, 02:12 AM
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Originally Posted by SandyD
Just got back from delivering the title to the dealer (and stopping for dinner). Husband made them photocopy the title and sign the copy stating they had received it. Logged 160+ miles on the Fit today alone due to this debacle (two round trips).

After searching through my files in vain, trying to find my "auto" folder, I found the title at the bottom of a basket of "miscellany" that I had removed from my desk eons ago. Whew!

Sandy
(BSP Fit Sport)
So, it's "finalized" now? They're happy?

At least the 160 miles was in the FIT, which makes it a lot more bearable.

I found my old marriage and divorce papers used as a bookmark in an interior design book.
 
  #85  
Old 07-30-2009, 02:16 AM
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Originally Posted by AintNoStoppinMeNow
Traded in 96 Ford Explorer for the full $4500. Got the Fit Sport for $13,500 OTD. Deal went smooth without a problem. Dealer was packed for a Monday night and they all told me the CARS program has been a big success as far as sales go so far for Honda.
SCORE!

Ahhh, the memories, seems like just yesterday...
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/gene...fit-owner.html
 
  #86  
Old 07-30-2009, 02:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Schadenfreude
New Fit owner here. Tuesday I traded a 1989 Jeep Cherokee for a Fit Sport MT. $16,590 + tax. The dealer gave me $250 scrap value for my jeep. I got $4750 for something I paid $400 for 3 years ago.
The salesman I worked with said he had already done 9 CARS trades by that point and seemed to know what he was doing. It took some time to complete all the paperwork but nothing looked too complicated.
I was very satisfied with the dealer, Fisher Honda in Boulder Colorado. It's the first time I have ever bought a new car and didn't feel like I had to take a shower after.
The $16,590 was before the rebate/deduction, right? Great deal, if so. Excellent on the scrap value! That dealership sounds like it's on the up and up.

I was trying to think of that word earlier, your screen name, because I'm the opposite and I'm really getting joy from other people's joy during this whole CARS program.

Sooooo, what color did you choose? Or what color chose you?
 
  #87  
Old 07-30-2009, 06:58 AM
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Yikes!

It would appear the government, in all it's ineffable wisdom, changed the clunkers list last night.

Originally Posted by Today's Columbus Dispatch
The Columbus Dispatch : Sticker shock: Feds change 'clunkers' list

Sticker shock: Feds change 'clunkers' list

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 10:38 PM
By Dan Gearino


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A clunker yesterday might not be a clunker today, after the federal government changed the rules on which cars are eligible for its "Cash for Clunkers" rebate.
As a result, car dealers might not be reimbursed for rebates on sales they already have completed.
"It's kind of a raw deal," said Rhett Ricart, co-owner of Ricart Automotive. "But when it's all said and done, it's a good program, and it's working well so far."

The Environmental Protection Agency said 78 vehicles no longer qualify as trade-ins under the program, while another 86 vehicles have been added to the list of those that qualify.
I hope this doesn't bite anybody here. The article is making it sound like the dealers would have to eat the $4,500, but who knows.
 
  #88  
Old 07-30-2009, 08:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Krizz
Yikes!

It would appear the government, in all it's ineffable wisdom, changed the clunkers list last night.



I hope this doesn't bite anybody here. The article is making it sound like the dealers would have to eat the $4,500, but who knows.
Caught you in the Rules thread, Krizz!:
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/othe...tml#post710625

That is still an unanswered question. Who pays if the government doesn't?

Does the dealership eat it? Does the consumer have to pony up more money? Does the dealer take the car back? If it's that last thing, and people accepted a dollar for their old car, which they are NOT going to get back, that will cause a few problems.

And the dealer doesn't really WANT a car back that already has had miles put on it. Can they even sell it as "new"?

This CARS program has more drama than any daytime soap opera or reality show.
 
  #89  
Old 07-30-2009, 10:33 AM
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Originally Posted by TaffetaWhite
The $16,590 was before the rebate/deduction, right? Great deal, if so. Excellent on the scrap value! That dealership sounds like it's on the up and up.

I was trying to think of that word earlier, your screen name, because I'm the opposite and I'm really getting joy from other people's joy during this whole CARS program.

