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WASHINGTON — The federal government launched a Web site Monday for the "cash for clunkers" plan passed by Congress last week, but the rules to oversee the program may take up to a month to craft.
The Web site, http://www.cars.gov, offers information on how the process of trading an older vehicle for a more efficient model will work, and urges customers to call dealers to see if they will register for the program.
Congress on Thursday sent the $1 billion measure to President Barack Obama for his signature. The program should put $3,500 to $4,500 in the pockets of about 250,000 people trading older gas guzzlers in for new, more environmentally friendly vehicles.
Automakers and suppliers cheered the news, even though the plan was pared back from an original target of $4 billion and 1 million vehicles. But some analysts have questioned how many owners of older vehicles that qualify for the vouchers could afford a new model, even with $4,500 off the sticker.
CNW Marketing/Research said Monday that the delay in getting the plan approved by Congress pushed it out of the range of a surge of shoppers in the traditional June and July selling season, and would also suffer from a Nov. 1 cutoff.
Many of the shoppers are likely "in large part going to Asian automakers," the research firm said in a report. "The environmental impact will be minuscule considering the number of vehicles actually being replaced."
(c) 2009, Detroit Free Press.
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Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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