Consumers are turning to the Nationl Highway Traffuc Safety Administration (NHTSA) to advise them on how to handle Cash for Clunker purchases made over the past several weeks,after learning that certain vehicles are no longer eligible following EPA mileage "refreshes" made late last week.
Rae Tyson, spokesman for the Transportation Department that administers the Cash for Clunkers program told Edmund's AutoObserver.com that the number of qualified then not qualified transactions is not known. But, he added, the DOT expects to have a decision soon as to how they will handle transactions that have already been completed based on the previously qualified vehicles. "We're evaluating our options," Tyson says. "The mandate is clear; it is based on fuel economy ratings."
Edmunds.com, an online resource for automotive consumer information, has pressed NHTSA for an answer to the confusion.
"The program started July 1 and consumers started making their Cash for Clunkers purchases, yet the EPA made revisions to hundreds of vehicles' MPG numbers without informing consumers of these changes," says Kevin Smith, editorial director with Edmunds.com "Consumers acting in good faith should not be penalized for undisclosed and last-minute changes made by the government."
