Here's a link to the final 136 page document that details the final rules for the CARS (aka Cash for Clunkers) program, just posted a few minutes ago:

http://www.cashforclunkersfacts.com/...final-rule.pdf


Warner

 

yay! hopefully i can pick up my 09 Fit Sport today....been waiting!!

 

The program starts officially today, but unlikely that your dealer will be registered and ready by today. My goal is for sometime next week on my new Fit.


Also, do yourself a favor and LOOK at the rules.

If I'm reading it correctly (and I believe that I AM), the dealer not only has to TELL you what the scrap value of your trade in is, but anything over $50 in scrap value should go to YOU. So theoretically if your "clunker" has a scrap value of $300, you should get $250 of it (probably deducted from the purchase price of your new vehicle). I don't know if this will simply turn into a game of the dealer saying EVERY vehicle has a scrap value of $50 though....I guess we'll see.

ALSO:

On page 48 of the rules it states that cars with liens on them (aka - you still owe money on the car) can NOT be traded in under this program. You would have to pay off the "clunker" and present the dealer with a clear title. Good to know!


Warner

 

Who couldn't have predicted THIS? The last two "tweets" that I received about the CARS program:

"Car dealers are reporting that the online registration is bombing. We predicted that the NHTSA servers would be overloaded last week."


AND


"Dealers are frustrated that load testing and Q&A was not sufficient to ensure that all dealers could register today for the CARS program."



Warner

 

So go down to your local auto auction, buy something that just barely runs for $100 and take it to your local Honda dealer... If you got something good that you can actually sell... sell it separately. :)

 

I got as far as page 60. Then I skipped to the end. LOL! And started looking at forms. Did you see page 129 mentions the Honda Fit!!!

It's a questionnaire for people trading in their cars. And it asks if people would have bought a new or used car if they hadn't been offered this incentive. If they would have bought a new or used car, what type would it have been. They have the sizes, like subcompact, and that's where it mentions the Honda Fit (and Toyota Yaris) as examples.

It's the first car mentioned specifically.

Also, after reading the bit that I did, I had not realized that this program was open to business. They, as a business, can only get one credit, one car or truck. And there is a limit on the work trucks, I believe I read it as 7.5% of the total program funds.

While you won't have competition for the Fit when some business is buying a work truck, that IS competition for the FUNDS.

I highly recommend that everyone read the whole thing, if they are going to trade in. Look at the forms, read the definitions, know what you'll need to provide.

No, don't complain that it's long. I can only wish I could get $4,500 for reading 136 pages. I'd be rich, what with novels and magazine and newspaper articles, school books way back when, email, junk mail...

That comes out to $33.09 (rounded up) per page. And they're double-spaced pages!

 

Uhhh...did you look at any of the rules? You must have owned and insured the vehicle for the past 12 consecutive months....


Warner

 

Hahaha....best quote yet on the offical rules! Good one TW.

Warner

 

:noes:


what are the chances that if i bougth a fit today, and my dealer wasnt registered yet, they would still give me the break and then go thru the paper work when the register?

 

Hmm wonder how this is going to pan out. When i went to the dealer last night he was saying there are about 30 people waiting with deposits placed on new hondas (myself included). I wonder how long the voucher money will last they its until Nov or until funds run out.

 

Lots of dealers are doing (and have done) stuff like that. However, I would wait - for your OWN protection. Dealers aren't going to stick their necks out on this - they want to get PAID. And make sure if you do work something out today that you get their estimation of your scrap value....could add up to a few bucks, I think. If you can do it today, more power to you! I want to go ONCE and get it all done and finalized....not make multiple trips to the dealer and stick my neck out just to have my car a few days sooner. But that's just me. Keep us posted and GOOD LUCK!

Warner

 

btw. What are you guys trading in? I'm trading in a 1991 Cadillac Coupe Deville that i've had for 3yrs. gas guzzler!

