Cash for Clunkers Program

[lumberjim]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

jim, I have a question:

I was thinking maybe I could get in on this once I get my settlement and purchase a new vehicle, well it's worth a shot anyway.

The MPG ratings for my piece o' crap car is higher than 18 when you figure the EPA city/highway average. I find this crazy. How are people turning in WAY better cars than my POC and getting the deal? Am I missing something?

it's al about the mpgees. i did 5 more clunkers today, bringing the total to 69. along with 8 other deals.

jesus. i was there from 6 am till midnight and fucking busy the whole time.

I'm seeing lots of Explorers, Grand Cherokees, Durangos, Windstars, and Grand Voyager/Caravan/T&C s. I would have expected more F150s.

[Ibby]

The problem, Madman, is that when those businesses fail... lots of real, actual people lose out with it. Not just the execs - they've got plenty to fall back on - but all the workers all the way down the line who are suddenly out of a job, losing their home, out on the street, in dire need of our help as moral people, not to mention a social and fiscal drain on society. If we can solve the problem of absurd executive compensation, the ideal solution within our current system is to help the businesses survive. Society stays productive, people stay working and earning money, and the teetering balancing act that is the capitalist economy stays upright a little longer.
Krugman makes a good if inelegant point in today's NYT:

So it seems that we aren’t going to have a second Great Depression after all. What saved us? The answer, basically, is Big Government.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Ibram

The problem, Madman, is that when those businesses fail... lots of real, actual people lose out with it. Not just the execs - they've got plenty to fall back on - but all the workers all the way down the line who are suddenly out of a job, losing their home, out on the street, in dire need of our help as moral people, not to mention a social and fiscal drain on society. If we can solve the problem of absurd executive compensation, the ideal solution within our current system is to help the businesses survive. Society stays productive, people stay working and earning money, and the teetering balancing act that is the capitalist economy stays upright a little longer.
Krugman makes a good if inelegant point in today's NYT:

Unfortunately you're right. It's the "little guy" that ultimately loses out. The heavily paid execs can generally maintain the lifestyle they already have.

No one is really concerned when small business fails. They're not missed much. But, when the mega-corp's crash and burn, everyone knows about it.

I can't help but to thing when Carter bailed out Chrysler with a $1 billion bailout package just before the end of his term. Then when Reagan became President some airline was going belly up. Reagan's response: "The U.S. Government is not in the business of bailing out failed businesses." As a result, that airline was bought out by another company and it survived.

Well, if this "Cash for Clunker" thing works... great! I'm keeping my clunkers.

[classicman]

yeh - I know Dag. I was, like I said, just sayin.

[Dagney]

Well, it's weird - when we were home this weekend watching TV, the only commercials we saw that were even mentioning the Cash for Clunkers program was Toyota - none of the domestics were even mentioning it.

Considering they NEED the money - I'm surprised by that!

[ZenGum]

That's exactly what they want you to think.

[TheMercenary]

That is why I asked Jim, because he is on the inside. I want to hear it from a credible source.

[ZenGum]

First time I've heard a car dealer referred to as a credible source...


J/k Jim, *most* of you guys are pretty straight. I've just had bad experiences while trawling through the bottom end of the market.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Some salesmen are scumbags, but LJ is a finance manager and they're above all that. They get an once of your flesh, without resorting to nasty stuff.

btw, heres a reminder from the Feds.

[lumberjim]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Some salesmen are scumbags, but LJ is a finance manager and they're above all that. They get an once of your flesh, without resorting to nasty stuff.

funny you should say that. Oft times, in order to break the ice...ease the tension....etc, I say, 'OK, Folks.....this is where we take the Pint of Blood!' it always gets a laugh....and people recognize that I know they are feeling nervous..... I have a couple other things I say to people to shake them out of their shock/whatever. when I put the Power of Attorney in front of them, I say...." this is a Power of Attorney. It makes our Attorney more Powerful." If they laugh, I know they are smart enough to understand the words coming out of my mouth. If they just sign it with that stupid look on their face, I know they are in shock over having just bought a car. If they stop and look up at me with a shitty look on their face, I know the won't be buying a goddamned thing, and that they wet the bed into their teens.

[lumberjim]

we sold 35 cars on saturday.

[ZenGum]

So, ya feelin stimulated?

[lumberjim]

OVERstimulated

[ZenGum]

Groundskeeper Willie! I want you to remove all the coloured chalk from the classrooms.

[richlevy]

It looks like some dealerships are trying to cover their asses. From here.

I waited patiently for about a half hour when I submitted my CARS documents to the business office, and waited another 45 minutes until it was my turn in front of the business manager to finalize paperwork. Everything was going smoothly and I was asked to sign some forms. Instead of just signing away, I recalled a few tricks I had heard dealers were pulling and started examining the documents carefully. He suggested that I could "just sign this page" and he'd fill in the rest later. I relayed that I was uncomfortable with that, considering he could write in whatever he wanted to and it had my signature on it, so he agreed to have his assistant fill it out before I signed it. Most of the other pages were fine, until I reached a carefully worded statement regarding specifically the CARS program. If I signed this page, the language was as such that if for whatever reason the government didn't provide the dealer with the proper refund, I would be held accountable for the $4,500.
This was a deal breaker and things quickly became heated. While my car was old and needed some work, it was drivable and I was perfectly willing to leave without the Sentra. He informed me that he had to protect his dealership, in case the money from the hundred or so cars he already sold didn't come in. I thought to myself, while that is fair, why are you selling cars under this program if you're uncertain about the refund? Thankfully, the www.cars.gov website was at my fingertips and I was able to quote, verbatim, the language indicating that they could not make me sign this form. I'm not sure if he didn't believe me, but he still refused adamantly. I informed him I would leave with my money and I was expecting my deposit back as well... then I mentioned I would tell people about my experience at his dealership and what he was expecting people to sign.

Here is the exact answer from the CARS site.

A dealer has included in the purchase agreement a requirement that I return the new car or pay the dealer the amount of the CARS program credit if the CARS program credit application is rejected. Do I have to sign this in order to participate in the CARS Program?

NO. You are not required to sign an agreement like this to participate in the CARS Program. However, you may agree to such a term, but your choice to agree is between you and the dealer.

Would anyone buy a car if they thought they might get stuck paying an extra $4500? I think not.