Junk Cars for Hot Cash Program July 1 to Nov. 1

Cash for junk cars by fueling new-car sales and help the environment,by getting older, polluting cars off the road.
The program affects purchases from July 1 to Nov. 1, but more details about how "cash for clunkers" will work won't be announced until around July 24. Government officials suggest that car shoppers wait until then to buy.
Junk Cars for Hot Cash Program July 1 to Nov. 1
On the bright side, you can use that time to weigh your options. There are three steps to determining whether the program is right for you -- and more if you decide to buy. Here's your action plan.
Does your clunker qualify for voucher?

You qualify for the program only if the vehicle you plan on trading in is in drivable condition, is less than 25 years old, has adhered to state insurance laws and has been registered under your name for at least one year at the time of trade-in.

The vehicle also must have had a combined city/highway mileage of 18 miles per gallon or less when new, as determined by the federal government based on its assumption of how frequently cars are driven in city traffic and on the highway.

This mileage determination may have very little to do with reality. So even though you know that your 1990 Lincoln Continental barely gets 10 miles to the gallon, it can't qualify for the program because the government says it got a combined 19 miles to the gallon when new.

How can you determine your car's combined city/highway mileage? It's easy -- visit www.fueleconomy.gov. Click on the green "Cars" link and then on the blue and white tab called "Find and Compare Cars." From there, select the year, make and model of your car. If the combined mileage is 18 or lower, the car qualifies for the program.