Some of the world's most notoriously smoggy cities are hoping for relief in a new plan taking aim at what's coming out of their tailpipes. In response to serious air pollution problems and an attempt to meet emissions standards, China plans to decommission more than 5 million aging vehicles by the end of 201
In what might turn out to be one of the biggest games of "he said, she said," in the history of the world, Maritz Research, an automotive market research company, is claiming that the government's Cash for Clunkers program actually boosted auto sales by much more than previously thought. Maritz is crediting the program with 765,000 new vehicle sales, higher than the 677,000 claimed by the government, and much, much higher than the 125
What do you do with some 700,000 recently clunked cars? Send them to scrap heaps, naturally. According to the initial set of rules drafted when Cash for Clunkers was first launched, all those vehicles need to be processed properly, which includes removing most (if not all) of the good usable parts from each vehicle before sending the remaining hulk through crush and melt-down machines.
The facts in the case of the White House versus Edmunds are essentially indisputable – but they are open for interpretation. The federal government's $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program generated 690,000 sales by providing $3,500 and $4,500 vouchers to car buyers who turned in their eligible car or truck in exchange for a more fuel efficient ride. From here on in, Edmunds and the White House seem to be at considerable odds.
We found out which vehicles were the most popular "green" clunkers in the Car Allowance Rebate System that ran its course earlier this fall, but it won't take much sleuthing to discover where all these clunkers have ended up. According to the AP, the disabled SUVs, minivans and trucks (mostly) are still sitting on scrap lots around the country. One recycler in Minnesota has acres cr
One rule that all clunked cars needed to adhere to was a maximum rating of 18 MPG from the federal government, right? What wasn't required was that the clunked car be considered dirty. After all, it's pretty clear that CNG vehicles burn clean, but that didn't stop 232 of them from meeting their sodium silicat
One rule that all clunked cars needed to adhere to was a maximum rating of 18 MPG from the federal government, right? What wasn't required was that the clunked car be considered dirty. After all, it's pretty clear that CNG vehicles burn clean, but that didn't stop 232 of them from meeting their sodium silicat
When Cash for Clunkers was announced, most everyone was so fixed on government subsidies and the potential for a sales uptick that one big obstacle was apparently largely overlooked. How and when would dealers get paid? A couple weeks after the program officially ended, we're beginning to get an idea, and the answer is "slowly." According to Automotive News, a survey by the National Automotive Dealers Association on August 27 says that only 5.7% of all clunker transactions have been rei
C.A.R.S. ended Monday night and the numbers are in. At first blush, things look positive.
The Cash For Clunkers (C.A.R.S.) program ends today. There are about five hours left before the über-successful government program comes to a sodium silicate-induced halt. So, anyone who's on the fence about getting an extra $4,500 for their low-mileage clunker should call their local dealer pronto. Transpor
This year, Labor Day in the U.S. will be celebrated on September 7. That's over two weeks away, and not that long ago, the government had said the C.A.R.S. (Cash for Clunkers) program would be funded through that date. Looks like the rebate system is once again a victim of its own success once again: a new report says that C.A.R.S. will be shut down Monday. The news<
There's no arguing that the various Cash for Clunkers-style programs all around the world are intended first and foremost to spur lagging automobile sales. Environmental concerns have taken a back seat to helping automakers and dealerships move some more metal. Still, at least we know that the barely-running pollution-spewing machines are headed to the great junkyard in the sky, right?
In the flurry to give Cash For Clunkers – sorry, C.A.R.S. – a very quick $2 billion extension last week, some of the more critical voices of the program were drowned out. At the very least, their effort was in vail. It may be too late to stop the bill from becoming law, but it's worth it to think through some of the possible unintended side effects of paying people to jun
After a week of uncertainty and a lot of weighing in from all sides, C.A.R.S. (aka Cash For Clunkers) looks set to continue for another month, at least. The Senate confirmed the House's $2 billion funding of the incredibly popular program yesterday in a 60-37 vote, mostly on party lines. President Obama has said he will sign the bill. The money should last through Labor Day, and rumor has it that C.A.R.S. won't be extended again. In fact, one of the bill's strongest supporters, Michigan Senator
Another day, another Cash For Clunkers news digest:
The foggy blur surrounding the fate of Cash For Clunkers (aka C.A.R.S.) is clearing up. On the political front, passage in the Senate of the extra $2 billion in funds now looks incredibly likely. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that the $2 billion
Another day, another bunch of news items about Cash For Clunkers (a.k.a. C.A.R.S.). With Friday's Senate recess date fast approaching, the Obama Administration is reportedly pushing the body's 100 members there to get their acts together and vote for more funding to keep the program alive. Two senators who had been seen as potential roadblocks to getting C.A.R.S. the quick $2 billio
Another day, another bunch of news items about Cash For Clunkers (a.k.a. C.A.R.S.). With Friday's Senate recess date fast approaching, the Obama Administration is reportedly pushing the body's 100 members there to get their acts together and vote for more funding to keep the program alive. Two senators who had been seen as potential roadblocks to getting C.A.R.S. the quick $2 billion that the House has approved, Dianne Feinstein (D) and Susan Collins (R), have now said the Administration had "ea
The Cash For Clunkers program, officially known as CARS, is a program in flux. If you missed the CARS news over the weekend, read this post. Here's what has happened since then:
