Comments on: Top 10 Cash for Clunkers Models

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:53:38 +0000

and what about Mercedes?
he sold so few cars?

By: frank

frank — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:58:57 +0000

does a 1997 saturn coup qualify?

By: johann olivier

johann olivier — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:14:46 +0000

Debra Smith? Idiot for a president? What is it with you people? Why were you so quiet when the real idiot was in the White House? I love Obama…so do millions of smart Americans. Oh…that’s why he’s prez!

By: pat lafferty

pat lafferty — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:49:35 +0000

73 Super Beatle Voltswagon

By: John Vargas

John Vargas — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:10:10 +0000

does a 2002 eclipse spyder gt or a 2007 jeep cherokee 6 cylinder qualify for the program?

By: jim b

jim b — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:41:58 +0000

No one mentions the fact that these foreign companies like Toyota of Japan sells their cars or products (even those made in the USA) to their american subsidiary (ie Toyota of America) for most of the price of their car or product. So that the american subsidiary (ie. toyota of america) reports a lower profit than they should so they dont have to pay tax to the US. So the next time you hear dumb people complain about US corporations for not paying taxes tell them to jump into their toyota or suburu and protest american subsidiaries of foreign companies.

By: Cassandra

Cassandra — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:03:54 +0000

Debra Smith,

Do you feel better about buying products from “American based” companies who have moved their manufacturing operations to, say, China? Paying Chinese workers…buying from Chinese wholesalers?

Many of these companies produce our FOOD! Please don’t think that the dog food fiasco a few years ago hasn’t been/won’t be repeated with human food. How many recalls have we seen: of food, toys, medicines?

Yes, profits will ultimately come back to companies here. But this situation in no way benefits American workers and is of dubious benefit to American consumers.

By: maurice conway

maurice conway — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 09:27:55 +0000

hi. i live in BC canada which is close to the Washington Border and I drive a 1990 Topaz. Can I come down to the USA and trade it in according to the cash for clunkers program?

I cant find any information on whether canadaian citizens can do this. i imagine it would be a good thing if canadians participated too … more stimulus and yet more action.

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:34:41 +0000

Go ahead and tell yourself that your “American” car doesn’t support foreign car companies, if you must. Sure, it’s made in the US by US workers, but where do you think the profits go?

By: Mickey

Mickey — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 01:30:07 +0000

I understand that as Americans we need to become more “green” when it comes to our vehicles, and I’m all for that…whether this program is the answer to that, I’m going to remain optimistic. The problem I am having is trashing the vehicles…there are so many returning servicemen and servicewomen who have been injured and require larger vehicles to transport them and their wheelchairs, equipment, etc….instead of trashing these vehicles, why not donate them to the VA to fit them for our soldiers who need them? It’s hard enough with them coming back and facing the jobless rate we have…why not provide them with a vehicle, free of charge…the only thing it will cost them is gas. We’re supposed to be a nation of recyclers, so let’s recycle the usable clunkers…the VA could use them, the Salvation Army could use them to transport people to and from job interviews, or they could be donated to vocational schools.

By: Jen

Jen — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:03:42 +0000

After reading some of these comments it is no wonder we have a socialist President in the White House. Just so you know Honda and Toyota, though owned by Japanese companies are both made in the US. Ford and GM both have parts manufactured and cars assembled in Mexico. I used to work for a GM dealership. They have never had a plan to compete with lower milage. Their only idea was to take a 6 cyl. car and once it hit speed on the hwy to down shift back to 4 cyl.

I have a 93 civic that has 180k on it and gets 27 mpg. American car manufaturers don’t even come close on the fuel milage. So why would I give my hard earned money to GM or Ford that make subpar products and outsource American jobs?

By: spice of life

spice of life — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:05:00 +0000

Pete: your upset because your dealer is getting $50 for your clunker? You are getting 4500! so what if the dealer is getting a little more than that… all the extra money these dealerships are putting into staffing, the amount of payroll, even the extra paper they must buy.. come on.. be happy you are getting a brand new car… some of us can’t “clunk out” their car, even if we could, couldn’t afford a new car.

And I am sorry yes Americans are put to work in toyota and hyduni factories but the amount of money that is paid to them is nothing that is paid to japan and its stockholders! This program should of been an american made car program only! we just bailed them out and now we are bailing out the foreign companies, it is a joke!

By: Gene & Kelly

Gene & Kelly — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:03:29 +0000

Scrap value is where the dealers are screwing the customers. When they submit a claim for reimbursement they are required to certify that they have given the buyer an estimate of the scrap value of the clunker. They are also required to certify that they have kept no more than $50 of that money.

Tell your dealer that if they don’t notify you honestly of the scrap value and/or if they keep more than $50 of that money, you’ll turn them in to the CARS hotline.

That, and only that, will get their attention.

By: Pete

Pete — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:10:03 +0000

CJ – I REALLY wish the govt would issue some clearer rules about the “scrap value”. My dealer said that they were getting $50 for each clunker from the scrap yard and they were entitled to keep the $50. I think that the dealer pulled my leg on that one.

By: Shayla

Shayla — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:07:15 +0000

Whether the car is American Made or not, American workers are employed at these American dealerships. If I were going to Japan to buy a car from a Japanese dealership, that’d be a different story.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:01:48 +0000

I do not agree with money going to foriegn countries. This need to help our companies, bottom line is honda and toyota is still owned by Japan….. Let them come up with a program. Right now the whole world is laughing at us

By: Ohio Greg

Ohio Greg — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 02:51:44 +0000

Time once again for my nightly observations!

CARS Voucher Processing Totals:

Yesterday…157,000 vouchers = $664,000,000
Today…….184,304 vouchers = $775,200,000

1. 27,000 vouchers ($111M) processed in the last 24 hours.
2. Previously pace was closer to 20,000 vouchers ($90M) per day.
3. Average voucher amount is $4200 (most rebates must be $4500)
4. Dealers report 250,000+ sales have been done so far.
5. CARS is AT LEAST 75,000 transactions (about 3 days) behind.

At the current pace, the $1B of initial funding will “officially” be gone in 2 days. The truth is that CARS has no clue how many sales the dealers are sitting on right now because they can’t submit them.

Don’t forget…

Even if the extra $2B of funding is approved, that averages out to only 38 CARS vouchers per registered dealer.

The NIGHTMARE that is coming…

CARS will always be a few days behind in processing vouchers (because dealers are selling cars faster than vouchers can be processed). If they allow sales to continue until the money runs out, there are probably going to be THOUSANDS of pending purchases that will be stuck in the pipeline when CARS shuts down.

By: spice of life

spice of life — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:07:32 +0000

well, maybe car companies could afford to hire american workers if they got a piece of that 3 billion dollar pie.. i am not saying the world is without its catches, but come on people! and maybe if those other workers would not work for such crazy low wages, that is riduclous, one job should have the same amount of monetary value no matter what country you are in, a janitor should get paid the same if he is cleaning toilets in america than in mexico.. true americans think “they are above that” and that is what is wrong with this world. people need to get off their butts and make a living and support their families, there are to many people that take advantage of the system!

By: Debra Smith

Debra Smith — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:58:37 +0000

I don’t car if your car was free to drive. This is $3billion dollars we are talking about here! And where is it going to ultimately go to.. not the US for sure.. is the idiot that we have for a president term up yet?

By: C. J. Guarino

C. J. Guarino — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:11:26 +0000

how can we determine the ‘salvage’ money in these deals…all the dealers are pleading ignorance & casually dismissing this aspect as trvial & therefore, dosen’t amount to anything!!

By: california dreamin

california dreamin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:25:44 +0000

I bought a US-made Toyota Corolla (made at NUMMI in Fremont, CA and shipped on 7/06/2009). I bought my Corolla from a AMERICAN car dealer (I don’t know of any foreign ones) that employed American workers.

I drive my Corolla instead of my made-in-Mexico GMC Yukon SUV because I’m getting way better fuel economy with my ‘American’ car.

By: Debra Smith

Debra Smith — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:29:04 +0000

Absolutely ridiculous AMERICAN tax dollars going to support FOREIGN dealers? yeah thanks alot goverment!