If you are wondering how to get started with the Cash for Clunkers program, our checklist may be able to jump start your success.

The official website for CARS rules is www.cars.gov and our checklist advises consymers to use the information on the NHTSA to confirm that your clunker qualifies.

Download our Cash for Clunkers Consumer Checklist by clicking on the graphic on the right.  We have created an Adoble PDF to make it easy to print on your computer.

Our Cash for Clunkers Checklist was designed to save consumers time in qualifying for the CARS program as well as submitting their purchase for reimbursement at a local new car dealer.

If you would like a local dealer to contact you about your clunker trade-in, you can complete the form on the left or call any local new car dealer in your area.

Understandably, there are many source of information on the program that may appear to be in conflict. Consumers also do not want to believe that they cannot participate in CARS for small lapses in insurance or registration.

Many consumers have told us stories that due to layoffs or financial stress, their clunkers were taken off insurance for a few months or a late bill cause a lapse in their clunker registration. Unfortunately, these requirements are not flexible under current NHTSA rules.

If consumers want to change the rules, we encourage you to voice your vote by signing the Cash for Clunker Petition at www.nocashforclunkers.com

Cash for Clunkers Consumer Checklist

If you don’t have a printer, we have include the contents of the PDF checklist below:

We have created a consumer checklist that dealers and consumers can use to make sure that if you want to particapte in the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) that you have all the documentation you need to qualify. You can click on the icon on the right, or cick here, to download this form and print it out for your personal checklit.

Please gather the documents listed below before you go to your local dealer.

Be prepared with your clunker information to ensure that you have a smooth transaction.

Better Organization = Smoother Submissions

Before you call or visit a local new car dealer, understand these non-negotiable requirements:

• If you cannot show continuous insurance and registration for 12 months, you will not qualify.
• If you are the new car purchaser, your name must be on the title of the clunker
• If you have a lien on your clunker, you will not qualify.
• If your clunker is not qualified on www.cars.gov , you cannot qualify regardless of your actual mpg.
• You must be able to drive the clunker to the dealership.
• If your car is not listed on www.cars.gov a dealer will not be able to process your sale.

CARS Document Checklist

Please bring these five documents into the dealership when you are ready to place an order for a new car under the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program. Check www.cars.gov for official program updates before you go to a local dealer.

1. A valid driver’s license.
2. A clear title in your name or jointly owned with your name included. If you recently paid off a lien, you should bring your lien release letter or the previous title that is stamped paid.
3. Proof of continuous insurance for the past 12 months. Documents to bring can include:
   1. A declaration page from your insurance policy showing dates of coverage.
   2. Insurance cards that cover the last 12 months
   3. A letter from your insurance company certifying continuous insurance
4. Proof of continuous registration. Documents to help prove this include:
   1. Registration cards that cover the last 12 months
   2. Experian registration search report (dealer can run this report)
5. A print-out of the www.FuelEconomy.gov website page that shows that your clunker qualifies. This will save you time from assuming that your car currently qualifies.

Cubic offers 2 approved designs for dealers to choose from.  Both designs can be customized to your dealer’s brand representation. 

Dealers can contact Cubic Marketing at 866-462-8242 immediately to begin producing their marketing materials and mention the promotional pricing code ‘PCG’ when placing orders.

Visit their website online at http://www.cubicdirectmail.com/

Dealers can visit this special CARS dealer support website by clicking here: Dealer Website

The dealers dedicated website has new information on the program as well as a future section for marketing material compliance. This coming soon area is for dealers to understand and implement advertising program that are compliant with NHTSA rules.

The True Blue website will be very important for car dealers to bookmark during the lifespan of the Car Allowance Rebate System. The NHTSA picked a blue color scheme for the website to differentiate it from the consumer facing website which is lime green.

Do the colors mean that consumers will see all the green and car dealers will be crying to blues with all the paperwork and compliance issues that the program represents?

The website has a Dealer FAQ  page as well as well as a graphical depiction of the the dealer NHTSA interaction will look. View Images.

Dealers should see their official registration letters in the mail this coming week. The letters were mailed on Friday July 17th from an Oklahoma mail facility.

According to Judge Gerber the plan was the only way to preserve GM’s business. The plan will now allow GM to create a new company minus a pile of debt and expensive contracts.

According to Brian Pasch, CEO of the Pasch Consulting Group, who operates a popular consumer website following the Cash for Clunkers bill:

“From data collected on www.cashforclunkersfacts.com, Chevrolet cars and trucks are the 4th most popular brand on consumers minds who qualify for a Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) credit. (see chart) From consumer feedback we believe that interest in GM vehicles will increase once the public has knowledge that their bankruptcy plan approval. The news may settle some fears that the company would not be able to stand behind a new car that a consumer would purchase starting July 24, 2009.”

GM Leadership

Fritz Henderson will remain chief executive officer. It is our belief that it will be a difficult challenge for Henderson to rebuild the GM brand and consumer confidence in the company’s future. Since the Department of Treasury owns 60% of the company, it would make common sense that this cloud be lifted before the CARS rebate program starts on July 24, 2009. GM can now leverage the CARS incentives. They will first have to fine tune their consumer pitch explaining how the bankruptcy process will allow GM to emerge a stronger and better operated company.

According to the official press release: “A healthy domestic auto industry remains vital to the global economy and we deeply appreciate the support the U.S., Canadian and Ontario governments and taxpayers have given GM, and the sacrifices that have been made by so many. This has been an especially challenging period, and we’ve had to make very difficult decisions to address some of the issues that have plagued our business for decades. Now it’s our responsibility to fix this business and place the company on a clear path to success without delay,” said GM CEO Fritz Henderson.

