Cash For Clunkers Postmortem
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I started working with my dealer, Hoselton Toyota in Rochester, NY, on 8/6 in an attempt to participate in the CFC program. My trade-in was a 1990 5.7L K1500 with 107K miles that I bought from Hoselton in 1996. My replacement was a 2010 Toyota Tundra 6-cyl RWD (work package – including heavy duty vinyl seats) in transit to, but not yet at, a dealership 80 miles away. I was also trading in a 2001 MB C240 (55K mi) to help defray the cost and reduce insurance and other costs. I submitted (I thought) all necessary paperwork (proof of insurance/registration/titles/lien release) that day.
*Eleven* days later (8/17), my salesman called and said he needed a lien release for the Clunker. I was 2000 miles away in Phoenix on business. I called my credit union and because the lien was so old it was not in their database and they had to look it up, but they had the document in the mail that day (their regulations prevent them from FAXing such info). The lien release was received in the mail from CA on 8/20 and I immediately coordinated a meeting between my salesman and my wife, who took it to the dealership. I was still in AZ.
Later that day, the salesman called to tell me they need all the paperwork signed by 3:00 PM Saturday (8/22) to submit to CARS before the 8/24 deadline. Although they didn’t have the truck on the lot we could do a “paper delivery” (VIN known). At my own expense, I flew out the next day (8/21) to close the deal.
Saturday, my salesman called @ 2:30 and said that “billing” is swamped and the paperwork won’t be ready until 4:30. At 4:00 he called again and said it wouldn’t be ready until 5:15 and that even though it was after 3:00 and they close @ 5:00, they were extending hours. I showed up at 5:15 and was told it would be another 30 minutes. I arrived back again @ 6:00 and the paperwork was finally ready. We sat down, paperwork in hand, when my salesman had to go deal with an “angry customer”. He returned about 30 minutes later …
Complaining that he was late for a wedding reception, we began going through the paperwork. I noticed that they had added a Ziebart undercoating and interior fabric protection package (for vinyl seats?) without any prior discussion. As it was getting late and everyone was antsy, I let it pass – after all I was getting $4500 for a $1500 trade-in, right?
Next, I was asked to sign a waiver stating that I would reimburse the dealer should my clunker not be approved (as apparently were many others). I declined. I was told that if I refused to sign they would walk from the deal. I was also reassured that there “should be no problem” as everything had been approved by their CFO and “internal audit process” (then why the contract, I argued?). I was even instructed that I could always “hire a lawyer and contest the contract if Hoselton chose to enforce it”. I have to wonder how Hoselton feels about their salespeople giving legal advice to customers regarding litigation against the dealer?
After 10-15 minutes of back-and-forth, I gave in and signed the document (I know, I know). It was my last opportunity to participate in the program and at this point (3 weeks later and out $400 for airfare) I was exasperated – I had NO other options if I wanted to participate in the CFC program. With the deal done, I was told the truck should be delivered Monday (8/24) AM – after which they would have to “take it to be Ziebarted” – and it should be ready in the afternoon. I was scheduled to fly back to AZ 8/25.
I left the dealership feeling as if I’d been strung along, taken advantage of and very, very angry. I was unable to sleep that night as I kept regretting having signed the waiver (a free insurance policy from me) and felt that I had signed the waiver under duress (Nth hour). Additionally, I discovered they had not disclosed or included the scrap value of my 5200 lb. clunker in the purchase agreement.
Monday afternoon, they called and my truck was on the lot and my salesman would be available around 7:30 PM (another last minute, late night meeting). I asked for the ODO reading and was told 88 miles (the approx. distance from the other dealership, but not enough to include a trip to the Ziebart shop). I refused delivery because they were also supposed to install cruise control, which they had not. Additionally, I told my salesman that I wanted the scrap value (minus the $50) for my clunker either applied to the CC installation or in the form of a check. My salesman fought hard to get me to pick up the truck, saying I could always bring it back to have CC installed and even offering to come pick up one of the trade-ins from my house if I drove the other in. I refused, much to his disappointment.
To sum up, it took 3 weeks to get a “paper delivery” for my new vehicle, which now sits in the dealer’s lot (I am currently in AZ). I also have physical possession of BOTH trade-in vehicles (I was assured we had all the paperwork necessary to submit to CFC).
As I understand it, it was illegal for the dealer to not disclose the scrap value of my clunker and it is illegal to “… charge a person purchasing or leasing a new fuel efficient automobile any additional fees associated with the use of a voucher under the Program” (does the waiver I signed fall into this category?).
Do I have any legal recourse? Of course if my clunker is accepted, I have no worries other than dealing with exceptionally bad customer service. Regardless of the outcome, I can assure you that myself and anyone I know will NEVER visit the Hoselton showroom(s) again.
2 weeks and waiting here. Beyond the obvious answer, I question what should be a reasonable time to wait for a dealer who is holding the new car hostage? This has left somewhat of a bad perspective for my dealer and Honda. Honda should have set guidelines and requirements for their dealers to abide by the NHSTA rules and supported the dealers. As it is, some dealers operated ethically and others did not. Regardless the still bear the Honda brand, and Honda is the ultimate beneficiary without being exposed to the “percieved” risk of not getting paid by the Gov’t.
