Ford Capitalizes on ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Bill
Ford Motor Company is capitalizing on the recently passed “Cash For Clunkers” Automotive Stimulus Bill with a new Web site informing consumers about their current vehicle’s worth in government vouchers used toward the purchase of a new car.
The site is called Let Ford Recycle Your Ride and identifies the 20 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models available after your old model is traded-in.
Approximately 75 percent of the average car is recyclable, made of materials including steel, plastic, lead and rubber, among others. Photo: Edmunds.com
The new car must provide at least 10 mpg better than an existing model, or 4 mpg better for trucks. The vouchers are worth $4,500 for a car trade-in and $3,500 for a truck.
Ford is emphasizing what little work needs to be done on the consumer’s part. Participating dealers will take in the old car and make sure it is properly recycled.
The voucher will be provided as a credit toward the purchase of a new vehicle from the same dealer.
When similar programs went into effect in other countries, Ford was a beneficiary. Its most popular model is the F-150 truck, and analysts are predicting that truck sales will benefit more from the new law than car sales.
In addition, the program is limited to new vehicles with an MSRP less than $45,000, which provides more options for Ford customers than brands specializing in luxury cars.
The government has budgeted $1 billion for vouchers and set a deadline of Nov. 1. Earlier this year, Congress had to delay the digital television switch in part because it ran out of budget for coupons on digital converter boxes.
