Car dealers happy with "Cash for Clunkers"

    Car dealers in the Philadelphia region say they are happy with the Cash for Clunkers program, which is offering up to $4500 dollars to owners of gas-guzzlers who trade their old cars for new vehicles.

    Car dealers in the Philadelphia region say they are happy with the Cash for Clunkers program, which is offering up to $4500 dollars to owners of gas-guzzlers who trade their old cars for new vehicles.

    Listen:
    [audio: 090804tmclunker.mp3]

    Dealers throughout the area say they are having their best month in some time because of the Cash for Clunkers program. Kevin Mazzucola is Executive Director of the Auto Dealers of Greater Philadelphia. He says dealers are ordering replacement vehicles now that they are selling cars again.

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    Mazzucola: when you have dealerships with 40 days inventory that’s not enough to really continue that business viably, which will cause those manufacturers to start those factories up again. So it really has stimulated for the consumer and the retail level but also in starting those factories up to make vehicles because there’s a need on the lots.

    Dealers say consumers who don’t qualify for the program are coming in and buying anyway, so the clunkers program is doing its job.

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