 

2000 Dodge Ram Van (14mpg combined on new EPA rating). Bought new in 2000.

Warner

 

Wow, you two are sure in for a very pleasant surprise when it comes to filling up your new Honda Fits. It doesn't take long to fill up a small tank, it doesn't cost much to fill up a small tank, but that tank just keeps going on and on.

I remember flicking my finger on the gas gauge area after getting the FIT. Wondering if it was stuck on full. And I had a car that got better mpg than either of you. It wouldn't have qualified for CARS.

 

Truthfully, I haven't used my van much....at ALL. It has under 60k on it total. About 4 months ago I bought a "beater" '93 Civic EX in preparation for my oldest son who has his permit now, so I've been driving that. And guess what? It's a GREAT daily driver! It had 129K miles on it when I bought it (for $1,700). I had the timing belt and water pump replaced since I didn't know for sure when those were done (cost about $400). So I have $2,100 into a car that I would feel fine driving ANYWHERE, that has been averaging 30+ mpg (best tank was 35mpg). My kid keeps telling me, "Dad you're going to wear that car out before I get to drive it!" Hahaha. He might be right. I've already put about 7k miles on it. No one will be happier than him when I get the fit! My other car (that the mother in law uses to cart my wife around - who doesn't drive!) is a 2006 Honda Civic EX. I haven't driven it for months now, and took it last night to fill it up with gas and realized what a NICE car it is! That car has nearly 100k miles on it and still drives like new.

Warner

 

Trading in a 1996 Ford Explorer 4x4 with 145k miles on it and an engine that doesn't feel like it will make it to 150k.

 

Trading in my '96 Jeep Grand Cherokee...15mpg combined. Had it for 13 years of my 20-year life. It has about 230k miles and will be putt putting all the way to the dealer.

I had a problem with my familys bmw..it kept overheating constantly. When I see a full gas tank, I keep mistaking it for the temp gauge and start to freak thinking it's going in the red.

I think I need to get used to it when I get the Fit.

 

From www.cashforclunkersfacts.com

Cash for Clunkers Delayed Until Monday 27th


« NHTSA Final Rules Include A Lethal Injection


Update: July 24, 2009
The official NHTSA website (www.cars.gov) is now posting information advising consumers that the Cash for Clunker program will start on Monday July 27, 2009. The NHTSA as recent as yesterday had indicated that dealers could start the program today.
Here is the exact wording:The Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), is operated by the NHTSA which was given the task of implementing the provisions in the Cash for Clunkers bill. The bill was signed by President Obama in June and consumers must be patient while the NHTSA sets up the program. The process has not been easy and this new delay is par for the course.
Why The Delay?


There is no specific reason given why the date was moved from today to Monday but we have a few thoughts:

• The 136 page page Final Rules document was just published this morning.
• The Final Rules document has policies and procedures that need to be put in place for dealers.
• Dealers have to give clunkers a lethal injection before sending them to the scrapyard.
• Dealers around the country are reporting that the NHTSA registration website is crashing which is preventing them from registering.
• Dealers have reported getting wrong registration codes on their official letters this week.

Last week we predicted that the NHTSA web servers may not be able to be sufficiently tested in advance of having 30,000 dealers hit their site.
Chaos Reigns Today

Dealers are telling us that they will be taking in trades and deals today and throughout the weekend regardless of this recent announcement. In fact Hyundai dealers have been taking in trades since July 2, 2009.

 

a lethal injection!! now thats crazy! i hope i don't charged a "lethal injection" fee!!

 

Yes, I saw the date on the main site (not in the pdf). They mention consumers. And I assumed what they were doing was suggesting the consumer wait until Monday, to allow the dealer to get all registered up.

Someone has to print out all the forms. They aren't going to print themselves. And they all need to be filled out, by new buyers. I would guess people who have already purchased will have to go back and fill out the forms. All the forms have to be submitted for the credit to be issued.