Here’s the gig. dealer has a $500.00 down payment, the title to my clunker and the new car sitting on his lot and I still have my clunker. You know – Per my dealer “I’m not releasing the new car until I’m paid by the Gov’t.” It’s been since 07/30/09.
Us consumers are getting no help from anywhere. Here’s the real joke. I have emailed and written to the below entities and have received no response except the automated responses.
This is a crime in itself:
1) NHTSA (2 emails & 1 Certified letter)
NJ Assemblywoman Annette Quijano
2) NJ Congressman Leonard Lance
3) NJ Governer Jon Corzine
4) NJ Automobile Association
5) NJ Attorney General
6) NJ Senator Raymond Lesniak
7) NJ Assemblyman Joseph Cryan
9) American Honda Corp (They said they would call the dealer??)
10) Office Of The Inspector General (emailed me to contact NHTSA)
11) Morris County Daily Record Newspaper
12) Channel 7 Eyewitness News
13) Bergen County Record
14) NJ DMV Automobile Dealers Investigation Unit
Now I’m looking for a lawyer that will start a class action suit because I know I’m not alone
I have had signed paperwork since 8/6/09 and still no car. My dealer is awaiting for approval he says not payment, meanwhile I am still driving my clunker. Frustrating that each dealer seems to handle it in a different way. I have no way to proove that he did sumbit paperwork- now that it’s closed I could be out of luck Does anyone know how I can check to see if they even submitted my paperworK?
I have had signed paperwork since 8/6/09 and still no car. My dealer is awaiting for approval he says not payment, meanwhile I am still driving my clunker. Frustrating that each dealer seems to handle it in a different way. I have no way to proove that he did sumbit paperwork- now that it’s closed I could be out of luck
Could not find Prius anywhere in Buffalo, Rochester,Syracuse, PA,Ohio. Clunker was in Buffalo. Drove Clunker back to SC to buy car from Stokes Brown Toyota of Hilton Head. Manager, Tom Farbarough-worst experience I have ever had with a car dealer.. First, I put $1000 down on a car with sheet with Vin# and particular color.. Next day, they called to see if I really had to have it in that color.. I was up north, so my brother went in,found they had traded the car to a dealer for 5 other cars and never ran my deposit, as I insisted the salesman do so that it was assured to be mine.. He told me it would be mine and then gave it to dealer.. They found another one, gave them $1000 deposit, sent title and all cash for clunkers material to them,, they sent me sheet with Vin# with $899 added for First Choice finish. We told them we did not want it.. they told us it was non negotiable-that if we did not want it, we could go somewhere else to get the car.. I signed the sheet with that price.. We returned to SC on last day of Cash for Clunkers to pick up car and discuss lowering price of that First Choice, since a friend of mine bought Prius 3,same model as mine, except mine had moon roof.. they used cash for clunkers also and he tried to charge them$900-they got him down to $200– He refused to lower ours, saying that he could trade it for 5 other cars, that someone else was waiting for exact same car and she would not have to wait.. on and on- I told him that those were the exact same things that he said to the other person.. He tore up the information sheet, threw it down on the desk, flung my license copies at me, told the salesman to go and get my title, that the deal was off since he did not want to sell it to me if I felt like I had no choice..He said that we had agreed to that price and I said that we felt we had no choice but to agree if we wanted the Prius.. My brother also bought a car from him before the Cash for Clunkers, got the same FIrst Choice and paid nothing for it.. He said it was different then.. It is clear he is gouging whoever he can to make up for paperwork for cash for clunkers and knows he can push Prius buyers because they were difficult to find- showed his true colors-I will not go there for service-will tell everyone that I know not to go to Stokes Brown Toyota–
I signed a purchase agreement and left a deposit for a 2010 Prius 2 weeks before the CARS program ended. The car was still in transit to the dealership and all my clunker paperwork was in order. All the while I was waiting, I was assured the car would be in and the deal would go through before the program ended. The day after the program ended the dealer called me with the “good and bad” news. The good news was the car was in and I could come down and finish the purchase. The bad news was they had not submitted the clunker paperwork to the government because they did not yet have the MSO, therefore, I would not be getting the $4500 rebate.
Truth is, the dealership had pulled out of the clunker program the week before and had no intention of submitting my paperwork. The MSO is not required for approval, only the VIN which they had already had for at least a week. The MSO could have been submitted when it arrived. At the very least they could have done the respectable thing and inform me that they were no longer participating in the program. This would have given me a chance to find another dealer who was. This only goes to prove that car dealers are worthy of their reputations.
The dealer tried to hold my title when they were not reimbursed within 10 days for my clunker. I bought the car outright and filled out all necessary paperwork. The dealer ruined the experience.
