I SURVIVED CASH FOR CLUNKERS

Well I did it, and I’m proud of it. I jumped into the fray, and survived the chaos of Cash for Clunkers. On the heels of my previous blog of 7/17/09, IT’S TIME FOR ME TO BUY,

http://maineautomall.blogspot.com/2009/07/its-time-for-me-to-buy.html,

the time was here. My mind was made up, I just needed to make a decision as to what, when, where, how. The why was clear, take advantage of the $3500 or $4500 government rebate now, or keep my 2002 Windstar van for a few more years until it died.

The Windstar was in no way a clunker. It was in perfect condition, with only 92,000, mostly highway miles on it. Its functionality was still valid, proving repeatedly how handy it could be with hockey bags, soccer gear, and too many suitcases for the long family road trips.

(see http://maineautomall.blogspot.com/2008/07/minivan-dead-or-alive.html.)

Toting various battles scars from parking lots around town, the Windstar looked “used”, but it was mechanically flawless. Its tarnished façade provided a perfect vehicle for my 15 year old son to exercise his learner’s permit, as well as provide comfort to his parents knowing that he could do little harm. We did not have to replace it, but $4500 is a lot of money, and the C4Cs program could not to be ignored.

When the criteria of the Cash for Clunkers program was announced in late July, I casually checked our eligibility. The Ford Windstar just qualified with a combined mileage of 18 mpg, so the process began. A car guy like me is always researching his next purchase, whether it’s fantasy or reality years in the future. Our goal was to improve fuel economy (and qualify for the full $4500), without sacrificing the needs of our family. The talent pool was quickly narrowed down to the Toyota RAV 4 and the Ford Edge.

The Edge was eliminated because its mileage rating only qualified for the rebate of $3500. In addition, the purchase price would be $2000 more than the RAV 4, not to mention that the cost of operation for the life of the vehicle would be more. A no brainer, it was all about money. After considering its size, cost, reliability, and glowing reviews from friends who owned the RAV, we made a confident decision that the RAV 4 was best for us.

It was now time for the fun to begin. I was off to my favorite Toyota dealer. Our family was going on a two week vacation, so we would not make a purchase until our return. I still went to the dealer to lay the ground work; to establish a relationship; in preparation for what I hoped would be a real deal, sweetened with 4500 free dollars. But nothing comes easy. The first snag in this grand plan hit as our vacation began, the Cash for Clunkers program was already concluding, as it was nearly out of its initial $1 billion allocation. With no C4Cs, there would be no new car. The deal was off. We enjoyed our vacation with the RAV4 as a distant memory.

Surprise! Upon our return, thanks to the miracle workers in Washington, Cash for Clunkers was still alive and well, reborn with a new lease on life. While we were away, an additional $2 billion had been magically infused into the program. The pursuit of the RAV4 was on again. A test drive of the RAV4 confirmed that our family had made the right choice. Now, it was just a simple matter of closing the deal, and drive away a happy owner. Wrong!

From the beginning, we wanted a new 2009 Base, FWD RAV4; any color as long as it was red. The one and only in the area fitting our criteria had just arrived by truck. After negotiating a fair price, I was ready to close the deal, but then the phone rang. Apparently, the one and only, had just been damaged upon delivery, and was in the body shop being repaired. Damaged? No thank you. The deal was off, again! Encouraged by a friend to consider 4 wheel drive, I was able to negotiate, for a few dollars more, a 4 wheel drive RAV. Deal on, again!

Meanwhile, Phase 2 of the Cash for Clunkers program was a raging success. The additional $2 billion dollars was already nearly gone. Dealers were in fear that they would not be paid by the government for deals already made. It was on a Thursday, and my dealer announced that they would cease participation in the program at 8:00 PM that evening. Coincidentally, we had just come to terms on price, so I informed my sales associate that I would stop by the dealership that evening after work to close the deal.

I arrived at the specified time, only to find total chaos on the sales floor. It was mobbed with frantic buyers. There was not a seat in the room, or a sales person available. My associate was busy with another client. Too busy to even a hello. After waiting way too long, with kids home alone and my frustration mounting, I left the dealership. Regardless of their self-imposed Cash for Clunkers deadline of that evening, I walked. The deal was off, AGAIN!

That was it, the final straw, time to move on. With the RAV4 once again out of my mind, I went about my business the next day, only to receive word that the dealership had extended their participation in C4Cs. Not surprisingly, no dealer is going to pass on a sure sale. Tired of the game of ping pong, with me as the ball, I made it clear that the only way I would close would be if I could be the very first in the showroom as they opened that Saturday. No more waiting for me.

With dew on the grass, and my still sleepy family in tow, the deal was finally closed early that Saturday morning. We all shed a tear for the Windstar, left behind to be scrapped. Years of memories coldly abandoned, but replaced with a shiny new RAV4. A whole new set of memories underway, the most vivid for me, will be the chaos of Cash for Clunkers. The best part of the deal? As we left the dealership in our new RAV, there was a steady, bumper-to-bumper line of cars and trucks heading into the chaos of Cash for Clunkers. We escaped comparatively unscathed, just in time.