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Cash for Clunkers Wisconsin

 

 

What to bring to qualify:

  • 1 Year Proof of Insurance. If your insurance card does not cover the entire year preceding the trade in, you will need other proof of insurance. Contact your insurance company to get evidence of 1 year worth of insurance. The form must include, at a minimum, the insurance company, policy number, VIN, start and end date of insurance (showing at least 1 year).
  • Proof of Registration going back at least 1 year.
  • "Clear" title. This means the title must be free of any liens or other encumbrances. If you have liens, you need to get these cleared before going to the dealer. This may include evidence on the face of the title showing no lien; that the title has been cleared (signed and stamped accordingly), or with an attached lien release from the lien holder.
  • The vehicle manufacturer date found on the driver's door or door jamb is less than 25 years old when you trade it in.

If you do not have any of the above items in your possession, you may do the following:

  • Call your insurance company and have them provide evidence of 1 year's worth of insurance on the trade-in vehicle. Make sure it includes the minimum requirements noted above.
  • Contact your DMV for copies of prior registration certificates to show proof of ownership of the trade-in vehicle for at least the past year. The name on the registration must be the same as the name on the title and the same as the purchaser of the new vehicle.
  • Clear your title by paying-off any loans outstanding and receive either a newly issued title from the DMV that is free of all liens and other encumbrances, or have the lien release document from the lien holder (signed and stamped accordingly), or your title signed and stamped accordingly (showing it is clear)

Once you are at the dealer you be be asked to certify to the following under penalty of law. The above documents will provide proof to the dealer to assist in this certification process.

  • The trade-in car is in drivable condition
  • You are the registered owner, and have been for at least the last year
  • The car has been continuously insured for the last year
  • The car is titled in your name and has been for the last year
  • You have not previously participated in the CARS program

Next section on documents for certification

  • The trade-in is in drivable condition.
  • You are the registered owner, and have been for the least the last year.
  • The trade-in has been continuously insured for the last year.
  • The trade-in is titled in your name and has been for the last year.
  • You have not previously participated in the CARS program.

  

Cash for Clunkers

Congress has passed legislation that would give car buyers a $3,500 or $4,500 voucher for trading in an old, inefficient vehicle for a new, more-efficient one between July 1 and November 1, 2009!

Current Status
Friday, June 19, 2009, 1:30 p.m.

The "Cash for Clunkers" legislation has passed the House and Senate and is waiting to be signed into law by the President.

Does My Clunker Qualify?

To qualify, your trade-in vehicle must:

  • Be in driveable condition

  • Have been continuously insured consistent with State laws and registered to you for at least one year immediately prior to trade-in

  • Be manufactured less than 25 years before the date of the trade-in

  • Have a combined MPG of 18 or less (this does not apply to category 3 trucks---defined below)

MPG requirements for 1985 model year vehicles and newer are based on the Combined "New EPA MPG" as given in the find a car section of www.fueleconomy.org . Data for 1984 model year vehicles will be added soon.

How Much Cash Can I Get?

The incentive amount depends upon the kind of vehicle you want to purchase, its MPG relative to your trade-in vehicle, and in some cases, the kind of vehicle you are trading in.

Fueleconomy.gov will be providing a feature soon that will help you (1) determine whether your current vehicle is eligible and (2) identify which new vehicles qualify for the incentive. In the meantime, you can use the table below as a guide. Again, official EPA MPG estimates can be found in find a car. Use the Combined ratings.

New Vehicle Type
New Vehicle MPG*
Trade-in Type
New Vehicle
Improvement*
Incentive
Passenger Car
At least
22 MPG
--
At least 4 MPG
$3,500
At least 10 MPG
$4,500
Category 1 Trucks:?
  • SUVs, including MDPVs between 8,500 and 10,000 lbs.
  • Pickups w/ GVWR <8,500 lbs. & wheelbase <= 115 in.
  • Vans w/ GVWR <8,500 lbs. and wheelbase <= 124 in.
At least
18 MPG
--
At least 2 MPG
$3,500
At least 5 MPG
$4,500

Category 2 Truck:?

  • Pickups w/ GVWR <= 8,500 lbs. & wheelbase > 115 in.
  • Vans w/ GVWR <= 8,500 lbs. & wheelbase > 124 in.
At least
15 MPG
Category 2 truck
At least 1 MPG
$3,500
At least 2 MPG
$4,500
Category 3 truck (2001 model or older)
NA?
$3,500

Category 3 Truck:?

All trucks w/ GVWR 8,500-10,000 lbs., excluding MDPVs
NA?
Category 3 truck (2001 model or older)
Similar in size or smaller than trade-in?
$3,500

*MPG requirements are based on EPA's combined city/highway rating.
?GVWR = Gross Vehicle Weight Rating; MDPV = Medium-Duty Passenger Vehicle
?Not applicable; Cat. 3 trucks do not have EPA MPG ratings

In addition to the above requirements, the purchased vehicle must:

  • Be new (i.e., legal title has not been transferred to anyone)

  • Have a manufacturer's suggested retail price is $45,000 or less

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I participate in this program?

You can participate in this program by purchasing a new vehicle from a participating new car dealership. The incentive amount will be applied to the new vehicle purchase price or lease price rather than sent to you.

How will this affect trade-in value?

Your trade-in will be scrapped or parted out rather than resold by the dealer. Therefore, the new vehicle's price will be reduced by the incentive amount instead of the amount the dealer would normally give you for trade-in.

Can I combine this with other government incentives?

Yes. You can combine this with other State and Federal incentives, such as the hybrid vehicle credit.

Why is my vehicle not listed in find a car?

  1. If your vehicle a large truck or van with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 8,500 lbs., EPA fuel economy estimates for your vehicle do not exist because manufacturers are not required to provide MPG ratings for those vehicles. Some common vehicles that are exempt from fuel economy standards are listed here. You can usually find your vehicle's GVWR inside the driver's-side door post or in your user's manual.

    In this case, you don't need to worry. Eligibility for these vehicles is determined by model year.

  2. Some vehicles are missing from the database---this is more common for model years prior to 2000. We are currently working to fill these data gaps.

    If your vehicle is not a large truck, e-mail the following information about your vehicle to us:

    • Model year
    • Make/manufacturer (e.g., Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, etc.)
    • Model (e.g., Focus, Malibu, Camry, etc.)
    • Number of cylinders
    • Engine size, in liters (e.g., 1.8L)
    • Transmission type (e.g., 6-speed automatic, 4-speed manual)
    • Fuel type (gasoline, diesel, etc.)
    • Drive type (front-wheel, rear-wheel, 4-wheel/all-wheel drive)
    • Any other comments that might help us identify the vehicle (e.g., supercharger, turbocharger, VTEC engine, dual overhead cam (DOHC), single overhead cam (SOHC), etc

When will Cash for Clunkers start?

That is unclear. The legislation takes affect as of July 1, 2009. However, it will take time for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to work out details of the program and set up a procedure for dealerships to get registered with the program. So, it may be a few weeks, or as long as a month, before buyers will be able to participate.

Page last updated: Friday, June 19, 2009, 1:30 p.m.