The three billion dollar scrappage program, known as Cash for Clunkers made available by the U.S. government, was an apparent success as vehicles by the millions were swapped in for more fuel efficient cars and trucks. Cash for Clunkers info, regarding that federally run program has been slow to find since it ended on November 1, 2009.

July 1, 2009 was the official start

As intended, there was a boost in auto sales when the program began on July 1, 2009 and this helped the economy for a brief time as everyone from car manufacturers to dealers were kept busy recycling those gas guzzlers many of us had been driving. Official Cash for Clunkers info advises that processing of claims began on July 24, 2009 some three weeks after the program began.

Original plan was one billion dollars for trade ins

The original plan was for a one billion dollar appropriation to be paid out to citizens who traded in their gas guzzler for a safer, cleaner burning, and more fuel efficient vehicle between the dates of July 1, 2009 and August 24, 2009. According to available Cash for Clunkers info that amount was nearly exhausted by the thirtieth of July 2009 and this was due to an extremely high demand. Congress then approved another two billion dollars to aid the successful program.

Those vehicles that were traded in had to meet certain criteria

• Vehicles traded in must be drivable
• Trade in vehicles had to have been registered and insured for one year prior to trade in
• Vehicles must be less than twenty five years old on the date of trade in
• Trade in vehicles get less than eighteen miles per gallon of gas
• Dealers must disclose the “scrap value” of the vehicle by estimate and that amount will be added to the rebate (not in place of that rebate)
• Replacement vehicles must be purchased or leased a minimum of 5 years
• New or replacement vehicle must have retail price of less than forty five thousand dollars and have a fuel economy rating of at least twenty two miles per gallon

According to available Cash for Clunkers info the program was a success

On the twenty sixth of August 2009 it was reported through Cash for Clunkers info that some 690,114 transactions were reported by dealers for a total of nearly three billion dollars worth of rebates. Toyota apparently sold the most vehicles as they claimed 19.4% of the overall sales on trade in. General Motors was a close second with 17.6% followed by Ford at 14.4%. The average in fuel efficiency accorded to those trade in vehicles amounted to just under sixteen miles per gallon and that, in comparison to the nearly twenty five miles per gallon for those new cars which had been purchased to replace those gas guzzlers proved the program had been extremely successful.

C.A.R.S.

According to Cash for Clunkers info it was called the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Program (C.A.R.S.) or officially the Supplemental Appropriations act of 2009. Once the vehicles were turned in to dealers for trade in they had to be scrapped or destroyed. Cash for Clunkers info has determined that this was done appropriately by disabling the engines of those vehicles.

Do you want to join the cash for clunkers program? Do you wish to swap your old junk of a car for a new, more environment friendly one? If yes, then visit our website to know more!