Ford Explorer the most traded-in vehicle under Cas for Clunkers

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/cash-clunkers-triggers-billion-dollar-spending-spree-106867

American motorists have gone on a car buying frenzy, scooping up the first tranche of the billion-dollar “cash for clunkers” scheme and forcing the government to stump up more.

Details of the scheme were released only a week ago and by the weekend all of the original $US1 billion had been committed.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said all sales through to Tuesday would be honoured but he warned that unless the Senate approved a $US2 billion funding extension this week, the administration would be forced to pull the plug.

The scheme officially known as CARS (car allowance rebate system) rewards owners of older, gas-guzzling cars for turning their vehicles in for a new car or truck.

Ford Motor has just announced an increase in its July sales, the first year-over-year jump in almost two years. The increase was the first reported by any of the six largest auto makers since August 2008 and the first bump up for Ford since November 2007.

Ford said the most-traded-in vehicle was a Ford Explorer and most buyers drove out with new Ford Focus.

the garage again, I can see why this vehicle would be the most traded-in car. It is one thing after another. If she could afford it, I know she'd get rid of the hunk of junk in a flash. After almost a year of unemployment, it is not going to happen.

The car has been one problem after another. Many of them should never happen to a new car. Hers is now 5 years old, and has only 50,000 miles on it. I doubt if it will last much longer. It looks great. The mechanics of the car are just a disaster.

If I drove an Explorer old enough, I'd grab this chance if I could afford the payments.

I want a new Taurus SHO real bad.

My wife is a tough cookie though. I don't see a new car in my immediate future. :(

Don

that are past the 100,000 mile mark. That means they not only started out as gas guzzlers, their economy has gotten worse as they've aged.

I think there's a lot of pent up demand out there, people who wanted to downsize but knew the clunker wouldn't get enough as a trade in, if they could trade it in at all, to allow them to knock the new car loan down to a reasonable size.

It's rare that any program works as it was designed to work. This one has, overwhelmingly.

Do older cars automatically get worse mileage as they age? I was always of the thinking that as more miles are put on an engine that tends to loosen things up a bit due to wear and can actually get better mileage as they wear in. Within reason of course. If a car is not well maintained, Check Engine Light on and such I can see how the MPG could suffer. But I think my 2000 Explorer with about 90,000 miles on it actually does get better mileage now than it did new. At least according to the readout on the truck it is. I do keep it running perfectly though.

Don