Cash for Clunkers!!

jjhammer · #1 (**permalink**) 07-30-09, 02:10 PM

Ah! Now it has come to this! Out of the five cars I own only my catera qualifies for the cash for clunker program. For anyone unsatisfied with their catera they now have the option of purchasing a new car and getting their Catera our of their driveway!! As I understand it I would be eligible for 4500 dollars. My catera is maybe worth 4000. It is a 2000 in excellent condition. I am, however worried about any upcoming expenses (You know!). Anyone with advice?? Recommendations?? Thanks!!

bacardi · #2 (**permalink**) 08-01-09, 04:59 PM

Depends what you want. So many variables. If you own the Catera outright and would have take on a car payment to get a new car, I wouldn't do it unless you think the Catera is dying. How many miles are on the car? Another thing to consider is normal items such as tires, brakes and engine stuff. Are you in need of that?

R-Caddy · #3 (**permalink**) 08-01-09, 06:30 PM

They're not giving away that $4500. The new car needs to get 10mpg more than the old one...

investor74 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-01-09, 06:43 PM

How's this for a bad break - the 1997 Catera is rated at 19 MPG, one mpg over the limit for the Cash for Clunkers.

The '98 and up are rated 18 mpg and qualify. I wonder what the difference is? I only have two airbags, could that be the difference? Maybe my model is a bit lighter?

Barry

jjhammer · #5 (**permalink**) 08-03-09, 09:56 AM

My 2000 catera is rated at 18mpg qualifying me for the program. The vehicle I would like to get rid of-2000 Pontiac Montana gets 19mpg. Figures!

CateraMV6 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-03-09, 12:10 PM

Ha... I think the 2001 is rated 17 city 24 highway!...

Got 27mpg on the trip to Washington... over 1500mi.

I would not trade min... I feel that my 01 Catera is a better built car then anything new you can buy out there... especially some of the new GMs which are just plain scarry!

ewill3rd · #7 (**permalink**) 08-03-09, 02:51 PM

It pays either $3,500 or $4,500 period from what I understand.
It is based on the mileage of your trade in and the mileage on what you buy.
The regulations get retarded from there.
If you go to the website you can click a link that has a calculator. You punch in what you have, you punch in what you want and it tells you whether or not you qualify or which amount you will get.

This program is the worst thing for the automotive business in a long time.
Enjoy it while you can, the repercussions will be astounding from this.... apart from the billions it is going to cost taxpayers.

To get the full amount after a trade on a Catera you are gonna be stuck with some eco 4 banger piece of junk.

CateraMV6 · #8 (**permalink**) 08-05-09, 02:56 PM

I cringed at the thought of someone draining my cars oil and pitting silica sand in order to seize that motor..

I am sorry but my catera is more dear and I think better then anything money can buy me these days... not to mention the lack of payments for it.

On my last trip to Virginia, I was crossing the mountains in Pennsylvania, keeping a steady 75mph uphill passing all sorts of SUVs and other cars along the way... It put a big smile on my face especially knowing that I only got a small 3.0 under the hood and... not to mention the 27mpg averaged on that trip...

TitanCTS · #9 (**permalink**) 08-09-09, 11:20 AM

How the hell do you get 27MPG... I can't get that for the life of me... My best managed mpg on the highway is 20mpg.. What is your secret??????

CateraMV6 · #10 (**permalink**) 08-09-09, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TitanCTS

How the hell do you get 27MPG... I can't get that for the life of me... My best managed mpg on the highway is 20mpg.. What is your secret??????

Well I think there were 2 things that greatly affected the MPG...

1. Driving at night when the air is dense and around 60°F which helps with slighly better fuel efficiency.

2. Driving at 65mph the entire way which actually helped a lot... the vehicles most efficient aerodynamic speed is in the 60-70mph Range so if you stay light on the throtle you will be just fine.
On my trips to Chicago I drive 75-80 and the MPGs are around 23...

Also the engine ran at no more then 30% Load the entire way... with mostly cruise driving.

3. No use of A/C or any other power consumers. (just headlights)

4. Keep tires pumped to around 38psi which is the recommended for high speeds. That helps with rolling resistance as well.

Thats how I did it!

Cadi Cat · #11 (**permalink**) 08-09-09, 11:33 PM

I usually get 26. It's the highest I've recorded from MI to AL and back a/c running cruise set between 75-80. This car recommends tire pressure of 38 like cateramv6 states. And I think that has a huge impact on gas mileage even tho it's only 3 pounds difference over the default 35. I also always dump fuel system cleaner in mine whenever I drive long road trips like that. 20mpg city driving. Which is why i'm not even considering trading mine in. Nice ride, good milelage. Why?

catera00 · #12 (**permalink**) 08-10-09, 04:56 PM

I tried trading mine in on this program but they told me the car had to be paid off to qualify. Mine is not. Sorry I love my Catera but this thing breaks so much that I am actually trying to pawn it off on some other sucker. In this case a crusher at the junk yard. I gotta say it seems like the stupidest idea to crush a car that looks so nice. WTF are they thinking?

jjhammer · #13 (**permalink**) 08-11-09, 09:14 PM

I did not know that I was supposed to overinflate my tires! Are you sure I am suposed to keep them at 38psi? Does it matter which tires I use! I will gladly do it since there seems to be a big difference between my other cars and this one when I let off the gas. My other vehicles seem to coast much easier and longer than this one. The catera seems to decelerate and slow down as soon as I let off the gas. Thanks!

ewill3rd · #14 (**permalink**) 08-12-09, 09:26 AM

I am not a physicist by any means but I don't think that overinflating the tires decreases the rolling resistance except that it can alter the contact patch and make your car unstable.
The engineers designed the car to run with a certain inflation pressure for more reasons than I can name.
Start with the pressure on the placard and adjust up and down to suit your needs and adjust for tire wear specific to your car.
Inflating the tires to the point where they are at their maximum inflation pressure will make the ride rough, cause tire wear and negatively affect handling not to mention the stress on the carcass of the tire.

CateraMV6 · #15 (**permalink**) 08-12-09, 11:52 AM

Well dont forget that this car comes form the country that gave birth to the autobahn... where you can drive at 120mph all day... so by inflating the tire to a higher level... it allows for slightly less flex near the patch which reduces heat generated and at high speeds that can mean the difference between a blowout and a a safe trip...
As far as resistance it does reduce it however it does not bubble out the tread like you may think, as the construction does not allow it but it does make the tire more round and it reduces the tire contact when measured front to back... and thats what gives you the reduced rolling resistance.

Some tire companies make tires that are high efficiency which are just that...super hard rubber that doesn't like to flex as much.

Try this...
Pump tires to 1psi below maximum pressure...
Turn off all power using devices in your car...
Turn off AC
then drive the car with very light throttle and early shifts and see what millage you get.

The fellas at ford did that on the new fusion and they drove it 1400miles on 1 tank until of gas... and thats the secret they used... nothing more!