Clunkers Remain on Clarksville Toyota Lot

Sales manager Chris Castro shows off the Clunker Paradise at Joe Heitz Toyota in Clarksville.

The deadline extension to file paperwork related to the popular Cash for Clunkers rebate program was welcome news for Middle Tennessee auto dealers. At Joe Heitz Toyota in Clarksville, clerks were still waiting on necessary documents before finalizing purchases Monday night. Like other dealerships, Heitz Toyota saw a significant spike in sales, but they’re not getting rid of the clunkers just yet.

This Toyota dealership sold out of the Prius, Corolla and the four-cylinder Camry’s, so the lot is emptier than usual. But around back are nearly 50 trucks and SUV’s turned in as part of the rebate program. Sales manager Chris Castro calls it “Clunker Paradise,” and he says he doesn’t expect it to be gone anytime soon. He’s waiting to see if the federal government really makes good on all the deals.

“We’re holding onto them, not sending them off to have the motors seized up or crushed until we actually know that the deals are going to be funded by the government, so some of these people may want to come back and get their clunkers back from us if it doesn’t work out.”

While Castro is playing it safe, he says the overall program worked for his dealership. It drove customers to purchase new, more fuel-efficient vehicles who said they wouldn’t have otherwise.