Sooooo, what color did you choose? Or what color chose you?
That price is before the rebate was applied. With the rebate and the low interest rate 4.65% I got, my monthly payment will only be $250 a month.

I got Tidewater Blue. My first choice would have been Orange but opting for a Sport with manual limits choices. They had almost 20 Fits and only 2 were Sport manuals.
 
  #90  
Old 07-30-2009, 12:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Schadenfreude
That price is before the rebate was applied. With the rebate and the low interest rate 4.65% I got, my monthly payment will only be $250 a month.

I got Tidewater Blue. My first choice would have been Orange but opting for a Sport with manual limits choices. They had almost 20 Fits and only 2 were Sport manuals.
Excellent! Especially with the way the cars are moving...I'd been checking the inventory of the place where I got my FIT, and they are down about 7. They have ONE sport manual and one sport/nav manual. I remember them having maybe three, and they were all black.

Dealer closest to me has ONE stick sport. That's it.

Say, would you have bought an automatic if they were sold out of stick Sports? Would you dare wait? Or try another dealership? It's such a hefty discount that it's awfully hard to risk losing it.

Tidewater Blue is the chameleon of the FIT colors.
 
  #91  
Old 07-30-2009, 02:00 PM
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Got my name on a new Silver on Monday.
My dealer (which gave the best price) is more conservative, and their policy is to wait for the government paperwork and approval to go through before doing the actual trade and drive-off. No word yet :/

The government rules are written pretty clearly, it's up to each dealership's management to follow the rules. If they messed up somehow (such as making a deal before the final Jul24 and the MPGs switched), time to review the fine print on the sale contract that you signed. If they were smart, they would have put in a clause on what happens if the paperwork is rejected.

Given the popularity of this program (cashforclunkersfacts estimates that backlog may already consume all the funds), it seems prudent to get the deal done sooner rather then later, rather then wait on small differences and potentially miss out completely.
 
  #92  
Old 07-30-2009, 02:13 PM
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Originally Posted by raytseng
Got my name on a new Silver on Monday.
My dealer (which gave the best price) is more conservative, and their policy is to wait for the government paperwork and approval to go through before doing the actual trade and drive-off. No word yet :/

The government rules are written pretty clearly, it's up to each dealership's management to follow the rules. If they messed up somehow (such as making a deal before the final Jul24 and the MPGs switched), time to review the fine print on the sale contract that you signed. If they were smart, they would have put in a clause on what happens if the paperwork is rejected.

Given the popularity of this program (cashforclunkersfacts estimates that backlog may already consume all the funds), it seems prudent to get the deal done sooner rather then later, rather then wait on small differences and potentially miss out completely.
When I was in the finance guy's office signing the final paperwork, some other guy came in an asked the finance guy, "Do you want me to double-contract this one like we have been doing?". The finance guy replied, "No, we should be able to do the transactions normally now". I was relieved about this...I did NOT want to sign two seperate contracts "just in case" to save the dealers ass in the event that there was a problem. The way I see it, I have zero risk now. I signed ONE contract, without any stipulations about "unless we don't get our $4,500 from the feds" type of language. Having said that, if I were the dealer, I'd be very cautious about the whole thing...I think they have a lot of exposure on these deals since the whole mechanism is less than perfect.

Warner
 
  #93  
Old 07-30-2009, 02:46 PM
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If the government denies your rebate you the consumer is liable for the 4500. The dealer is simply the conduit for the program. You may pay the money or unwind the deal and receive your trade back.

Any additional scrap value will be disbursed in a check to you from the scrap yard. dealers are not trained to determine scrap value. Most will allocate 1 to 100 dollars and remove there 50 dollar fee.

In most states you will pay sales tax on the entire purchase price of the new vehicle because the 3500/4500 is considered a rebate and not trade in value.
 
  #94  
Old 07-30-2009, 03:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Krizz
Yikes!

It would appear the government, in all it's ineffable wisdom, changed the clunkers list last night.

I hope this doesn't bite anybody here. The article is making it sound like the dealers would have to eat the $4,500, but who knows.
First, I think the news story got it wrong; the MPG figures were updated on Friday, but many people didn't notice until later.