I had a terrible experience. This program would have been great if the car dealerships would of trusted the government to pay up on orders that have been placed. But when I came to nissan in hopes to get the cash for clunker deal I was turned down. I think that this program should be reinstated!! I felt left out like many others whom also got turned downed as well
It was difficult to know when the program was “on”, Nine out of ten dealerships I called, had pulled out of the program before I could get my car to them. My car broke down and I had to get it fixed before I could take to dealership. On the last day (Mon) I worked with a Nissan dealership that led me on a “wild goose chase”. They told me to fax the paperwork. I spent all morning working with them. When I got to the dealership, they said I had not met the deadline. I started working with them at approx 9 am. When I arrived to get my new car, they said 1) The program had already closed at their dealership. 2) They didn’t even have the car I was negotiating for on the lot. I don’t believe they had it on the lot when I started dealing. In the afternoon, after 3pm, I could find no Nissan dealership honoring the program. The next Nissan dealership wanted to charge me sticker price, not even TRYING to make a deal with me. Now I am stuck with clunker 94 Chev Blazer, 225,000 miles. No car. No money to get a car. This would have really helped me. I am a care-taker for my mom. We are middle class, but have been economically challenged, due to no medical insurance for either of us. Medical bills are in the thousands. Now we have no car that runs, no deals available after the clunker program (dealers not offering incentives) and no rebate to even try to get a new car.
It may have been my fault for not doing the research beforehand, but I learned after taking delivery and signing all the paperwork for my new car, that I didn’t qualify for the program because my name wasn’t on the title for my clunker for 12 months. I received the $3500 rebate, and now because I’ll have to do a normal trade-in, my truck is only worth $1500.
It seems to me like the dealership should have known this rule a lot earlier in the deal. Now they’re making an extra $50 a month off of me. Yeah, I feel like a butt.
Can anyone tell me if this is legal? Seeing I signed everything for the new car and learned this 3 days after delivery.
On July 31,2009 I went to our local Dodge dealer ( in Casa Grande AZ) to trade in my 1993 Chrysler Concorde for a 2009 Dodge Caliber. On the govt website it stated that my old car DID qualify for the rebate. Also that day at the dealer, I was told it did qualify. I spent 5 hours at the dealership waiting until they found a car. Our salesman went to go get it at a dealer 40 miles away & I signed all the paperwork, got financing and arranged to pick up the new car the next morning & bring the old car in. I got my new car Sat. Aug. 1st. & gave them all the necessary paperwork. I thought everything was fine until Thursday night and I received a call from the dealership asst manager who stated that I had to come in & redo our contract as our Concorde no longer met the MPG – it had been changed from 18 to 19. SO I had to go in SEVEN days after I had the new car and had to give the dealership more money. I was told that I had to do this or they would repo the new car.
I have contacted alot of people and have had no response. I feel what they did was not right as we had a signed contract, I had the new car, a new car loan, car insurance etc & they had the old car.
I am still very upset about the deal.
Nissan of Bay Ridge of Brooklyn,
We wanted to have a lease instead of financing a car, therefore, we went to the nissan dealershipn in BAyridge brooklyn. The sales guy by the name of Chris helped us with our selection. We told him from the begining that we wanted to purcahse a nissan maxima SV 2009 for no more than 400.00 a month and that our car would be taken for cahs for clunkers. After several hours negotiating a price as they wanted us to get a used car 2006 model as I guess they were selling older cars, he left us there for several hours supposedley negotiating the price wit the finance department. To make the story short on August 25th at 3pm 3 days after we submitted our paper work they never gave us a car or the cash for clunkers and gave us a lame excuse that the car was sold and we were left with nothing as the cash for clunkers deal is over.
Nissan of Bay Ridge of Brooklyn,
We wanted to have a lease instead of financing a car, therefore, we went to the nissan dealershipn in BAyridge brooklyn. The sales guy by the name of Chris helped us with our selection. We told him from the begining that we wanted to purcahse a nissan maxima SV 2009 for no more than 400.00 a month and that our car would be taken for cahs for clunkers. After several hours negotiating a price as they wanted us to g
I hope this is in the right place. You see, I ATTEMPTED to complete a CARS deal, but it got dumped somewhere along the line.
On Thurs, Jul 23, husband and I went to International Mini of West Allis, WI, to purchase a 2009 John Cooper Works Mini Clubman. The sticker was $34,400.
We had EVERYTHING. Proof of insurance AND a letter from my insurance agent. Proof of Registration. Printout of CARS fuel efficiency rating for our clunker, a 1993 Ford Ranger 6cyl 5-spd, 4wd. Title, Driver’s Licences, EVERYTHING we needed for this transaction.
After completing the forms and giving them our down payment (in addition to the $4,500 we qualified for), we were told that they would not do the deal that day as the final rule was to come out on Fri, the 24th. While I was very upset at the time and we drove home in our Ranger, I later realized that the Sales Manager was doing the right thing.
On the 24th, I read the final rule. I told the dealer I would come back on Monday, the 27th, to finish the transaction and bring my car home. I was told that the sales manager was in a Webinar training session for the CARS program. We went back and forth all day, my sales associate (Angela) and myself. She assured me that she had all that they needed, and that my deal would be the first submitted after the training was completed.
Tuesday morning, I was told that the transaction had been submitted successfully. I wanted my car. No, they could not do that. Not until it was approved. I was ready to go to another dealership to shop for a car, but – hey! they had a solution. They would deliver the car to me, and we would sign two contracts – one would be the CARS deal, the other a straight-up 36mo financing with $5k cash down (the CARS deal also included the $5k).I was told this second contract would cover the dealership until the CARS transaction was approved.
