The latest in the CARS= Cash for Junkers program is a change to the estimated MPG your CLUNKER/JUNKER had before MONDAY; 7/27/09 and as of today. Now 100 or so older vehicles that qualified by a mere 1-2 MPG trade-up benefit are lost. The Environmental Protection Agency says the changes resulted from a double-check of its fuel-efficiency ratings on more than 30,000 1984 and newer vehicles in advance of the official start of the clunkers program Monday. About half the 100 suddenly did not qualify because their combined mileage rating was revised upward; others unexpectedly got in. “As a result of the review, roughly an equal number of vehicles became eligible as those found to be not eligible,” said the EPA in a statement. “Eligibility for about 100 vehicles was affected.” The sad part of this program is many Americans in need of a newer vehicle don’t qualify because their JUNKER gets better or the same fuel economy as the new car, thanks in part to EPA mandated emissions hardware added to vehicles over the past 15 years. Throw on the extra weight of safety features and gas mileage goes south, netting a negative on the JUNKERS scale. PLEASE NOTE: several readers have been exposed to dealerships trying to add “sales tax based on the rebate value” to the selling price of the new car purchase. THIS IS NOT LEGAL. BEWARE this is an attempt to grab more profit at the expense of the car buyer and the legitimacy of the CARS=CASH FOR JUNKERS program. Report such behavior to your local DMV, Better business Bureau or dealership business licensing authority. READ MORE ABOUT the CASH FOR JUNKERS program click HERE ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————– NEED AUTO FINANCE HELP or CREDIT report repair go to tell them MY CARLADY: Sarah Lee sent you. It’s a free consult and they do the right thing by you, fast, easy, cheap. Top learn more about getting your best car deal click here: CAR DEALS Sarah Lee is an automotive executive with 20+ years of experience. She writes about Cars, and is a staunch consumer advocate on car related subjects. Her company: MY CARLADY is a car buyer’s service committed to getting you the best deal on your next new or pre-owned vehicle. You can reach her at www.mycarlady.com