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Things Dealers Can't Do When You Trade-in Your Clunker

Auto Loan News -- By Liz Opsitnik
Wednesday, Aug 12 2009 10:17There has been some confusion about certain dealer requirements to receive the government’s CARS rebate discount. Car shoppers go to the dealer, and in some cases, are asked to do all kinds of things to receive the discount, trade-in their clunker and take their new vehicle home.

On the cash for clunkers official Web site, cars.gov, there is a list of common things shoppers are experiencing when they participate in the CARS program. There are things the dealers CANNOT make you do to take part in the rebate program. Read on to make sure you know the rules before you head to the dealer.

Q: A dealer has demanded that I sign an agreement that requires me to pay the dealer $4,500 [or $3,500] if the dealer's credit application is rejected.

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Submitted Aug 12, 2009 By: osu1

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Woodbankgasguy Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,309 Points:121,960 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 14, 2009 10:28:38 PM Ignore Woodbankgasguy Report Abuse clarification: Sneakers is one of the few astute posters on here. He's not confused.
Leavitron Sophomore Author Grand Rapids Posts:145 Points:24,710 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Aug 14, 2009 9:02:46 AM Ignore Leavitron Report Abuse Sneakers55: You're stating the obvious here. I'm not sure what your point is. Perhaps you didn't understand the context in which I was speaking? :confused:
Woodbankgasguy Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,309 Points:121,960 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 13, 2009 11:13:41 PM Ignore Woodbankgasguy Report Abuse 10k in North Carolina wrote <and don't think for one second that some crooked dealer out there ain't figured out a way to sell the clunker instead of having it destroyed...i sold cars for 37 years, and i saw and heard some amazing things during that time... like most other jobs, there are honest people, and then there are the "others"...we were honest--i guess that's why we are closed...alot of the "others" are still out there preying on the public... ---------------------------------------------- kind of a sad little post. There are lots of honest dealers. Sounds like yours may have been incompetent.
Sneakers55 Champion Author Houston Posts:43,307 Points:1,711,030 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Aug 13, 2009 9:14:17 PM Ignore Sneakers55 Report Abuse Leavitron wrote: >The dealers have a monopoly on new car provision via the manufacturers. Dealers not infrequently do things that the manufacturers don't like. Short of not paying for their inventory, there are very few things that result in a dealer losing a franchise. >As the sole middle man, they have to take some risk. Instead, the >dealers that are pulling stunts like these are trying to stick >everyone else with the risk while they get all the reward. Dealers make most of their money selling the trade-in but that's not an option with a clunker. Particularly after the lethal injection.
djgunrunner Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:7,583 Points:1,886,845 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Aug 13, 2009 8:37:55 PM Ignore djgunrunner Report Abuse The car dealer has not always been held in the highest respect. Just another reason.
Blue48 Champion Author Illinois Posts:4,955 Points:1,171,145 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Aug 13, 2009 8:36:16 PM Ignore Blue48 Report Abuse NICE ONE! THE1ROADHOG IN Atlanta
call911ok All-Star Author Vancouver Posts:544 Points:76,340 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Aug 13, 2009 2:57:33 PM Ignore call911ok Report Abuse nice article. scammers.
the1roadhog Champion Author Atlanta Posts:7,703 Points:1,593,630 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Aug 13, 2009 6:44:47 AM Ignore the1roadhog Report Abuse As is the case with all government 'services' (oxymoron 1) or government 'assistance' (oxymoron 2), this one is fraught with more red tape than one would find at a Red Square victory parade.
Leavitron Sophomore Author Grand Rapids Posts:145 Points:24,710 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Aug 13, 2009 6:42:07 AM Ignore Leavitron Report Abuse Very informative article. It's too bad that the dealers are taking the lazy route. Instead of doing the work for the customer, they are trying to stick the customer if the slightest thing goes wrong. It's a shame. The dealers have a monopoly on new car provision via the manufacturers. As the sole middle man, they have to take some risk. Instead, the dealers that are pulling stunts like these are trying to stick everyone else with the risk while they get all the reward.
chemist74 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:12,377 Points:2,176,265 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Aug 13, 2009 6:36:46 AM Ignore chemist74 Report Abuse It sounds to me like the dealers are just trying to make sure thay do not get stuck if the government screws up the program, such as running out of money to pay valid rebate claims or changing the list of qualified cars after the program started.
WheresMyTruck Champion Author Tacoma Posts:7,311 Points:1,021,475 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Aug 13, 2009 1:08:50 AM Ignore WheresMyTruck Report Abuse Leave it to the dealers to ruin the consumer's trust.
granitestater Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:6,309 Points:1,017,395 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 11:59:50 PM Ignore granitestater Report Abuse Imagine that--a crooked car dealer! Never heard of that before--not!
crazycav702 Veteran Author Las Vegas Posts:434 Points:107,830 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:36:54 PM Ignore crazycav702 Report Abuse thats nuts and not right
