Montrose - Daily Press

Kati O’Hare
Daily Press Writer

MONTROSE — Local dealerships say the “cash for clunkers” program has increased traffic — good news for the U.S. Senate as they just invested $2 billion more into the program. Good news, too, for local auto dealers and the scrap metal business.

“Probably in the last two weeks, I would say about 65 percent of the people we talk to are cash for clunkers customers,” Ross Turner, general manager of Turner Automotive, said.

A “retired” car sits in front of the Turner Automotive lot on East Main Street Saturday afternoon. (William Woody / DAily Press) Advertisement

Thursday, senators reached a deal on saving the dwindling program, adding money to the rebate plan. The result is that consumers can take advantage of rebates up to $4,500 until Labor Day. So far, more than $775 million of the beginning $1 billion fund has been spent, according to reports.

The program allows consumers to trade in their “gas-guzzling” vehicles for something that qualifies for the program. The rules of the program — like any government-operated plan — can be cumbersome.

“The details of the rules and what kind of vehicle you can turn in on a new vehicle, that is frustrating the customers,” Turner said.

The details and rules of the program are outlined in more than 200 pages, he said.

“It’s important for us to go through to make sure it qualifies,” Turner said.

If a vehicle does qualify, the dealer gives the rebate and is later reimbursed, Flower Motor sales manager Chad Saunders said. All the information must be recorded to the government, which is done through a Web site. That process also has its glitches. Turner said the site’s traffic is so busy that his sales personnel have waited hours to upload information.

But dealers are seeing some benefits.

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Comments

just some info wrote on Aug 24, 2009 12:47 PM:

" I know Wollert GMC Is not participating in this. The liquid glass there putting in the engines to seize them up is awful. once again the government is destroying some decent motors that can be used else where and in other vehicles to help out the not so rich and famous. I seen a 96 Chevy suburban with 75,000 Miles on it get traded in for this. Good vehicle under the knife thanks to the government. Need to do 90's Or older vehicles instead of newer ones. "




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Native wrote on Aug 13, 2009 4:38 PM:

" What ever you do, don't get on Cars.gov!!!! just google cars.gov warnings and see what the deal is! Saw it on fox news first...scary! "




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corrrection wrote on Aug 12, 2009 8:53 AM:

" these are NOT union made cars, they are union assembled cars, thers a big difference. "




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Waste of money wrote on Aug 10, 2009 11:09 PM:

" Recycling used car parts was a good idea.

What happened ?

Taking on a new large monthly car payment during an economic collapse is as stupid as buying a new house that you not afford with no money down. "




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RE chocking on your fumes wrote on Aug 10, 2009 6:17 PM:

" The difference is the gas we cannot control, but the new car insurance and llicensing fees we can control. If you don't mind pouring every cent in those fees just to drive a newer car, go for it, that is your choice, I for one don't like to waste my hard earned money just to look cool. If my vehicle gets me from point A to point B, that is all that matters. I don't support any program that wants to sucker people into just paying more in the long run. "




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Future wrote on Aug 10, 2009 5:19 PM:

" I do not want the government to tell me what I can and cannot drive. How crazy is this? All you communists that want this, go destroy another country! This is just another step towards communism, looks like we are skipping socialism all together. I can't believe so many people are ok with the thought of someone else controlling aspects of their own lives... we aren't three years old anymore, we should make our own decisions. "




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SAME THING wrote on Aug 10, 2009 3:42 PM:

" CASH FOR CLUNKERS IS SUBSIDIZING BUYING A NEW CAR TO REPLACE A NEW CAR. JUST LIKE THE CITY PLANNERS HERE IN TEARING UP GOOD STREET CORNERS TO BUILD GOOD STREET CORNERS JUST IN TIME TO TEAR THEM ALL UP WITH A DOWNTOWN RENOVATION PROJECT. DYSLEXIA IS THE RULE OF THE DAY. "




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choking on your fumes wrote on Aug 10, 2009 11:10 AM:

" Keep your clunker smokefest car/truck. We'll see you when gas hits $4+ again. "




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They dont care wrote on Aug 10, 2009 10:14 AM:

" Unfortunately, they don't care about the used car dealerships they will put out of business, just like they don't care about the fact that a lot of people can't afford to pay the high prices for a new vehicle, or the insurance for it, or the licensing fees,etc. Some of us drive older vehicles because we don't have the money to stupidly pour into a vehicle. I will stick with an older vehicle and use my money otherwise. "




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Calling you out wrote on Aug 10, 2009 9:19 AM:

" If you are a dealer who supports this kind of destruction and lack of common sense, please list your name in the comments so i know never to shop on your lot! Chevy, Ford, Government Motors: you are crossed off my list. And to think, I was actually considering buying a new car this year. No thank you! I will keep my gas guzzler, and you can keep your new cars. Anyone who is thinking of participating in this program reconsider and join the boycott. This time let the auto industry fail!! "




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rjm911 wrote on Aug 10, 2009 8:12 AM:

" The old American way - robbing Peter to pay Paul! What about all the used car dealerships that they are going to put out of business....... "




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Seriously wrote on Aug 9, 2009 3:32 PM:

" I will never support this. This is the most idiotic thing I have ever seen. We cannot afford to live much less, buy a brand new car. There is no amount of money the government will be able to give me to use this program!! How about worrying about homes and food for our homeless people and people who cannot afford to feed there families. That would be the first step. Second step would be get someone in office that is going to help America not Destroy it. "




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whats gdp wrote on Aug 9, 2009 5:53 AM:

" In the end, the average taxpayer is funding the purchase of new cars, just as we fund the housing market, the banking industry, health etc.... not one thing has EVER gotten better through subsidization, parasitic jobs are created. the countrys biggest employer is the govt, fed, state, local!! every govt job is a non productive job because there is NO production of goods, they are paid via taxation, their insurance paid via taxes. "




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anything to make us pay more wrote on Aug 9, 2009 3:50 AM:

" I will keep my clunker thank you. I refuse to pay the high price of insurance, especially the stupid new licensing fees, my hard earned money is barely enough to make it as it is just making a living. The government waste's more money, and we wonder why we are in recession. If we don't already pay enough, make it worse, right? "




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LJ wrote on Aug 9, 2009 12:41 AM:

" I hate this program. Smashing cars that still run is not recycling them. If every used car gets smashed lots of people would be walking because they can't affored a new car. Plus people will crush pieces of American History. Here's a BIG DUH, our country is BROKE and way in the whole. Where in the world do they get the 4k to give people? Barry keeps proving he should never have been voted in. I will NEVER buy from a dealer who supports the down fall of the US! "




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JC wrote on Aug 8, 2009 8:52 PM:

" Just one more reason not to buy a Union made vehicle. Thanks to these people our children and grandchildren will be paying for vehicles they don't have and can't even get a cheap clunker to get them by. Way to go America. "




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Cynic wrote on Aug 8, 2009 8:08 PM:

" Boy this program makes sense to me. If everyone in Montrose went out and traded in our clunkers, the county would bring in more money with the taxes and fees, the city would get more sales tax, the insurance companies would increase their revenue, the finances companies would make a killing. Everyone will be happy - except the buyer when they make their first car payment and realize it would have been better to keep the old car with lower insurance, taxes and fees. "




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