I got my car, and we signed both contracts. However, over the next few days I read in greater detail all of the info posted on this site. And I learned that there was no way my deal could have been submitted! We did not do any “certification” for registration and insurance. I still had the original title for the “clunker”.
I contacted the sales person and manager requesting info on exactly when my CARS app had been submitted. No reply until I said I would ask the bbb to get the info for me. Then Shadrach replied he would get the info to me right away. At this time, I told him about the rule that the dealership MUST take possession of the “clunker” and release the new car at time of signing. I have not heard from him or anyone at International, and now I see that both Shadrach (sales manager) and Angela (Internet Sales Associate) have had their picture and contact information removed from International’s website. Even the hours they work were listed as “unavailable”. I called the dealership to confirm that both are still employed there – that was on Friday, Aug 21.
I have also called Senator Russ Feingold’s office, the official CARS hotline and the Better Business Bureau. Rebecca, from the Senator’s Milwaukee office, phoned back, but left no message, and I’ve not been able to get a response since. No return call from the CARS people. At the BBB’s suggestion, I sent yet another email to the contact person at International stating the situation. No response from him, either, so today I have submitted a complaint through the BBB.
This program was a great idea – designed for people who work for a living, maintain proper insurance and registration, and who need just a little help to get a better vehicle. Unfortunately, it also had to include dealerships that did not play by the rules. I believe International strung me along in order that I would not go to another dealership. They had me believing I would actually be participating in the CARS program, but they never submitted my CARS application.
So, now I have 4 cars at my home. I did my part – I had all of the documentation, and I was eligible for the rebate. However, International Mini didn’t care about any of that. All they wanted was to keep me on the hook for a traditional contract. Well, it looks like they got what they wanted.
Annette Kucksdorf.
Well, last saturday we thought we were picking up our vehicle. We had received an email the Tuesday before saying “Good News, looks like we will be able to release your vehicle at the earliest Thursday”. After not hearing from them by Thursday, we called them and they said they were making appointments. So that made an appointment on Saturday, which really was not convenient as we were working, but took time away to get this over with. When we got to the dealership the shuttled us into the dealership office and the Business Manager started filling out a piece of paper. Low and behold it was a waiver. We refused to sign it, we had told them over a week ago that we would not sign a waiver to cover them and their actions or inactions regarding the program. We had already signed the CARS agreement that if we did something wrong they could come back to us, I was not going to cover a process I had no control over.
So after an impasse between us, the Business Manager, Sales Manager and Salesperson, we picked up our paperwork and as we were leaving told them to call us when they received approval and we would take delivery.
Later we emailed them as we were under the understanding that GM was fronting them the money so they did not lose out while waiting to be paid. (We know our paperwork was perfect, we had three years of proof on everything and then some). We also stated that we had been waiting 22 days and the warranty and included free services were already running. Received email and information on this in the mail. And we also told them we were not appreciative of the way we had been treated including not being up front about the scrap value of our truck which they only gave us a credit of $10 and not answering questions regarding issues involved with the warranty.
We received a phone call around 6:45PM from the Sales Manager screaming on the phone, saying he didn’t appreciate being threatened. We did not threaten him, we asked questions and also thought maybe it would be good if we contacted GM. After HE threatened to kill the deal and my husband told him don’t do that, we wanted the vehicle and he kept raging on then my husband did threaten him. He threaten to sue him for breach of contract and then some. After that he quieted down and said he would sleep on it over the weekend.
Fast forward to Monday afternoon 5:45PM the salesperson calls and tells us he has a message from the sales manager that they have received alot of approvals and expect that in the next couple of days they expect ours.
POSTMORTEM:
Tuesday— No phone call as of yet regarding vehicle, don’t know if it has been approved or not, don’t even know if we still have insurance on the clunker which we still have. Think they switched it, and it is possible the registration on the hold truck has been transferred already.
The funny thing is, they wouldn’t be in such of a mess if they didn’t tangle into this web of deception and lies in the first place. There are only two groups of dealerships in the state who took this route. Unfortunately we picked one of them. All the other dealerships did things by the rules. They chose not to….
I really hope that these dealers who did not go by the rules get there just deserve. I know I would never be a customer again of the Gates Brothers Run Groups in Northeastern Connecticut and I am sure we along with others will make sure others know what has gone on.
It HAS left a very sour taste in our mouth and we have always gone with GM Cars. We now will have to fight to get the warranty straightened out when we receive the vehicle, but we have been smart to have visible documentation that proves we did not have the vehicle.
