Sticker, however, says 7775
Posted on 09/22/2009 8:46:30 AM PDT by fight_truth_decay
A couple in California turned over their 2001 Nissan X-Terra for the Cash for Clunkers program, but a few weeks later they discovered that the dealer decided to put it back up for sale instead of destroying it as per the program's rules.
The dealership says it never asked for the government credit and decided instead to treat the X-Terra as a trade-in. They never told that to the customers, however, who thought the X-Terra would be destroyed.
The customers told the U.S. Department of Transportation that they participated in the program specifically to get the 17 MPG X-Terra off the road, and that they wouldn't have followed through on the deal had they been told it was being treated as a trade-in. Since the dealership didn't ask for a government credit, the CARS program says it has no jurisdiction over the matter.
Couple shocked to find their ‘clunker’ is for sale
Prior Owners, Hoang and Bui,of the 2001 Nissan X-Terra:
“I had come to the dealership specifically because of the cash for clunkers program, but to see that the dealership trying to sell my old car strikes me as some sort of violation of an agreement,”..in a complaint to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
“I had brought in my car registration, the car title, and 1 year of auto insurance proof for the clunker, fulfilling my end of the cash for clunkers, the other was for the dealer to sell me a new car and to destroy my old one. One of the major reasons for me to bring the Xterra to the car dealer was due to the program’s requirement that all clunkers were to be destroyed…."
They wanted the clean diesel Jetta - which would have qualified for the maximum $4,500 credit - but the dealer didn’t have any. So they went with the regular model, got a $3,500 credit, and drove away content in the knowledge that the old Nissan would be destroyed, and that they had done their little part to make the planet a better place.
"If I had known that the dealership was using the car as a trade-in, then I would not have brought the car in, but simply kept the car for another year or two.”
The Watchdog contacted VW of Garden Grove. A misunderstanding?
Ken O’Donnell of VW of Garden Grove:
“They came in for the cash for clunkers, but we went out and looked at the car and decided it’s a pretty clean car, so we took the car on a trade-in. We decided we’re going to give them the $3,500 they would have gotten from the clunker program as the trade-in. We’re not asking the government for any reimbursement.”
The feds confirm that the dealership did not seek money for the Nissan under the cash-for-clunkers program. Hoang’s complaint was forwarded to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Enforcement and Justice Services Division, which told him this by email:
“I certainly appreciate your feelings with respect to the transaction you had purchasing your new car. Because the deal was not submitted to the CARS program for a rebate, we have no jurisdiction. However, you have the option of referring the issue to Attorney General’s office in California, or local authorities for review.”
Hoang and Bui are contemplating doing just that, but don’t expect much to come of it. “I suspect many people are being deceived,” said Bui.
If these people really cared for the environment, they could have destroyed the care themselves.
Another Obama finger print on dumb dealing.
Hahahaha...stupid hippies...
Sticker, however, says 7775
Man, talk about being in somebody else’s business - they got the deal, they aren’t owners of the dealership, so what do they care if the dealership didn’t violate the rules for the program? Sounds like ACORN thugs trying to shut down another enterprising dealership trying to get by during tough times!
Oh, please....They were there for a deal....not to help the environment!!!
Why would a car sold to a dealer still have a license plate?
Move along douchebags, it’s not your car anymore.
WOW! Like you didn’t see this one coming!!!
If the Car is worth more than $4,500, and you stole it from gullible, moronic liberal, why would you EVER submit it for the program??
Clunkers cars have also turned up in Mexico, after a $2,000 engine rebuild, ESPECIALLY the trucks!!
All of this was predicted, but liberals never listen, they just want to ‘feel good’ about the stupid things they do.
THAT is a clunker????
Looks like it’s in fine shape.
Wonder how many miles?
Unless it’s over 150k, the owner got hosed bigtime for only $3500 trade-in.
And now they can’t even “feel good” about it, LOL.
If they really cared about the environment, they would have continued to drive whatever they owned, and kept it in good shape.
The most-polluting truck that already exists takes less energy to keep going for 100s of thousands of more miles than it would take to create new, less-polluting, vehicle.
