Cars Program, aka "Cash for Clunkers"
to end Monday, August 24th, 2009
ITD To Provide Idaho Registration Assistance to Clunker Program:
As many of you know, dealers have hit a wall with getting "Cash for Clunker" approvals. In Idaho the ITD prints an issue date on the registrations and while the registration is valid in Idaho if the consumer doesn't pay for their registration before it expires it looks as though there is a break in time. Again, as many of you have already experienced, this is causing a rejection in the submission process. "A consumer has to have had their vehicle registered for the previous 12 months to qualify for the CARS rebate."
In response to IADA's request to make letters available to dealer (although it may not be immediately) ITD has made arrangements to have staff available at the DMV during the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (MST) on Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23. ITD will be able to provide Dealers with letters to submit with their applications for the C.A.R.S. program when there has been a registration provided by the owner that reports an "Issue date" that does not fit the program requirements.
There will be two phone numbers that the dealers may use to call in on. The two phone numbers are (208)334-8649 and (208)334-8663. Both numbers will be staffed and if the number the dealer calls in on is busy, please try the other number. A fax will also be available if necessary and the fax number will be (208)334-8658.
These letters will be used to provide verification of registration for vehicles which fit the following criteria:
· Registration verification documents are for those vehicles which are required to be consistently registered as defined in Idaho code 49-401 or 49-402.
· Registration verification is not for those vehicles which by code are not required by Idaho code to be continuously registered unless they have been continuously registered and also meet C.A.R.S requirements. These are generally vehicles registered at over 8,000lbs.
Processing of requests for registration verification will be on a first come first serve basis.
Today's update on submissions from NHTSA:
1. "Clunkers" deals must be submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) by Monday, August 24 at 8:00 p.m. EDT.
2. Clunkers deals submitted after Monday, August 24 at 8:00 p.m. EDT will not processed or paid. This means that merely consummating a deal without submitting the application to NHTSA will NOT be sufficient to meet the deadline.
3. NHTSA has advised that applications submitted prior to the deadline and then rejected may still be subsequently corrected (even if the corrections are submitted after the deadline).
4. Clunkers deals already submitted and rejected may still be resubmitted irrespective of the deadline.
Important Update on 'Cash for Clunkers'
END-DATE OF CARS PROGRAM, AKA "CASH FOR CLUNKERS," ANNOUNCED TODAY!
*** Dealers need to work aggressively to submit all outstanding
CARs deals by Monday evening. ***
Secretary LaHood Announces Wind Down to Hugely Popular CARS Program
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Thursday that after a wildly successful run, the cash for clunkers program will come to a close on Monday, August 24th at 8 p.m. EDT.
"This program has been a lifeline to the automobile industry, jump starting a major sector of the economy and putting people back to work," Secretary LaHood said. "At the same time, we've been able to take old, polluting cars off the road and help consumers purchase fuel efficient vehicles."
As of today, the CARS program has recorded more than 457,000 dealer transactions worth $1.9 billion in rebates.
Applications for rebates will not be accepted after 8 p.m. EDT Monday and dealers should not make further sales without receiving all the necessary paperwork from their customers.
CLICK HERE for the full DOT press release.
CLICK HERE for the wind-down strategy explanation.
**IMPORTANT NOTE ON PENDING DEALS:
Note that the wind-down strategy document on the second page, under "Background" indicates the following:
· Dealers will have the opportunity to make the necessary corrections to these applications and resubmit them for further review even after the deadline for new submissions. However, we urge dealers to complete this work very soon and to be very thorough in making corrections so that the application can be approved.
LATEST TIPS ON TRANSACTION PROCESSING
The following communication was faxed yesterday (Thursday, August 20th) to summarize the information in NADA/NHTSA's latest Cash for Clunkers Webinar regarding transaction submission challenges:
1. "Clunkers" deals must be submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) by Monday, August 24 at 8:00 p.m. EDT.
2. Clunkers deals submitted after Monday, August 24 at 8:00 p.m. EDT will not processed or paid. This means that merely consummating a deal without submitting the application to NHTSA will NOT be sufficient to meet the deadline.
3. NHTSA has advised that applications submitted prior to the deadline and then rejected may still be subsequently corrected (even if the corrections are submitted after the deadline).
4. Clunkers deals already submitted and rejected may still be resubmitted irrespective of the deadline.
For more information, please visit www.CARS.gov.
