did you use cash for clunkers?

[huckster]

has anyone here got a new car using this?How did it work for you? did you get fair trade on you turn in? did you still get added rebates if applicable?

thanks

 

[powellrj]

none of our cars qualified. Oldest DSs and parents cars didn't meet the gas mileage requirement and we hadn't had middle DSs car long enough. DH and I both drive newer cars so they weren't eligible.

 

[golfgal]

I wish we could have but we didn't have a car to trade in. We would like to buy another car but, being responsible people we have cars that get good gas mileage already-and actually we wouldn't trade in one of our cars as we need a 3rd so we would keep our other cars. Kind of like the mortgage deal, if you are irresponsible, here is a load of money to help but if you are responsible-too bad.

 

[LoraJ]

My current car gets good mileage already and the trade-in value is higher than the CARS rebate anyway. But I have a deposit down on a new Prius and I feel like it will take me longer to get the car because of the CARS program.

It has been a pretty successful program though for dealerships.

 

[Kitty 34]

My brother and my 21 year old neice used it. Got a sweet new car (can't think of the name of it, tho) at a real doable cost. They also got all the GM incentives so they got apx $6000 for their clunker.

 

[IDoDis]

Yep, just bought a new Corolla yesterday and got rid of my van for $4500. I also got the manufacturer's rebate. I negotiated the price first not saying I was going to do the CARS program and not saying I was going to pay cash because if the dealer doesn't make much on the front end, they try to make it on the back end (financing). We walked out on Thursday, but on Friday morning our phone was ringing off the hook from 3 different dealers trying to get us back in to close a deal since it was the last day of the month. We ended up getting a sweet deal.

Was my van a clunker? Not really, but I would have been very hard pressed to get $4500 for it. I took my van to Car Max to see what they'd give me just so I could get a feel and they said $1800. I may have been able to sell it for $3500 on my own if the right buyer came along. I had been saving for a new car, so we paid cash.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

No, one of dh's favorite things are buying/selling cars.

 

[minkydog]

Nope, I'm totally selfish. I like the clunkers I drive. My criteria for choosing a vehicle is "Can it pull my camper?" No? Then I don't need it.

right now we have a big honkin' Ford Expedition which gets about 16mpg on flat road, 9mpg hauling a load. I did trade my old minivan a couple months ago and I broke my own rule. I bought a used red Jeep Wrangler ragtop. It gets about 15mpg, but it looks HOT!

Meh. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs. My cars are my only vice (well, after my poodle )

 

[EthansMom]

We would have been happy to take advantage of it, but our 99 Corolla has good gas mileage so it doesn't qualify.

Studies have shown that it takes more energy to destroy the old car and build a new car than would be saved with better gas mileage, so don't let people con you into thinking this is "all about the environment". Basically, it's just a VERY expensive way to stimulate car sales. Probably not the best use of our tax dollars.

 

[WDWorBUST]

I am so sick of hearing that the people using this are financially irresponsible....HOW is it irresponsible to drive a vehicle to the point it's considered a "clunker" to avoid having a car payment??

DH has had his truck from college for 16 years....it still runs pretty good....just gets horrible gas mileage and looks pretty sad at this point. We are "trying" to use the cash for clunkers to get a new better mileage vehicle with it because our other car is a 1997 ford escort with 206,600 miles on it that I drive every day 60 miles roundtrip. It's getting to the point that I am starting to feel like it will only last so much longer and don't really want to be stranded on the side of the turnpike when I am financially in a position I can get a new car. I say "trying" only because the dealership we're working with is waiting until our paperwork is approved to release the car (cash for clunkers paperwork) which I think is pretty financially responsible of them as well. We have a 2002 Jeep Liberty as well that is in great shape with 100,000 miles on it and I'm expecting it to make it at least 5 more years at the bare minimum.

Is taking advantage of the cash for clunkers program a wise decision for everyone who is doing - NO....but personally I feel like it's pretty smart of me to be doing it since the truck we're trading in (that is only used for hunting and hauling stuff a handful of times a year) has a $2000 KBB value for a PRIVATE sale and I'm getting $4500 for it.