Official GM Bankruptcy Press Release

Here is the full press release as posted on the GM media website. Download GM Press Release

Indeed, last week we were the first to report to Google a scam that was using our website URL in Google Adwords text ads and directing consumers to a phishing scheme website.  Since our site was a popular destination for information on the bill, scammers come out of the woodwork to harm something that is good.  So, please keep apprised on the program rules from reliable sources like http://cars.gov and this website.

Consumers Are Warned

Never give out your social security number to anyone.

We remind consumers not to give out their social security numbers to anyone calling or emailing them to “register” for the CARS program or the Cash for Clunkers program.   Consumers don’t register, car dealers will have to register.

Consumers can verify that their “clunker” qualifies for a voucher on the cars.gov website.  Once they qualify they will go to a local new car dealer to make a new car purchase.   It’s that simple. 

Consumers do not need to get a voucher before you go to the car dealer.   The car dealer will handle all the paperwork.

You do however, have to bring some things with your trade. You’ll need your title and proof that the car was insured and registered in your name continuously for a year.

Please read our updated FAQ page to get updated answers on the bill or visit  http://cars.gov website.

This Cash for Clunkers Website

This website www.cashforguzzlers.net and its partner site www.cashforclunkersfacts.com have been covering the progress of the Cash for Clunkers bill since early May.  For the past 4 months we have been tracking the bill when it was being called by some lawmakers “Cash for Guzzlers” and “Cash for Clunkers”.  Today, the  term Cash for Clunkers has won out but from a marketing perspective we didn’t know which phrase would win so we created two websites.

You will be please to know that we are not associated with any social security number collection schemes.  In the past week a number of website have popped us trying to scam consumers.  This is very sad since we were the first to dedicated site to provide consumer support and tracking for the bill, well before this was approved.

Our website is the benchmark for informed news and content about the bill and we are pleased to have taken all precautions to be accurate in our advice to consumers.

To that degree, we are proud to have created the first opt-in email alert system for consumers to get status reports on the votes in the House and Senate and the eventual signing of the bill. We have thousands of consumers on our email list who get important updates on the bill.

Educate Consumers on Cash for Clunkers

The websites purpose has been to inform consumers about the progress and provisions in the Cash for Clunkers bill. The website has helped thousands of consumers get information on this new legislation. Thousands of consumers have been posted on the progess of the bill as it passed the House and Senate votes. We have been promoting a bill that will help car dealers and consumers.

Our website directs consumers to the Federal website to get accurate information on the program. We are very proud of the service we are providing consumers since understanding the progess of this bill has been challenging. We have responded to hundreds of emails and phone calls about the bill.

Marketing New Car Sales

We are proud that the marketing efforts to create our websites has been successful. The developers of this website specialize in Internet marketing. The fact that our website is so popular is based on our knowledge of automotive search engine optimization (SEO).

Our website has been educating consumers about the bill and getting them excited about buying a new car. The website offers consumers the opportunity to have a local car dealer contact them about purchasing a new car. We created the “Participating Dealer” badge to help car dealers get the word out about the program.

Our website allows consumers to request a local dealer to contact them about a car they want to purchase and is not a CFC registration form.  We are proud that our form is clearly marked and does not ask for a social security number, DOB or call itself a loan form.

CARS Program Launched

This week the NHTSA named the Cash for Clunkers bill’s provision to Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS).

Naming the program this week does not negate the fact that consumers know the cash voucher program as “Cash for Clunkers“. For marketing companies, you have to take a lead and run with it to create awareness. The program starts in approximately 3 weeks and our writing and marketing have made it possible for many Americans to get excited about the bill.

Referring to the program as Cash for Clunkers or Cash for Guzzlers is not mis-informed or mischievous. Everyone in the world called the program “Cash for Clunkers” or “Cash for Guzzlers” until this week.

For bloggers to put down our efforts to promote the bill and help consumers get connected with a new car dealer in their area that can sell them a car with the voucher program is mean spirited.

One pressing question will be which mileage charts will be used to finally nail down cars that are on the border of the 18 mpg trade-in qualification.  We have received hundreds of emails that consumers have outlined that they get different answers from different online resources.

Cars.gov

As of this day, the site is not live but is expected to be live any day.  According to published reports, the program will go live on July 1, 2009 and last until November 1, 2009, unless extended. 

The trick for car dealers is that they may not get paid until the end of July, when the system is in place to pay voucher submissions on a timely basis.  A car dealer that sells 200 cars in the first two weeks of July will be sitting on a potential $900,000 cash flow hold-up.  

Car dealers in July will need to prepare for the initial rush of car sales and make sure that they have the financing in place if the government takes it time to setup a dealer registration and payment system.

Car Dealers Are Preparing

David Wilson, CEO and President of Preston Motors in Annapolis Maryland has been preparing for month: “We have secured our credit facilities and stocked up on cars in the hope that the bill is passed.  With our multiple franchises in Maryland we have the largest stock on popular fuel efficient cars in stock.  This will give our customers a great selection of Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Nissan, Hyundai,  and Chevy  cars and trucks when they can buy on July 1st.”

Most car dealers we have spoken with are encouraging customers to come in before July 1st to secure their car and financing paperwork to avoid the crushing crowds that will be found in the first few weeks of the program.

CFC a Boon For Automotive Website Providers

One leading automotive dealer website provider, TK Carsites has seen a big demand for targeted website content for the Cash for Clunkers program.  “Dealers are recognizing that TK Carsites can help them close more consumer sales because of our organic visibility of Google.  Our phones are ringing with requests for assistance in getting the word out about the Cash for Clunkers Program.  Our social media tools can expand dealer visibility in new ways that turn into better first party leads.” stated a TK engineer.