Yes i have what i call a clunker a 91 lebaron convrtabe iwas told it did not fit the requirements for the clunkers program as supposedly it got 22 mpg. Then went back to same dealer had an 86 dodge ram 150 pick up truck was also told it was to old for this program as it gets only 12 to 14 mpg so i gess i will keep on driving my old cuunkers but it was stated by the NTSB i st report to be no older than 25 years old the second report showed only 20 years old. Does the NTSB know they want these gas guzzlers of the road but if i had a 2009 Dodge Ram with a Hemi engine and like new with an estated EPA rating of 13 mpg i would be able to trade it in. As a clunker what is wrong with this Cash for Clunkers Deal some one has there head on backwards. If this is the case the owners of newer cars would not trade a new car that gets only one or two more miles per gallon is this right. No we trade up for possable if lucky to get a crossover vehicle that gets possably more than 25 MPG this program is backwards you should be able to trade the older cars from 10 to 30 years old off the roads not the newer. IS THIS RIGHT??????.
This is my 2nd car from this dealership. We purchased the car with trade in, and everything went well, except the registration which I had the newest one (like all of us we get the new one in the mail and tag our car and remove/throwout the old one. So I had to go to DMV which they printed me a sheet readable to only them that the car had been registered for 11 years (which I was told that this sheet from DMV would not work). I then went to AAA and the manager looked in the computer and verified that I had indeed had the car registed since I owned it and signed my DMV sheet to verify with their signiture. The dealer said all my paperwork was in order. I had paid cash for the car, and then I get a phone call that I needed to come in and sign the gov document that stated I was given the money for the deal $4500.00 and told that they had done the paperwork incorrectly that they were supposed to deduct the $4500.00 from the price of the car not the total and that I would be getting tax money back as I had overpaid $$$ (approx 300+ ). The general manager said the checks were cut but they would not send them out till they got paid. I said what you do with the gov is none of my business. I paid you too much money for my taxes in cash. I am in full compliance with what was needed and whether you get paid depends on when and how you do the paperwork which is not my issue.
Tell me what to do in this situation Please.
Tried to trade in our 91 toyota 4×4 truck for a Kia Rio.all the paer work is done but the car we want won’t be in till end of this week. We were told that the deal ended Monday……….no one ever told us that the car had to be in the lot to qualify! Not my fault it is sitting at the port. What a scam………..now the price of good used cars are going to go through the roof because of the shortage of them. ! Looks like I am going to have to drive my UNGREEN crap box around for as long as it will let me
I attempted to “cash in” my 2002 Mazda MPV which qualified with a combined mgp of 18. I have owned and insured the car since day 1 with all appropriate documentation. I shopped around and found the car I wanted, left the deposit and waited to hear back from the dealership. They called me to say everything was in order and scheduled an appointment for me to come in to finalize details and schedule delivery. I had already obtained financing and had the bank draft in hand at that time. I was informed that the loan could not be in my name but needed to have my husbands name on it as well as his name was on the title/registration. They would have accepted cash, but turned me away because my husbands name was not on the already secured loan. The new car was to be titled/registered in his name as well. I walked away with nothing and am still waiting for my deposit to be refunded by the dealership. Basically, I lost $4,500, which was the amount I was eligible for as I was purchasing a hybrid.
On Saturday 22, 2009, I went to trade in my Clunker for a new model but it did not go that way at all. They were short handed, and had me wait there for an hour just to ask simple questions that will help see if I qualify. After getting really acquainted with some cars a sales person finally makes his way to me, he asked me for my title and insurance. Then proceeds to tell me that he can not help me because the title did not have my name printed on the title but it was signed over to me.
Why must everything be so confusing…Hopefully, I can make my way down to Georgia and sell this car off. My car fit the requirements: 1998 Ford Explorer aka Clunker
I attempted to trade my Ford Explorer Sport 4×4 in for a Jeep Patriot. My requirements were simple: it had to have 4×4, nice rims, and be black. I didn’t care if it was Sport, Limited, or Rocky Mountain edition, or if it had a sunroof, or premium sound, or leather interior, or anything. I also had to get the Cash for Clunkers deal on my trade-in.
The dealership I went to gave me a newbie salesman who had me test drive one (that didn’t match my requirements) and it ran out of gas on me. I had to PUSH it down an off-ramp into a gas station as my girlfriend steered. Since the salesman went with us on the test drive, he helped push, but when we got to the gas station, HE DIDN’T HAVE ANY MONEY, so I had to PAY to fill up. He later paid me back.
The newbie salesman told me they could get a black one with 4×4 within a few days. Since they were SURE they could find one, they had me put down a deposit of $500 to secure one when they did. 2 WEEKS LATER (and TERRIBLE communication with me) they still had not found one. The dealership ‘fired’ my salesman and gave me a new one, which then promptly went on vacation for a week.
After that 2 weeks (while burning precious Cash for Clunkers incentive time) I told them to forget about it and give me my deposit back. While at the dealer, I saw the salesman that they ‘supposedly’ fired, and he was STILL WORKING THERE. It took the dealership 4 days to credit my deposit back to me.
I went with a Subaru instead. Flawless transaction at the dealership. I guess this was more of a dealership bad experience than a C4C bad experience, but still needed to vent.
I attempted to take advantage of the CARS program on 4 seperate occasions, yet each time was told that my 1996 Mercury Sable did not qualify for the program. This car is 13 years old and did not pass the emission test during this year’s inspection. I had to have a certificate allowing me to drive the car for this year, YET IT DOES NOT MEET THE BOGUS REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS PROGRAM! Very disheartening!