 

[Keli]

Between my dh, myself, my dd and my sil we own five vehicles. None of them are new cars, all are paid off.
And because they are older they don't all get particularly good gas milage. Some of them don't get 18 m/p/g any more.
But they were wise decisions when we bought them, all got great gas milage and so none are eligible for the clunkers for cash deal.
Dd and sil could really use a new car and are looking to buy one, it would have been great if it had worked out for them.

 

[gymboqueenkaylee]

nope, My car is paid for. Why add a car payment when I don't have to. I thought about it, but didn't have enough to pay for the car in cash in the replacement fund so I passed. Good deal for someone who really really needed a new car.

 

[Mskanga]

We would like to buy another car but, being responsible people we have cars that get good gas mileage already-and actually we wouldn't trade in one of our cars as we need a 3rd so we would keep our other cars. Kind of like the mortgage deal, if you are irresponsible, here is a load of money to help but if you are responsible-too bad.

I am so sick of hearing that the people using this are financially irresponsible....HOW is it irresponsible to drive a vehicle to the point it's considered a "clunker" to avoid having a car payment??

I guess the same way that some people assume that others are irresponsible for losing jobs through no fault of their own , or have loved ones with a serious disease and having to make the choices of having to quit a job to care for them.

Yes the second one has happened to me and many other families I know , I had my child diagnosed with cancer and I had to quit my job to care for her. One less income , quadruple the bills......we managed but many families could not , and some of them lost their homes. How does that make them irresponsible ?
Assuming is never a good thing.....unless you walk in the same shoes.

 

[MinnieMe87]

Nope, I'm totally selfish. I like the clunkers I drive. My criteria for choosing a vehicle is "Can it pull my camper?" No? Then I don't need it.

right now we have a big honkin' Ford Expedition which gets about 16mpg on flat road, 9mpg hauling a load. I did trade my old minivan a couple months ago and I broke my own rule. I bought a used red Jeep Wrangler ragtop. It gets about 15mpg, but it looks HOT!

Meh. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs. My cars are my only vice (well, after my poodle )

I love my clunker too!!!

 

[Cindy B]

Yes I did. I traded in a 1999 Jeep Cherokee for 2010 Toyota Camry. I got the full $4500 as well as 1500 in additional rebates.

 

[DalGal]

Nope, my clunker doesn't qualify...1997 Grand Prix GT with 235,000 miles and still gets 27 mpg. Love my clunker, even wither her faults!

 

[sunlver]

nope, My car is paid for. Why add a car payment when I don't have to. I thought about it, but didn't have enough to pay for the car in cash in the replacement fund so I passed. Good deal for someone who really really needed a new car.

Well I was glad to read I am not the only one who feels this way. I guess for our situation I dont think it is such a great deal. I mean we are a one income family, and we drive used cars. Now, my minivan would qualify, but why would I want a car payment. My husband is a partime mechanic so fixing our cars is no problem. BUT..with all our cars paid off, it doesnt seem like such a great deal to us

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I will keep my clunkers. The cost of a new car far outweighs the short term savings...

 

[IDoDis]

I am glad I finally made the plunge. This is my first new car eva and I'm no spring chicken. We usually buy a 1 year old car and keep them forever!

And about the irresponsibility thing -- #1 We paid cash.

#2 -- The dealership needed to run a credit check (they called it a "soft credit check") since we were paying cash so that they could verify we were who we said we were. We reluctantly agreed to let them run the credit checks only because we know that inquiries can bring a credit score down. The F&I guy who we signed all of the paperwork with said that my credit score was the highest he'd ever seen in the 10 years and 100 deals a month that he's done at the dealership. I will wear that with a badge of honor. He said DH's score was probably the 3rd highest. I felt so proud!

I think they got suspicious about our credit when we didn't want to them to check it.

 

[minkydog]

I will keep my clunkers. The cost of a new car far outweighs the short term savings...

Absolutely right! We've got about 8 months left on our Expedition and I can't wait