jimgraham Champion Author Akron Posts:7,955 Points:1,511,970 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:35:40 PM Ignore jimgraham Report Abuse And what is newsworthy about this? Everyday stuff that goes on in the big high pressure stealerships. And the motor companies want to make fewer dealers so the ones that are left have less of the HONEST competition. The small town dealers would get tared, feathered run out of town on a rail if they tried this. But, in the big cities there is a sucker taken every second.
altonb1 Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:6,890 Points:1,053,570 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:31:03 PM Ignore altonb1 Report Abuse The dealerships are trying to cover themselves just in case something hiccups in the process. Like anyone else, they want to make sure they get ther money. Unfortunately, they aren't legally allowed to do it. But I can understand why they are trying...
TBONE3 Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:6,383 Points:1,509,670 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:26:26 PM Ignore TBONE3 Report Abuse Dealers are just PROVING how crooked they are and have been. NEVER trust a dealer. Come on dealers. tell us how trustworthy you are! Har, Har, Har.
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:13,581 Points:1,903,395 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:23:28 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse some people are surprised by this type of thing ? it seems the dealers dont trust the government, as if they have ever stiffed anybody
REVLAW Champion Author San Antonio Posts:8,022 Points:1,539,190 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:22:59 PM Ignore REVLAW Report Abuse Governmental "hoops" to jump trough are the norm. And some want the "government" to cntrol every aspect of their lives ... e.g., Obamacare.
Signfool Champion Author Omaha Posts:3,973 Points:1,048,260 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:21:50 PM Ignore Signfool Report Abuse No one is forcing the dealerships to participate in the CARS program. If they want to benefit from it, they have to follow the rules.
jBeta Champion Author Columbus Posts:2,502 Points:514,445 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:17:22 PM Ignore jBeta Report Abuse Why does that not surprise me at all? It sounds like those dealers are trying to use the CARS program to make sales, but not follow the rules. I can see how they don't want to take a loss and wait and hope that the government pays them back, but on the other hand they do have the choice to simply not participate in CARS if they don't trust it.
rxman1 Champion Author Toledo Posts:6,991 Points:1,395,220 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:16:31 PM Ignore rxman1 Report Abuse If they participate, they have to follow the rules. This was interesting reading. If you are going to use the CARS rebate you need to read the article.
TommyTraveler Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:6,305 Points:1,231,305 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:12:53 PM Ignore TommyTraveler Report Abuse The dealer is just covering his butt.
HEBster Champion Author Kentucky Posts:6,474 Points:1,914,965 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:09:21 PM Ignore HEBster Report Abuse I'd rather have the $4500 myself...
zornave Champion Author Louisville Posts:13,890 Points:2,204,700 Joined:Jul 2001	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:08:46 PM Ignore zornave Report Abuse You expected anything different from auto dealers?????????
reeko Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,532 Points:611,700 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:08:17 PM Ignore reeko Report Abuse re: Cash For Clunkers... whose cash?
PioneerUrban Champion Author West Virginia Posts:2,698 Points:532,505 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:07:23 PM Ignore PioneerUrban Report Abuse I disagree with this whole thing. If Detriot made better vehicles than the other guys, then the auto industry wouldn't be in the situation that it is now in, thus having to have the taxpayers to bail their sorry business model out. It's business. If you can't compete, then you fail. It's simple and it works.
EZExit Champion Author Phoenix Posts:6,735 Points:1,240,415 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:07:09 PM Ignore EZExit Report Abuse I read the article, very informative, it would appear that the dealers are set up every which way from Sunday to get burned if there is any hick ups in the free cash giveaway sponsered by Washington. The program is worse than I previously thought!
unicornpmb Champion Author Buffalo Posts:6,112 Points:1,161,400 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:06:44 PM Ignore unicornpmb Report Abuse The full article does give a lot of info.
10k Champion Author North Carolina Posts:16,585 Points:1,786,795 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:06:26 PM Ignore 10k Report Abuse and don't think for one second that some crooked dealer out there ain't figured out a way to sell the clunker instead of having it destroyed...i sold cars for 37 years, and i saw and heard some amazing things during that time... like most other jobs, there are honest people, and then there are the "others"...we were honest--i guess that's why we are closed...alot of the "others" are still out there preying on the public...
AuburnTim Champion Author Indiana Posts:5,701 Points:1,284,955 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:05:56 PM Ignore AuburnTim Report Abuse People should not trade in for this program. It another government spending program that we are going to pay for in the end. Whatever your get for your trade in you better put it in a savings account so you have a little extra when your taxes go up and they will go up.
biza4u Champion Author New Haven Posts:6,167 Points:1,162,910 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:03:58 PM Ignore biza4u Report Abuse Who needs a car payment at a time like this
CobraLeader Champion Author New Jersey Posts:267,902 Points:1,200,750 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:03:24 PM Ignore CobraLeader Report Abuse Leave it to car dealers to foul it up.
Toppers Champion Author Atlanta Posts:6,673 Points:2,006,475 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Aug 12, 2009 10:01:36 PM Ignore Toppers Report Abuse More regulation-it just can't be that easy. Rather have the $4500 in my back pocket!