Hot off the press from www.cars.gov!! The Cash for Clunkers program is still in operation. Get to your dealer immediately if you plan to participate. The additional $2 billion appropriated and approved by the House must pass a senate vote next week and there will be a fight over the additional money.
Cash for Clunkers Back on the Road
Be An Educated Buyer!!
It is being reported that we are seeing new car advertisements that are very vague on the detailed breakdown of the incentives subtracted from the new car price that is being advertising. Advertisements just state that the new car is$15,000 with all applicable incentives and government voucher. Do not fall for this. The dealership has no idea what someone is trading in and the car brought in under the Cash for Clunkers program may qualify for $3,500 or maybe $4,500 if it was an old SUV with a big V8. Negotiate the sell price of the new car first then subtract what is applicable for incentives and vouchers. First negotiate the price of the car without incentives. This way when you go from dealer to dealer to compare prices, and I strongly recommend you shop around, you will be talking apples to apples. No tricks, no cloaking the price and confusing the buyer. The potential voucher should have no impact on the base price in which the dealer is willing to sell the car to you for. There is no reason when you initially discuss a price on a new car that you need to disclose to the sales person that you are going to participate in the Cash for Clunkers program. Negotiate the price then talk voucher. You, the buyer, must maintain control of this process.