Hi/Question ($ for clunker)

[Elizabeth]

Hi Everyone!

I just got a smart passion a little over a week ago and I absolutely adore it. I was lucky, the day I went for my test drive the dealer had exactly what I was looking for arriving at the local port.

I did the Cash for Clunkers program (I traded in a 1991 Plymouth Voyager with the original engine - 271,000 miles). According to the program, I was supposed to get the scrap value of my old car but when I called the dealer to find out how much that was going to be they said the junk yard charged them or something or they only got $50 for my van and so I wasn't getting any of that money. I was wondering if anyone else had the same experience.

I don't think it was the dealer's fault that this happened - I think the junk yards are profiting off this program more than they should be.

I'm considering calling my Congressmen about it. I speculate that my van would have given me enough money to cover 2 car payments if I had gotten the scrap value - as a full-time student I could definitely use the money.

Thanks.

[fpage77]

Congratulations on the smart and welcome to the forum.

[JPaul]

Welcome Elizabeth,
Though your post indicate that it's a done deal, did you try smart USA - cash for clunkers?
You may still get a positive answer from smart USA and have your contract re-worked...
Many smiling miles!

[Carl242]

Welcome to the Smart community! I hope you enjoy yours as much as many of us do

If it was really cash for clunkers, and if the Voyager counts in that program, you should have gotten either $3500 or $4500, depending on whether your Voyager's EPA estimates say it has over 10mpg difference with that of the smart.

Here is a link to the details of the program.

CARS.gov - Car Allowance Rebate System - Home - Formerly Referred to as “Cash for Clunkers”

[Cyberbug]

True - When I went to the dealer I told them I want to get in on the cash for clunker program. I gave the details of the truck they checked online the epa rating online and told me I will get the full $4500 and they subtracted it from the MSRP - no other discount.

when I went home to pick up the truck (perfectly good running truck with 81K miles on it) I called them to check on the financing (got a 4.2% rate) they told me that their policy is changing because of the gov running out of funds for the program and from now on the buyer will have to put up the $4500 for now and the dealer will reimburse the buyer when they get the money from the government. The junkyard does not pay the dealer I think, any money coming from the junkyard goes to the government. The dealer is supposed to disable the vehicle so it is not drivable any more. Most are blowing up the engines rest should go to the junk yard.

Anyway since I had already signed the papers I got the full $4500 discount on the MSRP.

[sandalscout]

I did get some scrap money for my car. The CARS website states that the dealer must show you the scrap receipt for your vehicle once they get it. I was told that most dealers in our area had worked out a deal directly with the local recycler (it's a fairly large organizer and they are a legitimate dismantler, not a yard) to pay $150 for all cars. The dealer is allowed to retain a portion ($50) for paperwork, so I actually got $4600 against the trade in for my Jeep. My dealer still has the Jeep on their lot, but they said that once it was gone they would show me the scrap receipt.

Hope that helps, and hope you like the new ride, I know I do!

[SubSlr88]

The dealers receiving the "clunkers" are required to "kill" them by running a sodium silicate infused fuel through the engine until it seizes. . . they are then scapped. It's sort of a shame really - lots of the clunkers I've seen on local TV have been fairly decent looking vehicles. Not high gas mileage, mind you - Explorers and the like - but still pretty nice and only 5-6 years old.
But the deal is to get them off the streets and off the fuel supply. . .

[Cars4Charities]

You can always donate your van to charity and take a tax deduction instead of the $50 they offered you.

[Orphan-Beggar]

Originally Posted by Cars4Charities

You can always donate your van to charity and take a tax deduction instead of the $50 they offered you.

The CHARITY is the Fed (and the deduction is $4500, till Labor Day, if funded)