Can you get Cash for Clunkers Money for your car?

The government's new Car Allowance Rebate System, CARS, is also known as the slightly less attractive "Cash for Clunkers" program. Dealerships that have registered with the government will offer you a cash rebate of thousands of dollars for your vehicle, when you trade it in for a newer, more efficient, vehicle. Despite the name, the trade-in vehicle does not have to be a clunker to get the CARS allowance. The restrictions on the CARS program are actually pretty simple. The "clunker" can't be more than 25 years old, it has to get less than 18 MPG, it has to actually run, and belong to the same person for one year before being used for the program. Certain types of trucks must be much newer, produced in 2001 or later.

The money you can receive as part of your trade-in deal through the CARS program can be as much as $4500.00, and can be applied to a lease or a purchase. Sounds like a good deal, bearing in mind that the ink on the sticker prices is probably still wet. (Since a smart dealership would have just finished marking all of their prices up about $4500.00 in time for the roll-out of the CARS program)