Does Your Trade-In Qualify for the Cash for Clunkers Program?

Here is a quick way to find out if your clunker qualifies for the government’s Cash for Clunkers program. Simply follow this link. Then select one of the following:

1) A car, pickup truck, van, or SUV with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 8,500 lbs. or less
2) A truck, van, or SUV with a GVWR greater than 8,500 lbs. and less than or equal to 10,000 lbs

Then select the year, make and model, engine and transmission.

In the end, you should see a screenshot similar to the one below.

c4cresult

Cars over 25 years old do not qualify for this program, so the cutoff is essentially 1984.

August 2009 Announcements

Not a lot to report this month. We’re only 3 days into the month, so don’t expect any lease rates to pop up until sometime late this week or early next. I did get an email requesting information on the Porsche Moments Program. Here’s what I’ve found:

The Porsche Moment Program

Special 1.9% Financing on 2008/2009 Porsche vehicles. For a limited time select 2008/2009 911 Models have 1.9% financing for up to 60 Months available.

  • 2008/2009 Cayman and Boxster also qualify for 1.9% up to 60 months.
  • 2008/2009 Cayenne models qualify for 1.9% up to 60 months.
  • Special lease rates also available on select 2008/2009 models!
  • Certified pre-owned rates as low as 3.75% on select vehicles.

*Offer is subject to credit approval.

Source: planetporsche.net

Here’s even more info from a dealership in Tampa, FL:

*The Porsche Moment Program gives you 1.9% financing for up to 60 months on the Porsche of your choice.

Get a new Porsche Carrera, Cayman or Boxster with their all new DFI (direct fuel injection) engines and PDK (Porschedoppelkupplung) transmissions that deliver more power, faster acceleration and more fuel efficiency than ever before at a deal that delivers more savings than ever before.

Choose from the Porsche Cayenne series, renowned sports car performance and practicality with an offer that takes practicality to a new level.

*1.9% financing available for up to 60 months with approved credit through Porsche Financial Services on new and demo 2008/2009 models. Not good with any other offer.

I know, not a lot of info, but enough to give you an idea. 08/09 models at 1.9% financing for up to 60 months. Chances are, some seriously decent discounts can be had with the 2008 models.

Moving on…

Infiniti G37 Coupe and M35

David Baker at Cerritos Infiniti is offering his 2009 Infiniti G37 Journey Coupe, Illuminated Kick Plates, Trunk Cargo Net, and Vehicle Alarm Impact Sensor. MSRP: $38,035; Invoice: $35,157; TMV: $36,018. The price he is offering RIDE with G peeps: $34,988. This would be the cap cost for a lease. If you plan to buy, I’m guessing he can sweeten the deal that much more. I think July lease rates run through today, so you can estimate your payments using those numbers. It is also possible that these rates may carry over to August. We’ll find out soon enough. Anyway, this is primarily for Southern California residents. Out-of-towners can also work with him if you are willing to make the trip. Contact David for more details. My take on this deal is that it’s low. Much lower than a lot of offers I’ve seen recently. Just look over the G37 July post and you’ll know what I mean.

Another promo they are running is the M35. MSRP = $46,885. Cap Cost = $43,344. 10k lease. 39 months. 589 a month. Excludes taxes and fees. $2999 due at signing. If you are an existing IFS customer, you get the $1000 loyalty cash you can apply to the drive-off. I’m not super fond of this deal however. It needs work, but looks promising based on some comments in the Lease Guide post.

2009 Z4 Deal by Dave

This is more of a reminder than anything. ’09 Z4 $499 a month plus taxes. The lease rates on the Z4 looks pretty solid. I know the drive-off seems like a lot (almost $5k from what I understand). So remember to ask the right questions. MSRP, cap cost, mf, residual and a breakdown of fees. I know the Z4 lease rates are pretty reasonable right now, so a good deal can’t be too far off. Dave’s been good with providing help and good sale prices to RIDE with G readers. Some have already bought/leased from him, so give him a call if you have questions regarding this car or other models. Dave’s contact info can be accessed HERE.

Warning for Floridians

Here is a nice warning from Onequi, one of the early RIDE with G readers…
“A word to the wise: If you are ever interested in leasing/purchasing a vehicle, DO NOT, STAY CLEAR, of Toyota of Hollywood, Fl.! They are clueless about the entire internet buying experience.”

Cash for Clunkers

You really should get on this if you have a clunker that qualifies. Gov’t did approve $2b more for this program, so please take advantage of it while its still available. The money is drying up QUICK! Here’s a sample deal that Onequi sent me last week on his folk’s Honda CRV:

The CRV LX the Price is

$ 19,986.00
$ 599.95 (Dealer fee)
$ 1235.15 (6% tax)
$ 50.00 (Dade county)
$ 180.00 (Approx Transfer tag)
——————
$ 22,051.10
$ 4500.00 Clunker credit
——————
$ 17,551.10 amount financed.

The gov’t program not only took care of all taxes and fees, it also knocked out about $2400 off the final sale price too.

For more information, go to Cars.gov

Acura TL

Another reminder about the TL deal I was given a few weeks ago. I’m pretty sure the sale prices still stands for those near So Cal. Here’s the previous post if you need a refresher. I saw one over at Costco over the weekend. Not as ugly as expected, but I have not warmed up to the backside of this car. The toothy-chrome grill is less imposing on a silver exterior. The interior is fairly well appointed and it’s priced fairly aggressively, so it’s worth a look if you are in the market for a luxury sedan.

That is all for now. Again, expect lease rates to start popping up sometime in the 2nd week of this month. Best times to negotiate is probably towards the end of the month, but if you have a good dealer that is willing to give you his best pricing early on, by all means, pull the trigger because waiting too long can sometimes backfire (ie. CLK, C350, to name a few bad reason to wait). Also, don’t forget about loyalty programs that allow you to get off your existing least up to 3 months in advance without penalty. I know IFS is offering that until September, so be sure to factor that program into your calculations should you choose to get into a car this month.

House Adds $2 Billion Dollars Into “Cash For Clunkers” Program

WASHINGTON – The House voted Friday to rush $2 billion into the popular but financially strapped “cash for clunkers” car purchase program, heeding calls from consumers who hope to keep taking advantage of the trade-in incentives.

The bill was approved on a vote of 316-109. House members acted within hours of learning from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that the program was running out of money.

My Take: Jump on this if you have a clunker, nothing’s better than free money.

Source: MSNBC