Friday, July 24, 2009

Cash for Clunkers

Cash for your clunker starts today! Here's how it works: If you own a 1984 or newer vehicle that has been insured and registered to you for the past year and gets a "combined" 18 miles to the gallon or less, you can qualify. The car must also be drivable.

If you trade it in for a car that gets an additional four more miles per gallon or more, your reward is a $3,500 voucher, which can be used toward purchasing a new car. If you switch to a vehicle that gets 10 miles-per-gallon or more in fuel efficiency, then the government gives you $4,500.

To see if your used car has a qualifying miles-per-gallon rating, the Department of Energy has set up a Web site with the official used car mileage ratings called Fuel Economy. By the way, the site also provide the "carbon footprint" for you vehicle(s). This knowledge will assist you in determining how much extra in taxes that you will eventual have to pay when the "Cap and Trade Bill" is finally passed.

For me, my carbon footprints for my 2007 Honda Civic, 2005 Honda Pilot, 1995 Mazda Millenia, and 1989 Isuzu Pickup are 6.3, 10.8, 9.2, and 11.4, respectively.

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