If they really want it off the road they can buy it back and drive it into a tree at 60 mph.
In Cali, the plate goes with the car...
You’re SUPPOSED to transfer it to yourself as the new owner, but that doesn’t seem to apply to illegals, so you get stuck with a bunch of potential liability.
I get this strange feeling A LOT of people took less money for the clunkers program than they would have received in straight sale of their used vehicle.
The difference is probably the amount most people are willing to part with a) because they’re stupid or b) because they loathe to negotiate with auto dealers.
Liberal (idealogue) idiots, once you sell property for money you can’t just demand the new owners do with ~thier~ property what you please.
Recycling the car as a used vehicle is more environmentally friendly than destroying it.
It takes a lot more energy and materials to manufacture a new, replacement vehicle than it does to keep a vehicle like this on the road until it has completed its engineered life cycle.
The Cash For Clunkers program is just the newest incarnation of planned obsolescence.
In California, the state doesn’t yank plates off of used cars...they carry forward.
In California, the plate stays with the car.
I also suspect that couple is full of it, when they claim they only traded in the car because they thought it would be taken off the road, (thereby saving the entire planet from imminent doom). If they were really so concerned about the environment, they would have found a dealer who had the clean diesel Jetta in stock, or ordered one from this dealer, rather than settling for the regular Jetta.
I think they are just mad because they got only $3,500 and the dealer is selling it for $5,995.
http://www.vwofgardengrove.com/inventory/details.php/VIN_5N1ED28Y11C519084/ID_vwofgg/UI_detail_new2
CarFax 1 Owner Info
NO! NOT A TREE!
The real scandal is that they’re destroying perfectly usable vehicles because of an ill-conceived government program.
Thanks. Seems like a silly policy. Do you know if other states do that?
Anybody who didn't check to see if their vehicle was worth more than the 'Cash-for-Clunkheads' rebate value is simply stupid.
There is no cure for stupid.
Thanks..was odd to me as well.
Thanks for the info.
It looks brand new.
Even with the miles, that baby is likely good for a long time.
I wonder what they would think of my 04 Grand Cherokee Overland with the 4.7L HO V8 that gets 13.5 mi a gallon?
Dealership must have added new tires as well.
Only idiocy by the sellers for thinking that destroying a perfectly good vehicle would “help” the environment.
My thoughts exactly.
Guy at work said he may have to claim the $4500 from his clunker on his taxes.
Texas does, unless the plate is 7 years old. Everyone has to get new plates after 7 years.
Good, I’d rather see the car go to another owner than for it to be destroyed.
Quote from article: "They wanted the clean diesel Jetta - which would have qualified for the maximum $4,500 credit - but alas, the dealer didn’t have any. So they went with the regular model.
Good one.
I checked it on fueleconomy.gov
They could save 400 pounds of CO2 per year with the diesel, LOL
What is the problem here?
Dumbass couple trades in the vehicle in question that has a much higher value than the taxable rebate. The dealership gives them $4500 off instead and sells the Xtera. So what? The couple got their $4500 and now they are upset?
You cannot fix stupid.
Lord, I hope so. The senseless destruction of wealth in the CARS program made me physically ill.
Excellent point. They could use something like this:
So they went with the regular model, got a $3,500 credit, and drove away content in the knowledge that the old Nissan would be destroyed, and that they had done their little part to make the planet a better place.
Booo Hooooo.
This is sort of like saving a squirrel from falling out of a tree, nursing it to health over a period of months, taking him back out into the woods to let him go and as he runs through the tall grass towards the trees..... becomes a meal for a hawk.
In California, I think the plates stay with the car.
Unless they are vanity plates.
...correct!
MR SPEAKER: HOW MANY MORE [CARS AND TRUCKS] MUST DIE???
The Asian drivers in and around Garden Grove are notoriously bad drivers. If it’s got a manual transmission it’ll probably need a new clutch soon. Yes, it’s visually clean in the photo, but that says nothing about the (potential) internal abuse that a purchaser wouldn’t know about until it was too late.
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