So, I am considering trading in my dads old truck (now my truck) to get the Cash for clunkers rebate. UNFORTUNATELY, the truck I wanted to get does not qualify for the rebate. I was going to get a New Nissan Frontier. Big bummer there.

But, its still a great time to get into a new, reliable, car with a fresh warranty, and I am a bit stumped what to do.

On the one hand, I could go with something hella cheap to get me by for a year or two when I can afford to get the truck I want. These are those options:

Accent: around 7500 after rebate
Nissan Cube: Around 12000 after rebate
Dodge Caliber: Around 9500 After rebate and incentives

OR......

Kia Sportage 4x4 2.0L (for fuel economy) for right around 10k after rebate and incentives

I'm simply stumped. Dodge has the lifetime warranty, the Accent is the cheapest, the Nissan is just freakin cool as hell, and the Kia is the wild card.

I need something thats going to get decent mileage and can haul my full sized digital piano around for gigs. I had pretty much ruled out something AWD or 4WD UNTIL I saw the huge incentives on the Kia's. With my Clunker rebate and current incentives, its 9,000 off msrp!!! I dont know where I could go wrong with that.

Any input would be great!!!

I feel like the Cube excites me cause its fresh and hip. The caliber sounds great for the lifetime warranty. BUT.... the kia sounds VERY good with being the third cheapest on my list, having 4 wd and decent mileage, is the most PRACTICAL solution, but is the least exciting.

HELP ME MAKE A DECISION!!! Kia incentives disappear this weekend, so I have to jump on this VERY soon.

Thanks ya'll!!!

 

#1Sportage or #2 caliber

 

FYI, Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep are MATCHING the $4,500 rebate, so you get $9,000 off sticker price.

Avenger = $12,665
Caliber = $9,090
At $13,000 and 6%, it'd be about $250/mo.

I actually e-mailed this to a friend this morning:

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090729...290406/-1/RSS05

Article Highlights:

Under the program, created by the Obama administration to boost new-vehicle sales and take older gas guzzlers off the road, consumers can receive up to $4,500 from the government toward the purchase of a qualifying new vehicle, if they trade in an older model that gets 18 miles per gallon or less.

Joey Clement of Murfreesboro drove his 1989 Jeep Cherokee � with 210,000 miles on the odometer � into Alexander on Tuesday, and bought a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt for his 20-year-old son, Joe. After a GM factory rebate, the government's $4,500 break and other discounts, Clement ended up saving more than $7,300 and paying only $9,125 for the new vehicle.

Cars eligible for the federal vouchers must be from model year 1984 or newer, have combined EPA mileage ratings of no more than 18 mpg and be in drivable condition.

The new model's published sticker price must be under $45,000

For a consumer to get the full $4,500 voucher, the new vehicle's fuel economy must be at least 10 mpg better than the trade-in's for cars, or 5 mpg better for trucks or sport utility vehicles, including crossovers.

The federal vouchers are matched exactly by Chrysler dealers, so that anyone whose trade-in qualifies for the $4,500 can automatically get $9,000 off the sticker price of most Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles

 

I checked into the Caliber, and the website says it qualifies for 3500, not the full 4500. Still, thats a HUGE savings!! Plus, I'll be trading in the little accent as well, so that should take car of the other 1000.00

So....

+1 Sportage
+1 Caliber

All tied up.....

 

the trade in is what gives you the $4,500. You don't get incentives on top of the $4,500 (that I'm aware of). The vehicles being traded in are being destroyed, so the dealer won't offer any additional incentives.

Also, the Accent isn't listed on the list of Qualifying Vehicles: http://www.edmunds.com/cash-for-clunkers/e...e-vehicles.html
Or were you just trading that in separately, expecting only $1,000?

EDIT
Just noticed on Kia's website: You can get a Spectra for $5,550!
http://www.kia.com/#/cash-for-clunkers/

I wish my wife's V6 Mustang was considered a clunker 02.gif

 

You k now the Kia Sportage and the Hyundai Tuscon are like 98% the same vehicle right?

I forgot to email you something, but can't do it right now, call me tomorrow if you can, I may have a really good deal that will make up your m ind.

 

wish i had a grand i could give you for the accent right now Tom, I would get it from you no problem.

I saw the Cube the other night and even though i am into new and different vehicles the Cube is even too far out there for even me,lol. Damn that thing is Fugly. would a XB be considered in your thoughts?

1. sportage
2. caliber
3. XB

 

i say go with Sportage...mainly for 4x4 and towing capaibilites for piano and tib

 

If you're considering a Cube, why not a Soul? Similar (better, imo) looks, similar price, better warranty.

 

So.....

Long story: So, the truck that was in question to be traded for the cash for clunkers was a 1986.5 Nissan Hardbody thats been in the family since 1986. It was my Dads truck that he gave to me a few years ago, but I've been a bit lazy and just got the truck in my name around march of this year.

One of the stipulations for the rebate is that it is insured and registered to the same owner for 1 year. I could prove that I was paying insurrance for it, but I couldnt prove it was in my name. Still under the Giomi surname, but different first names.

Soooooo.........

I was not allowed the 4500 rebate. I could have still got a Kia or scion (that was another I was considering), but my payment would have been in the mid 300's regardless.

Sooooooooooo...................

I have always liked the new Nissan Frontier's. I usually test drive one each year, threatening to buy one and then chickening out in the end.

Drum Roll PLEASE............................................ ..............














Here's my new 2009 Nissan Frontier SE V6 4x4 Crew Cab! Got it slightly used (12,000) miles so the first owner took the depreciation hit for me. I actually walked away with a tiny bit of equity in the truck! Talked them into giving me a 100,000 mile 7 year bumper-to-bumper on it as well. It was already Nissan Certified to 100,000 on the powertrain, but I managed to get an extra point off my financing which paid for the full bumper to bumper to 100,000 miles.

A little worse fuel economy, but something I've REALLY been wanting for the last 5 years.

Oh yeah, I ended up getting 2600.00 for both my accent and the old truck. Cool thing is they are not getting crushed!!! Dealer told me they will go to auction and be sold to the highest bidder. Makes me happy to see that old truck and eco-friendly accent are still going to be used and enjoyed other then in a junk yard.