If it’s time to buy a new car, you are most likely thinking of what will get the best mileage, if not solely for environmental reasons. The financial benefits of a fuel efficient vehicle cannot be overlooked.
The U.S. government supplied an added incentive to purchase new, more economical cars with the program ‘Cash for Clunkers‘ introduced in June 2009. According to the program, a driver could receive up to $4,500 for trading in a gas guzzler for a more economical vehicle.
While some see this legislation as a further bailout for automakers, driving up sales of new cars, others see it as a definite step towards greener roads.
Its mission is actually threefold: replace inefficient sport utility vehicles with economical cars, drive up auto sales for a faltering industry, and help boost the economy out of a recession.
As gas-guzzling clunkers continue to pile up on new car lots, dealers are required to provide proof that the clunker has been destroyed and cannot be resold. Owners of new, shiny cars drive off, albeit leaving less emissions behind. In fact, it was reported that 83 per cent of the trade-ins have been trucks. Cars made up 60 per cent of the new vehicles purchased, of which the Ford Focus, which reaches 35 mpg in highway driving, was the number one purchase among buyers trading in.
While news that cars as fuel efficient as the Ford Focus are now on the roads in greater numbers is welcomed, many would have liked the legislation to be tougher on other new, yet not as efficient, cars. Simply put, if an old car got 18 mpg or less and was traded in for a vehicle that achieves 22 mpg, the buyer received a $3,500 voucher. $4,500 would be in order if the new vehicle was 10 mpg higher than the old. SUVs, trucks, and minivans only had to have a two to five mpg improvement to qualify for $3,500 or $4,500 respectively. With Ford even making three SUVs with over 30 mpg (Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner, and Mazda Tribute) many feel we could certainly do better than a 15-22 mpg threshold.
Whatever the motive or intention, a monetary incentive of this nature still helps to get old, exhaust puffing, gas guzzling clunkers off the road, one vehicle at a time. Perhaps not spelling out the exact model to purchase has allowed people, of their own accord, to opt for a choice that will really make a difference to the environment, proving that green runs deep even in the auto world.
