KXXV-TV News Channel 25 - Central Texas News and Weather for Waco, Temple, Killeen | Cash for Clunkers gets more money, may not be enough

Cash for Clunkers gets more money, may not be enough

by Henry Rosoff

WACO - There may soon be three billion dollars in the Cash for Clunkers program and that may not be enough.

Central Texas dealers tell News Channel 25, if drivers are still looking to get money for their old cars, they need to hurry.  Friday the U.S. House of Representative approved two billion dollars more for the program, pending approval by  the Senate following the early August recess.

However, car dealers are moving ahead making deals.

"It's a race and we're going to roll the dice," said Bert Hernandez, the General manager at Bird-Kultgen Ford in Waco.  He said his dealership is trying to get as many sales in as possible before Washington ends the program.

"We're going to go to the wall this weekend and hope that we get our costumers to come in make a decision," Hernandez said.  "Bottom line, whatever kind of car you're looking for Chevy, Ford, whatever, get to your car dealer now."

Richard Karr Motors is also moving full speed ahead, and their General Manager Richard Gough, recommends costumers do the same.

"You can still do this deal right now," he said.  "We're still doing it, most of the dealers in Waco and around the country are still doing it, and we're going to until we get official word."

Gough said he expects that official word to come soon, possibly at the end of next week.  He said that is why dealers are pushing so hard right now: they do not want to risk not getting paid by the government.

"We're being aggressive but were being cautious about how aggressive we are," Gough said.

But for Bird-Kultgen, the plan is simple.  While congressmen are spending the upcoming weekend away from Washington, they are "going to be our selling cars and when they walk in Monday morning they're going to say, 'holy cow,' we better shut it off but were going to get our deals in before they catch up to it," Hernandez said.

The dealers News Channel 25 spoke with today said the biggest problem people run into with the Cash for Clunkers deal is not having the insurance paperwork.  People trading in their cars must have proof they have owned and insured their car for at least a year.  A dealer cannot process your car as a clunker without that documentation.