Earlier this year, when Hyundai first announced their revolutionary Assurance Program, new car buyers were given a bit of relief from the world’s dire economic situation. Now Hyundai’s at it again, this time with an offer that should grant your weekly fuel expenses some much needed relief. Hyundai’s Assurance Gas Lock plan promises customers will only pay $1.49 per gallon for one whole year. Buyers of 2009 Accent, Elantra, Sonata, Azera, Santa Fe, Tucson or Vera Cruz models will have the option of receiving a special credit card that “locks” the price of regular gasoline in at $1.49 per gallon for one year.

No matter how much fuel prices jump in the coming months, Hyundai has got your back. This offer is here just in time too, as experts expect gas prices to climb as high as $3.00 per gallon in various parts of the country this summer. Customers also have the option of receiving a $1,000 rebate on their new Hyundai vehicle in lieu of the price lock credit card. Depending on how high gas prices rise, the rebate could ultimately end up saving you the most money of the two offers.

Still, judging by the economic curve balls we’ve been thrown in the past, there’s no telling what’s in store for the next year. Either way, Hyundai’s got a plan to get you into a new car with a few less things to worry about. Click here to learn more.

2010 Ford Focus

Cash for Clunkers, now officially known as the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), is a federal program designed to stimulate U.S. auto sales and improve the environment by providing an economic incentive for consumers to replace old, gas-guzzling vehicles with new, more fuel-efficient models, such as the 2009 Ford Focus and 2009 Ford Escape.

The main question we hear being asked is if certain cars are going to be eligible for trade in or not.  Well, Ford is taking the guesswork out of the process.  You can now find out if your car qualifies for the $3500 to $4500 vouchers with their new Qualification Calculator.

The way the program works is simple.  Say for example you have a 1990 Cadillac Fleetwood that as-new was rated at 15 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway (according to adjusted EPA fuel economy estimates).  Your combined fuel economy works out to 17 mpg, one MPG below the 18-mpg limit specified by the bill.  Now, in order for you to receive the maximum $4500 voucher to use towards a brand-new car, you would have to purchase one that gets at least 10 mpg more than your old car.  In the 2009 Ford Focus’s case, it’s easy–it gets 24 mpg in the city and a whopping 35 mpg on the highway.  Combined fuel economy is 29 mpg, easily surpassing the government’s mandate.

So, not only do you get to put $4500 towards a brand-new 2009 Ford Focus, but you also get the added benefit of getting 12 more mpg than your old vehicle.  The national average for gas today is $3.03.  A 40-mile trip in your old 17-mpg vehicle would cost you $7.13.  The same trip in a Focus would only cost $4.18.  How can you argue with numbers like those?

Here’s another example for light truck, van and SUV owners: Let’s say you have a 1994 Chevy Astro. New, the Astro was rated at 15 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway—running premium fuel, no less (ouch!). Based on adjusted EPA fuel economy estimates, that averages out to a combined 16 mpg. If you choose a 2009 Ford Escape, which achieves 20 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway and averages a combined 24 mpg, you would be eligible to receive the full $4500 voucher as the new vehicle gets more than 5 mpg better fuel economy than the old one. On top of getting a huge government discount on a brand-new 2009 Ford Escape, you get cargo space comparable to the vehicle you’re replacing. It truly is a win-win deal. That is, unless you happen to be an inefficient and obsolete Chevy Astro.

Cars for Clunkers Frequently Asked Questions
Updated July 1, 2009

Q: Does my vehicle qualify?
If your car, truck or SUV gets a combined 18mpg or less, you will qualify for a voucher.  Combined mpg equals the average of your vehicle’s city and highway MPG ratings.  For example, a 1997 Ford Explorer gets 14/20 mpg for city/hwy, which averages out to 17 mpg.  This vehicle would qualify for a voucher.

Q: Will the mpg be based on what my car is currently getting or what it got when it was brand new?
It’s impossible to get the individual fuel economy ratings from every single vehicle, so the current EPA ratings will be used to determine if your car, truck or SUV is eligible.

Q: Is there a website I can go to that will show me an official EPA rating for my vehicle?
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

Q: How long does the Cash for Clunkers Program last?
The program will start on July 23, 2009 and end on November 1, 2009.

Q: What happens to my car when I trade it in?
The dealership where you pick up your brand-new car will send your old vehicle out to get dismantled and recycled, further helping the environment.

Q: Can I buy my car back from the government?
No, because the idea is to remove the vehicle from public roads to make driving safer and cleaner.

Q: Can I trade my voucher in for cash?
No, the vouchers are only valid for new vehicle purchases.

Q: What brand of car, truck or SUV can I buy using the voucher?
Any vehicle that gets at least 2mpg more than your older vehicle in addition to a minimum combined fuel economy of 22mpg.  The vehicle must also cost less than $45,000.

Q: Can the voucher be combined with other incentives?
Yes, since the voucher is provided by the federal government, many manufacturer rebates and financing offers still apply.

Q: How much will I get if my vehicle qualifies?
See below:

* 6,000 – 8,500 pounds

** 8,500 – 10,000 pounds

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid has garnered an impressive amount of attention from the media in the past few months since its launch, including the latest development: former presidential candidate John McCain announced via Twitter that he plans to buy one of the highly acclaimed, eco-friendly Fords.

While this unofficial endorsement has made news headlines across the nation, it’s not all that surprising. CarsDirect’s own Top 20 Most Fuel-Efficient cars of 2009 lists the Fusion Hybrid at #5, and justifiably so—it gets a solid 36/41 mpg (city/highway), making it a logical choice for city dwellers and suburbanites alike.

And with the incredible $1,700-federal tax credit available through September 30, 2009, getting a Fusion Hybrid makes even more sense. So whether or not you need the Arizona senator’s personal thumbs up, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is an excellent car that will both save you some cash and show people you care about the environment as well.

Cash for Clunkers is a federal program designed to stimulate U.S. auto sales and improve the environment by providing an economic incentive for consumers to replace old, gas-guzzling vehicles with new, more fuel-efficient models, such as the 2009 smart fortwo.

So, not only do you get to put $4500 towards a brand-new 2009 smart fortwo, but you also get the added benefit of getting 20 more mpg than your old vehicle.   The national average for gas today is $3.03.  A 40-mile trip on your old 17-mpg vehicle would cost you $7.13.  The same trip in a 2009 smart fortwo would only cost $3.28.  It doesn’t get any better than that.

We’re celebrating CarsDirect’s 10th anniversary by giving away LoJack theft deterrent systems to four lucky CarsDirect visitors! Every CarsDirect visitor who submits a new vehicle request for CarsDirect Direct, our online car buying service, will automatically be entered to win a LoJack system at no cost, compliments of CarsDirect. A new winner will be chosen every two weeks for the next eight weeks.

LoJack comes to the rescue if your vehicle is ever stolen. A LoJack transmitter hidden in your vehicle helps the police track and recover it, often within a few hours. In fact, LoJack offers a 24-hour recovery guarantee. CarsDirect offers LoJack on all vehicles we sell through our award-winning Direct online car buying service.

If you’re in the market for a new car, submit a new vehicle request through CarsDirect today to enter for your chance to win!

Promotion applies to new vehicle requests submitted to CarsDirect Direct service and excludes dealer referral requests. No purchase necessary. Promotion runs 6/15/09 through 8/9/09. Winners announced 6/29/2009, 7/13/2009, 7/27/2009, and 8/10/2009.