The program was supposed to end 8/24. I got all my paperwork together and was ready 8/24. All the dealers said they made their last deal 8/22 and I was too late. Could they do that?
My wife and I purchased a new car on the lot from Herb Chambers Honda in Westboro Msss. on July 29. They have our money, they have the title to the 2000 clunker we left with them that day, but it is now almost 4 weeks later and they still refuse to give us the car we purchased until they get their rebate approved. They refused to comply with the cars.gov rule that cars on the lot must be delivered. The salesman there was fine to deal with but their management has been totally unresponsive. I will never do business with them again and I will do everything I can to persuade as many people as I can to avoid them like the plague.
We got to the dealer ship at 2:30pm yesterday 8/23, and didn’t leave til 11pm WITHOUT our car and two checks they asked for that they assured us they would return when they got the deal done. Paperwork was signed but not given to us for new car financing. We were also trading in our other car for a bigger down on one car, but even then with more than 50% down, we still don’t have our car. it’s the next day, over 24 hours after we walked onto the lot, the paperwork is completed, checks are being held, and still no car. We asked if we gave additional money if we could get the car, and they said no. The system was overwhelmed, they apologized, but without approval from the govenment they could not release the car. So our clunker is there, our excellent condition second car for additional down is needed to get around and be in good condition when they finally get approval, our loan is activated, and we have no car. This is the same entity that wants to run a healthcare plan. God save us all.
We picked out our car from the dealers lot on about July 15th and are still waiting to get it. We were told that we were one of the first ones to have our stuff entered and were assured that we should get our deal done soon. When the DOT said they couldn’t hold our car they said “no car till approval”. When GM said they would front the money they said “no car till approval”. The last time I heard from the dealer it wasn’t from the salesman, but from a finance guy. I told them that we are taking a trip on Labor Day weekend and we want the car well before that or we are going have to go somewhere else and get something used (our original plan) he told me “oh we’ll have this done well before that”. I’ve been hearing this for 4 weeks and I have a feeling that we’ve been approved but now they are waiting for the money (purely speculation). We haven’t formerly worked out a solid deal and they still have the car so I don’t want to file a complaint yet so…. I guess we wait. It’s safe to say I will not step foot into the dealership after this is done.
I’m frustrated with the process, I applied for the Cash for Clunkers deal on July 27th. I even left a deposit on a car on that same day, July 27th. It’s been a month and they are still waiting for a response from the Govt. Now that the program is over I’m forced to make a deal at the current dealer. I feel like my clunkers title is being held hostage. This delay made it impossible for me to shop around as I had to submit my title to start the procedure. I’ve gotten my tax return faster than this. What if I can’t make a deal with the current dealer? Am I out of luck? I’m very upset that I’ve had to wait a MONTH for this. How can there be so many cars out there being driven and I’m still waiting? Is this an issue that I can take legal action against dealer if I lose out on the opportunity because they took so long??
We’ve heard that dealers are asking consumers to sign agreements with contingencies when they participate in the CARS program.
CONSUMERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO SIGN CONTINGENCY AGREEMENTS TO PAY BACK THE DEALER SHOULD THE CARS CREDIT BE REJECTED.
We’ve also heard that dealers are asking consumers to keep their “clunker” until the deal is approved by NHTSA.
IF THE DEALER HAS THE NEW CAR IN STOCK, THE DEALER MUST ALLOW YOU TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE NEW CAR BEFORE THE DEALER MAY SUBMIT THE CREDIT APPLICATION TO THE GOVERNMENT. PLEASE REPORT ANY DEALER TO NHTSA THAT DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO TAKE POSSESSION OF A NEW CAR PURCHASED UNDER THE CARS PROGRAM. PLEASE CALL THE CARS HOTLINE AT (866)-CAR-7891.
Working with a dealer in Orlando, Fl (Central Florida Chrysler) for a purchase for my elderly mother. Having the same issue as others noted — dealer asking for ABOVE MSRP for the car, but telling me “it’s a great deal” because of the Cash for Clunkers program. Even threatening my mother today, as the deadline for Cash for Clunker looms, to “take the deal or leave it” because if she doesn’t agree to this deal, they won’t have time to get approval for Cash for Clunkers $$. In this case, I know exactly how much of the $4500 credit they are pocketing — $1100. I know what the pre-negotiated, no-haggle purchase price is supposed to be (have a preferred pricing deal because of a friend at the car manufacturers corporate headquarters). They won’t settle for less than $1100 above this pre-determined price. NOTE, 10 days ago, they said they would honor this pricing agreement to get us in the door. NOW, the day of the deadline, when they are finally ready to talk the specific deal, they change their tune and say “take it or leave it” because they know we have no other choice at this point. When I complained of the tactic to the dealer’s corporate office, the dealer called my mother and said “stop making waves” or your Cash for Clunkers won’t get approved. Blackmail. They are breaking their original verbal promise, and using the Cash for Clunker deadline to do so. Who would walk from a $3400 benefit because the dealer is skimming his own $1100 from it? We can’t, and won’t — but we sure are mad as hell.
