Cash for Clunkers Confusion: EPA changes fuel-economy rating of 30,000 vehicles

Posted: Jul 28, 2009
Filed under: Hybrids, Green News, Industry News

Even though we’ve known about the basic requirements to qualify for the Cash for Clunkers rebate since it was created by Congress earlier this year, the program didn’t become official until July 24th. As a part of the official launch, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has now made changes to more than 30,000 vehicle model types spanning the past 25 years.

For some new car shoppers that move may be a disappointment. For example, one CNNMoney reader said that the combined fuel-economy rating for his 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis was 18 mpg when he checked before July 24 – making the vehicle eligible for the $4,500 rebate.

However, when he checked on Saturday, he found that the fuel-economy of his car has been raised to 19 mpg – one more mpg than previously stated, making him ineligible for the CARS program.

EPA spokesman Dale Kemery said that roughly equal numbers became newly eligible and newly ineligible.

Make sure you check out all the details at cars.gov before heading to your local dealership

- By: Stephen Calogera

Source: CNNMoney

Related Posts:

  1. Top 10 Vehicles Purchased Under ‘Cash for Clunkers’
  2. Toyota reports 11.4% decline in July, says Cash for Clunkers is helping sell fuel-efficient cars
  3. More than 4,000 vehicles purchased under Cash for Clunkers
  4. Hyundai: Cash for Clunkers to improve fuel-economy by 59%, decrease consumption by 275 gallons annually
  5. Ford launches new site to find your vehicles ‘Cash for Clunkers’ eligibility

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  • kcampese
    Many clunkers won't qualify for a voucher due to all the restrictions. If that's you case, you can donate car to charity and get a tax deduction instead of a voucher. You'll also be helping a charity. Details at http://www.cars4charities.org.
  • kabluey
    Amen zermatt! My sister had two airport Buicks from the eighties that mysteriously received 19 mpg--no trading for her..
  • zermatt
    If the government is having a difficult time running this program, can you imagine what they would be able to do to health care?

    Oh, I forgot. The VA and Medicare/Medicaid are already disasters.
  • Pat
    hahaha Zermatt! you must not be an Obama fan at all
  • zermatt
    The way that the VA and Medicare/Medicaid are run has nothing to do with Obama since they long preceded his presidency, but both are clear indications of what government is not capable of.

    The fact that the EPA had previously published fuel economy ratings for all cars, but made changes to 30,000 cars at the last minute is a sign of total incompetence. Many buyers relied on the representations made by the EPA and are now screwed.

    The medical equivalent of this would be to be told that the government has approved your knee replacement only to be told later that the type of artificial knee used is not covered. Less government is sounding better and better.
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