Late breaking news:

July 30, 2009 The U.S. Department of Transportation has ruled that deals involving cash for clunkers trade- ins based on old mileage numbers and consummated before July 24 will be honored, but deals consummated after July 24 on vehicles that became ineligible as clunkers due to mileage ratings changes will not be honored.



This seems like a fair solution to me.
 
  #95  
Old 07-30-2009, 03:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Stevens24
If the government denies your rebate you the consumer is liable for the 4500. The dealer is simply the conduit for the program. You may pay the money or unwind the deal and receive your trade back.

Any additional scrap value will be disbursed in a check to you from the scrap yard. dealers are not trained to determine scrap value. Most will allocate 1 to 100 dollars and remove there 50 dollar fee.

In most states you will pay sales tax on the entire purchase price of the new vehicle because the 3500/4500 is considered a rebate and not trade in value.
How will you get your vehicle (clunker) back after they have given it the "lethal injection"?

In Illinois, it CAN be treated as a tax credit, so you do not get charged sales tax on the $3,500 or $4,500.

Where did you hear that consumers can expect to get a check from the scrap yard? I'd like to get more information on that if you have it.

Thanks much,

Warner
 
  #96  
Old 07-30-2009, 03:33 PM
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13,500 OTD Sport AT Blackberry for 00 Jeep Cherokee with 130K & vomit on the side
 
  #97  
Old 07-30-2009, 03:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Selden
First, I think the news story got it wrong; the MPG figures were updated on Friday, but many people didn't notice until later.

Late breaking news:

July 30, 2009
The U.S. Department of Transportation has ruled that deals involving cash for clunkers trade- ins based on old mileage numbers and consummated before July 24 will be honored, but deals consummated after July 24 on vehicles that became ineligible as clunkers due to mileage ratings changes will not be honored.

This seems like a fair solution to me.
Yeah, I was thinking that could be the situation, The Dispatch being the Dispatch, they do get things wrong, but figured I'd post it anyways, in case anyone wanted to look into it further.

Like Warner, I'm also curious about where you heard that bit about the dealerships sending out checks after they get paid from the scrap yards. Any further info?

Had to drive up to Michigan today for work, the Toledo/Detroit area dealers are still advertising the hell out of the C4C program on the radio, that kind of surprised me.
 
  #98  
Old 07-30-2009, 03:39 PM
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Originally Posted by tunaman4u2
13,500 OTD Sport AT Blackberry for 00 Jeep Cherokee with 130K & vomit on the side
Did you get extra salvage money for the vomit? Hahaha! Good deal!

Warner
 
  #99  
Old 07-30-2009, 03:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Stevens24
If the government denies your rebate you the consumer is liable for the 4500. The dealer is simply the conduit for the program. You may pay the money or unwind the deal and receive your trade back.

Any additional scrap value will be disbursed in a check to you from the scrap yard. dealers are not trained to determine scrap value. Most will allocate 1 to 100 dollars and remove there 50 dollar fee.
I'm not sure about the first. If the customer provided correct information, and actually met all conditions, but the dealership screwed up, it's the dealer's problem, not the customer's (unless they provided a separate sales contract for this situation).

On what do you base the second statement? I'm not saying you are wrong about this, but I don't see where this is defined. It's an interesting question, but in my reading of the CARS regulations (I am not a lawyer) I see nothing that explicitly suggests this. It would be icing on the cake, but all I see is that the dealer is required to disclose to the customer his best estimate of the scrappage value of the car.
 
  #100  
Old 07-30-2009, 04:13 PM
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Originally Posted by TaffetaWhite
SCORE!

Ahhh, the memories, seems like just yesterday...
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/gene...fit-owner.html
Yes! I know!

Seems like so long ago that I first started this thread and was deciding between a Fit vs Yaris/Versa (what was I thinking?!). So glad to finally buy my first brand new car, drive it off the lot with that new car smell, and look down and only see TEN miles on the odometer!

p.s. if anyone has any more questions about the program I'll be more than happy to answer how it went, what you need, etc.
 


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