Don’t get me wrong, I think this govt program is great; exactly what we needed. A clever program with many benefits. It is just a shame to see some dealers basically pocketing 1/3 of the credit that was supposed to go to the consumer. Apparently increased sales volume was not enough of a benefit for some of them; they had to eat up some of the credit, too, by manipulating purchase price. What a shame.
I went to the dealer on Tuesday picked out a car, the dealer told me I needed my current registration and the title for the car I was trading in and my drivers liscense. Wednesday I couldn’t find the title. Went to the Secretary of State got title. Thursday dealer called said financing was approved and he was sending in all the info to the Government for approval. Thursday night I was online and I discovered I needed past registration and proof of insurance for the last year. Called dealer to verify, suprise I needed all of the above. Friday made a second trip to the Secretary of State suprise again the Secretary of State is closed on friday and saturday for state mandatory furlough days have to wait til monday. Monday went to Secretary of State suprise the line is about 150 people deep. Waited. I got the registration proof. Took it to the dealership. Now they submitted it to the government. Dealership said it would take 1 to 3 days to get government approval. Wednesday still waiting. Program is ending. The biggest suprise of all. Should have known better than to rely on the government for anything.
Restart the program the first of November for two weeks. That will allow us to get our paperwork straightened out and the dealers to get more cars in. Write your congressional representatives and car makers.
I went to the dealer on Tuesday picked out a car, the dealer told me I needed my current registration and the title for the car I was trading in and my drivers liscense. Wednesday I couldn’t find the title. Went to the Secretary of State got title. Thursday dealer called said he was sending in all the info to the Government for approval. Thursday night online I discovered I needed past registration and proof of insurance for the last year. Called dealer to verify, suprise I needed all of the above. Made a second trip to the Secretary (Cont.)
I went down in the a.m. to inquire about the Cash for Clunkers Program. This dealership kept me waiting and waiting 3 hours. They told me I was going to qualify for the clunker program. After much dismay and not getting any answers. I asked them what was taking so long. I thought may be the system was down or something. This dealership wasted my precious time and precious it is. I walked out with my old clunker and took my life in my hands with this old car. I am donating to charity where it will do some good, instead having some sales person double talk me. To make a long story short. The sales person called me and said after all this time it did not qualify by 1 gas mile.
We were getting ready to trade our truck in for the cash for clunkers. All we needed was a list of registration from the past two years. The truck was in our dads name who past away. We took death certificate and Toyota in Manhattan Beach said that it was okay and it wouldn’t be a problem. On the last day, they tell us that there is no deal because the truck is not registered under our name. They said that it was in the government guidelines. They should of never told us that it was going to be okay if it wasn’t registered under our name. They wasted our time!
Initially, I applied online at the Taylor Kia dealer’s website (Toledo, Ohio) for the cash for clunkers program on Monday. On Tuesday, I followed up with a call to the dealer and informed them my credit is bruised. I was told I prequalify and was told what documents to bring. Upon arrival at the dealership on Thursday, I provided the documents and again I immediately informed them my although my income is sufficient, my credit is bruised. They reviewed my documents and financial information and I was told they could definately get me financed. I was told that my husband needed to come in because the car was in his name. When my husband and I returned to the dealership on Saturday, I was told my insurance information was not complete. I returned with my insurance cards that showed a year of coverage and was told it was still not complete. The next day I faxed in records showing two years of insurance coverage. When I spoke to the salesperson again, I was informed there was a problem with my title. I could not not resolve the problems with the title as it was Sunday and the Auto Title office was closed. The dealer then told me the program ended Sunday at 7:00 p.m. I could not cash in on the cash for clunkers.
Monday morning I received a call from the salesperson who said the clunkers program ended today at 7:00 p.m. and that if I could resolve the title problem I could come in. I explained that I could get the probelem corrected, but I will not come in until I know for certain that I qualify. He said he would check and when he called back he explained they could not finance me, which is the very first question I asked. Why did they waste my time?
Ellena Lee
I tried to trade in a car that got 19mpg for one that got 33mpg. I didn’t qaulify. Other people were buying cars and trucks that got 10mpg less than the one I was going to buy. I was also told by car dealers I know that only upper middle class and wealthy people had the money to buy ‘new cars” as ore-owned cars with great mpg did not qualify. Another giveaway to the rich,as it didn’t help poor people or lower middle class folks who are hoping to have a job at the end of the year.
The Feds have to get their eligibility requirements together!
I, too, am an OR driver who…following the state law…reregistered my 11 yr old Ford Explorer last month. Result: I cannot purhase using the Cash-for Clunkers program, because I do not have the requisite 1 yr worth of registration. I tossed the old one & kept the new. It seems to matter little that my name is on the original deed, that I have yrs worth of insurance on the vehicle, a current registartion…as well as my final MA registration from 7 years ago (before I moved to OR.) I guess common sense & government are mutually exclusive terms!
Oh, well…I’ll continue to drive my gas guzzling, polluting vehicle until it croaks…
I went car shopping 2 different times and was very dissapointed in the dealerships. They were purposely driving up the costs 2,000-3,000 above the MSRP.which is crazy. I went to 2 different dealerships accross town and it was the same game. I did the math and it will be just as cheap to come buy in a month when they are desperate again. The way they are doing business here in Fort Worth the dealeships are the only ones winning in the CARS program.
