When Massachusetts announced their cash-for-clunker appliance rebate program, Consumerist bet it would last one day before the rebate cash ran dry. We were wrong — it took less than three hours. [More]
cash for clunkers
Cash For Clunkers Customers Entitled To More Cash
By 1.3.10
Some customers who purchased cars during the 2009 CARS rebate program, popularly known as Cash for Clunkers, were entitled to a portion of the scrap value of their old cars, in addition to the government rebate of $3,500 or $4,500. What? And the dealerships didn’t tell them? Gasp! [More]
Why Does The Federal Government Hate Truckasaurus?
By 11.12.09
Last night, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” addressed one of the crucial economic policy questions of our time: why do the Ivy League snobs in the Obama administration hate Truckasaurus so much? See, the Cash for Clunkers program thoughtlessly deprived demolition derbies and monster truck rallies of the elderly cars they need in order to remain totally awesome.
Edmunds.com Estimates Real Cash For Clunkers Cost, Gets White House Smackdown
By 10.30.09
Edmunds.com crunched some numbers, and came to the conclusion that the federal Cash for Clunkers program was not a terribly effective use of taxpayer money. They argue that the bulk of rebates went to consumers who were going to buy cars anyway. The White House, however, begs to differ. So how did the Obama administration respond? With a snarky blog post.
Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate Program Still Lacks Catchy Name
By 10.16.09
The main problem with the energy-efficient rebate program the federal government has planned is that it just doesn’t have a catchy enough name, editors’ and bloggers’ efforts notwithstanding. Dollars for Dishwashers? Cash for Kelvinators? Even its official acronym, SEEARP (State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program) isn’t very mellifluous even if you belch it.
Couple Finds Traded-In Clunker For Sale
By 9.22.09
Dan and Tara took advantage of the Cash for Clunkers program, trading in their 2001 Nissan X-Terra for a $3,500 government-backed discount with the assurance that their gas guzzler would be taken off the road for good, as Cash for Clunkers mandated.
Was Your Cash For Clunkers Deal Rejected After Being Approved?
By 9.8.09
Edmunds.com, the car info website, is asking people who participated in the short-lived Cash for Clunkers program to contact them if something went wrong. Although they can’t fix any problems, they’re trying to collect data on consumers who are being asked to pay back the government rebate after already being approved, which was forbidden under the rules of the program, so they can present the data to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Top Ten New Cars, Trade-Ins From Cash For Clunkers
By 8.25.09
With Cash for Clunkers mostly over, Consumer Reports looks at the most popular new cars and the most popular clunkers that were traded in.
Cash For Clunkers Program Sputters To A Close
By 8.20.09
If you’re still thinking about trading in an older, fuel-inefficient car, get moving. Due to its overwhelming, car-crushing success, the Cash For Clunkers (CARS) program will end at 8 p.m. on Monday.
Using A CARS Rebate? Know Your Rights First
By 8.15.09
Jim decided to take advantage of the Cash For Clunkers program and trade his Crown Victoria in on something a little more fuel-efficient. Unfortunately, the dealership where he bought the car wasn’t quite ready to handle one of the most frightening of all creatures: an informed consumer. They counted on their customers to not fully understand all of the program’s rules.
Senate $2 Billion Approves Cash For Clunkers Extension
By 8.7.09
The Senate has approved $2 billion in additional funding for the CARS or Cash for Clunkers program. Of course, the perennial buzzkills at Consumer Reports Cars had to find a downside to the program’s continuation.
Honda, Toyota, Ford Top Cash For Clunkers Sellers
By 8.5.09
Some initial statistics are in on the vehicles traded in and purchased in the “Cash for Clunkers” program. Unsurprisingly, 80% of the vehicles traded in are trucks or SUVs, and the top sellers among car-buyers come from Honda, Toyota, and Ford.
Wild Teenagers To Inherit America's SUVs
By 8.4.09
Move over soccer moms and drug runners. Now that SUVs are heading for junk piles, the latest face of the SUV driver is the American teenager. As Abram Sauer reports at TheAwl, this is not good:
Cash For Clunkers Restarted With $2 More Billion
By 8.1.09
Earlier today, the House approved an additional $2 billion for the Cash for Clunkers program. Don’t celebrate yet, though. Consumer Reports Cars warns that it’s best to wait a while before trying to trade in your inefficient car to make sure that the program stays in place, and that you really will get your rebate. (Photo: G Travels)
Why Cash For Clunkers Was Doomed
By 7.31.09
Cash For Clunkers never had a chance. It was smothered at birth by a pile of paperwork and ever-changing rules, as this dealership worker reveals, using a combination of the words “cluster” and “fudge,” except, of course, not fudge.
Cash For Clunkers Runs Dry In 4 Days
By 7.30.09
The government announced this evening that the Cash For Clunkers program is fantastically successful. So successful, in fact, that the program ran through its almost $1 billion budget in four days, and has been suspended.
Cash4Clunkers Admin Responds To MPG Switcharoo, Says Nothing
By 7.29.09
PREVIOUSLY: EPA Tweaks Official MPGs Prior To Cash4Clunkers, Shafting Some (Photo: morsteen)
