2009 Hyundai Sonata

It’s not surprising that sales have seen a sharp decline for the past several weeks.  That’s good news for you, the consumer.  Marketing departments are digging deep into their think tanks to unveil new campaigns aimed at bolstering sales in the post-Cash for Clunkers era, which means better deals right now.

Hyundai’s one of the main auto manufacturers to utilize aggressive incentives to increase their market share.  For a limited time, they are offering $1,000 on top of the value of your trade-in. If your car is worth $3,000, then you’ll get $4,000 for it. This extra $1,000 is in addition to other factory rebates or special financing rates that apply.

With the right trade-in, these offers could match or even beat the Cash For Clunkers government rebates. What makes this deal even sweeter is that there are no requirements for fuel economy, so any trade-in (and any replacement vehicle you choose) is eligible.

Using the above example of a trade-in vehicle valued at $3,000, you could get a 2009 Hyundai Sonata minus the $4,000 of your trade-in and  the $3,000 factory rebate for a whopping $7,000 off!

You don’t have much time to take advantage of these incredible savings though, as the offer ends September 30, 2009.

To bring everyone up to speed: the Associated Press released a report last night which collectively had prospective car buyers, dealerships, manufacturers and congressmen in panic-mode in regards to the exhaustion of funds, some $1 billion, appropriated for the popular Cash For Clunkers program that went live just one short week ago.

The Facts
Nobody knows for sure if all the money is gone.  Dealers have all reported brisk sales, and as of this morning, the National Highway Traffic Highway Association have processed roughly $250 million worth of applications.

The House has moved with unprecedented quickness, approving an additional $2 billion for the popular program by a landslide 316-109 vote this morning.  The bill is now in the Senate, and should be voted on sometime next week.

The Math
With approximately 23,000 dealerships registered for the Cash for Clunkers program, we can see what the panic was all about: if each dealership were to take a few clunkers per day, you’d approach the $1-billion doorstep rather quickly, since the average voucher is valued at $4000:

23,000 (dealers) * 10 (deals already per dealer) * $4000 (avg. voucher) = $920,000,000

The Future
The onus now lies with the Senate; the vote could go either way and nobody can really predict what will happen, though we can offer our prediction: the bill will get passed, albeit with modifications to the rules focusing primarily on fuel economy improvements (the 2-mpg “improvement: was laughable).  It’s possible that qualifying vehicles would have to obtain closer to a 4-mpg improvement over the clunker traded in.

Bottom Line
…is this: When opportunity knocks, it’s in your best interest to answer.  If you were procrastinating about trading in your clunker, act fast.  There’s still a 50-50 chance that the additional funds will or won’t get approved.  The timing couldn’t be better: you have the weekend in front of you, and CarsDirect puts all the new car research at your fingertips to help you make a well-informed buying decision.

Links
Click here to see if your qualifies for trade-in. Your average fuel economy must be 18 mpg or less.

Click here to see what you need to bring to the dealer.

Click here to start the search for your brand-new car.

Right now you can purchase a 2009 Mazda RX-8 and get $2,500 cash back. Mazda has long been an innovator of technologies both on the street as well as on the race track. That’s why many of their performance models feel right at home in both settings. This certainly is also a contributing factor to Mazda’s reputation for being the most road-raced (legally) vehicle make in the United States. On any given weekend, you’ll see more cars on track wearing the Mazda emblem than any other mark. Take the 2009 Mazda RX-8 for example.

With its innovative Renesis rotary engine, the RX-8 is like no other sports car in the world. The Renesis manages to produce an impressive 232 horsepower and rev up to a grin-inducing 9,000 RPM. And because a rotary engine is smaller than most traditional engines, the RX-8 weighs less and contributes to a more balanced feel. CNET’s cartech blog says “Although the car loses nothing in handling, Mazda managed to smooth out the ride a little.”

Being the innovators that the engineers at Mazda are, they weren’t out to build just another coupe, but a car that could transport three addional occupants. That’s why the RX-8 features a pair of rear-hinged doors integrated seamlessly into the design. So not only is the RX-8 a unique, sporty means of transportation, but it’s a practical one as well. Remember, you can purchase a 2009 Mazda RX-8 and get $2,500 cash back, but the offer ends July 31, 2009. The sooner you pick one up, the sooner you can plaster a smile on your face while driving to work.

2009 Volvo S60

Volvo has always had their customers’ best interests in mind, and that might be true now more than ever with their Safe + Sound plan. This extensive coverage plan includes a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty that covers complimentary factory scheduled maintenance, normal wear and tear item replacement and their class-leading “Volvo on Call” roadside assistance program.

A few of the most notable models that qualify for this plan are the compact yet stylish S40, the sporty S60 and the ultra-luxurious S80. Just think that you could be driving one of these fine European machines and not pay a dime for standard maintenance or brake jobs for five whole years! The thought of it is almost enough to get our rear ends out of these chairs and down to the nearest Volvo dealership.

You could take home a sporty S60, with its 257-horsepower turbocharged T5 engine and superior handling with its Dynamic Chassis load distributing system. Or you could experience ultimate luxury and safety with the S80, with its available 311-horsepower V8 and all-wheel drive, high-performance audio system and onboard refrigerator complete with two crystal wine glasses.

Bottom line: Volvo is offering one of the best coverage plans we’ve ever seen and they also make some of the safest, most exciting and luxurious cars available. How can you go wrong? Hurry to your Volvo dealership, as this offer won’t last forever.

Click here to see instant pricing on the Volvo S40, S60 and S80.

2009 Hyundai Accent Sedan

Hyundai has really stepped up to the plate all throughout this recession. First they offered their ground-breaking Hyundai Assurance program and now they’re giving incredible rebates on many of their most popular (and most affordable) models. Right now through June 1, you can get up to $1,500 cash back when you purchase a 2009 Hyundai Accent—the car that just took the title of “Lowest priced car in America” away from the Nissan Versa sedan.*

Not only will you save a considerable amount with this rebate, but with the Accent getting 27/33 mpg (City/Highway), you’ll also be spending a lot less at the pump. With savings like that, you can enjoy all of the comforts the Accent has to offer and not worry that you could’ve gotten a better deal on another car. Because you simply can’t.  

*Price based on the 2009 Hyundai Accent GS Hatchback

2009 Hyundai Santa Fe

Another great offer available is the incredible $2,000 rebate for the 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe. Already reasonably priced, the Santa Fe maintains its reputation as an affordable crossover. But aside from being inexpensive, the Santa Fe is also extremely practical, with a total of 78.2 cubic feet of cargo space available when all the rear seats are folded down. When equipped with the optional all-wheel drive system, the Santa Fe transfers the power from its 2.7- or 3.3-liter V6 engine to all four wheels for maximum traction. This feature not only adds safety to the Santa Fe’s long list of great attributes, but also facilitates exciting off-pavement excursions. If Hyundai keeps deals like this coming, their spot near the top of the automotive heap is nearly assured once the dust settles.

And with a 10 year 100,000 mile powertrain limited warranty, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that Hyundai’s are amongst the most reliable cars on the road today.

Click to 2009 Hyundai Accent prices and 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe prices to see how much you can save.