It really left me with such a bad experience that the next car I purchase will be through an individual not a dealership. Bummer businesses have to be like that!
The government website that the dealers use to enter information crashed today, the last day for the CARS program. That’s what I get for waiting until the last second. Still, the government isn’t looking good on this one.
Dealer has the title to and my clunker, all the paperwork etc, and has me waiting until the government pays them. My new car is sitting on their lot…… In most cases the customer, not the dealer, is being burdened.
Dealer has my downpayment, signed the title over to them for my clunker, it’s now going on 3 weeks and I have heard nothing other than that I can have the car if I give them the $3500 rebate and wait for them to reimburse me once the government sends them their check. What a joke!
I just feel this program was done at the wrong way.
I am not work for any automobile company, but I was out of job lots of months. Government use the economy revival money at the wrong way… Those clunker car program should be done for automobile company to helping them out, and let them to built a better American car…and then to hire people to back to work. The coupon should only for the American build & oil affection car.
I just hope our government know what they are doing. They want save American industry they have let American build revival, make people buy American’s…. & make better merchandise.
I tried to take advantage of the program, but was unable to due to paperwork. Had a 99 Nissan Quest Minivan I wanted to trade in for a Hyundai Elantra. Liked, but don’t need the space of the minivan. Took my registration, title, and insurance into the local dealer on 7/25/09. My registration was recently renewed, so of course it didn’t prove registration for the last year. I contact DMV, after an hour and a half wait in the local Field Office, they tell me they can’t help me. They argue among themselves a little bit, and finally someone comes up with an idea and they order me some paperwork that will supposedly prove my registration. They say it will take 2 weeks. Great. 8/20/09 rolls around and I still haven’t received my info from DMV. I call them and am told they had the wrong address on file for me and couldn’t mail it. After verifying all my information was correct, they couldn’t explain what happened. They finally fax me something on 8/21/09. Its an application for registration. Some dealers will take it, some won’t in my state. But, it didn’t prove registration for a year, because my car failed the clean air check, so I had to get temp permits until I got it repaired. I call DMV on 8/24/09 and ask for a copy of the trip permits. They tell me they don’t track that information. I point out that I’m only allowed 2 trip permits in a row, so they obviously track it in someway. I’m then told their computer system is down. Gave up at this point as the program is essentially ended in this area now.
My problems all came from Oregon State DMV. I had a clunker I wanted to use to buy a new car under the program, but couldn’t because of my DMV.
The local Honda dealer has my deposit and I’ve been waiting for a CRV they said was “in inventory and on its way” since 8/14. They opted out of the program on 8/20, saying they were very sorry, but since the car had not arrived on their lot and I did not have final sales & purchase agreement signed, they would not be able to sell me the car. They are concerned that they will not be reimbursed by for the transactions they have already submitted to CARS.
This program was poorly organized and lacked proper planning for winding down. I’ll keep driving my “clunker” until I can find a slightly used SUV with better mileage. At least it will be more affordable than a brand new one.
I won’t even go into my nightmare – the have my downpayment, sighed the title over to them for my clunker, 3 weeks – have heard nothing.
SCAMMERS Now I will spend my time making formal Complaints about this dealer:
Joyce Honda
Denville, NJ
My husband and I went to our local dealer, we had a great experience there. However, It’s been a week, they have our clunker (which means we are down a car) and have no idea when our new car will arrive. Our loan went into effect a week ago.
Getting more frustrated daily! They have our vin# but can’t seem to locate our car.
Instead of running out of money, now CFC has run out of cars. The lots are virtually empty and you can’t order a car from the factory unless a VIN is available. I’d like to see the program start again in October after dealer inventories have been replenished.
Our dealer was holding our car until they received their money from the program. We have the purchase order and a bank loan all finished and signed for, everything is ready, just waiting for our car. That got me thinking, as our new car sat outside on their lot…what happens if the car gets vandalized or hailed on? The dealership said it would be the same as if we were getting the car serviced, so if the car was damaged, it still would be our car. So it’s our car but we had absolutely no control to prevent anything happening to it. So we asked if we could keep the our new car in our garage and not drive it, (the dealership is only twenty miles from our house) so if the clunker deal fails the car would only have forty miles on it and it still would be a new car. Our new Ford Fusion is now safe, in our garage, until we can actually drive the car. Kind of weird but it works. It’s been two weeks and we’re still waiting.
August 24,2009
y husband and I went to Port Motors Lincoln-Mercury dealer in Roslyn NY, and they did not give us any break on the value of the car when their adds said clearance sales on Subarus. They said they could not lower their cars original MSRP price even by a penny because the cash for clunkers deal cost them a lot of money in interest that they had to pay. So we could not get rid of our clunker because the price of the car would have been cheaper if we went to another dealer who was willing to negotiate with us. Unfortunately we ran out of time and other dealers were closed on Sunday August 23rd.
I wish the clunkers deal was kept at the original date as labor day weekend so more people could have benefited from that including us. We had bought other cars from other dealers and we never had such a bad experience as we did yesterday at this dealership.
Silva Michel