Internet bottleneck stalls ‘clunker’ trades

[Robbien]

Source: Buffalo News

The federal government’s “Cash-for- Clunkers” program has lured a rush of shoppers to area dealerships in recent weeks, but it hit a stumbling block on Friday.

On the first day dealers could register online with the government to receive reimbursement vouchers of up to $4,500 per “clunker,” the government’s computer system slowed to a crawl.

With hundreds of car sales already negotiated, car dealers hoped to finalize the deals and send buyers driving off their lots soon after they registered Friday. But the computer slowdown delayed the process for the dealers, who spent much of the day trying to sign on. Customers who expected to pick up their finalized purchase on Monday may instead have to wait until Tuesday or Wednesday.

The slowdown added additional anxiety to the first-come first-served nature of the $1 billion program. With more than 20,000 automotive dealerships across the country, at an average of $4,000 a pop for each clunker trade-in, it averages to about 12 clunker sales per dealership.

As a result, dealers are rushing to close as many sales as they can.

Read more: http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/743912.html

[imdjh]

1. I saw another ad last night for the program, local dealer telling people they could buy used as well

[Muttocracy]

2. ?! Guess it gets people in the showroom...

"Does the program apply if I want to buy a used car?

No. The program does not apply to the purchase of used vehicles."
http://www.cars.gov/faq

[Native]

3. We picked up our car today. The dealer didn't receive the gov't paperwork until yesterday...

then they had to wade through a 2-inch binder of stuff. The dealer also said that the gov't had raised the gas mileage criteria for certain trade-ins. If we'd had a manual transmission, we wouldn't have qualified.

[jjnshane]

4. Sudden change in EPA combined MPG ratings

I went to the dealership to trade in what I thought was a clunker -- for the last month I had been checking the www.fueleconomy.gov website and my truck (automatic) was listed at 18 MPG. THe manual transmission version was listed at 19 MPG. When I went to the dealership on Friday to start the paperwork the fueleconomy.gov switched the MPG on the automatic and the manual -- now according to the website the automatic that I have gets 19 MPG (and is not eligible) and the manual gets 18 MPG.

However, the numbers do not work out correctly mathematically -- my truck gets 17 city and 21 highway. If you take the EPA average of 45% highway and 55% city averaged over the course of 1000 miles my truck comes out to 18.59375.

The manual transmission is listed at 17 city and 22 highway and averages out to 18.936709 MPG.

So how is the automatic at 19 and the manual at 18?

And it is not just my vehicle (1997 Toyota T-100) that is falling prey to this "fuzzy math." There are several vehicles on the list that for over a month were listed at 18 MPG that suddenly jumped to 19 MPG the day the cash for clunkers took effect.

I just wanted to let as many people know about this as I can. I know that I probably will miss out money from cash for clunkers since I doubt the EPA will fix their math errors in time for me to collect -- but that doesn't mean I have to be happy, or quiet about it!

[Native]

5. Have you called them? I got directly through to an analyst on my first try. Wouldn't hurt to try.

[Native]

6. BTW - welcome to DU!

[jjnshane]

7. Phone numbers?

Thank you!  I think this will be a great web community for my
husband and I!  Living in Florida -- well, our opinions tend
to be vastly different than those around us!

What number did you call?  I have tried the CARS hotline
number and can not get a live person to save my life -- every
time I push 0 to talk to a representative the automated menu
just repeats itself.  I also called the EPA information number
as well when I found out about the new numbers yesterday and
they told me that the numbers on the website are the new
estimates and if I had a problem with the website I could send
an email to the address on the website.  I have sent several
emails, but haven't heard back yet.  I will keep emailing and
calling and I hope to find out some information -- if not for
the $4500 I would have gotten off the price of a new car, then
at least for my on education!

Thank you!

[SoCalDem]

8. If you have the original manual, it might be listed there

That would prove what it was NEW, and surely the mpg is less than that now..:)

We have a 1988 Dodge pick up we'd love to use for trade on a dodge (they're matching $4500) but even with $9K off, if it's not what my husband wants, we'll pass it up:)

[Native]

9. I called the hotline number. Got straight through to a very knowledgeable rep., but

that was over a week ago. When I checked it today, the recording said they were experiencing extremely high call volume, but that if I held the line I could speak with a representative. Guess you just need to stay on hold a while. Hope you're able to get through to them & get things resolved. I know exactly what you mean about the Florida lifestyle. If you're not living around a university, the percentage of college grads in any one area are pretty low, and there are some really red areas. I was born & raised here, but spent the better part of my young adulthood in D.C.. Coming back to Florida was some serious culture shock. DU got me through the Bush years. Don't know what I would have done without it.

[Blue For You]

10. The internet can be a clunker too. /eom