WNED Buffalo, August 4, 2009, Tuesday

WNED Buffalo

August 4, 2009, Tuesday

WNED Buffalo

Ford Benefits Most from Cash for Clunkers Program

Mike Desmond (2009-08-04)

BUFFALO (wned) - Washington's Cash for Clunkers program has brought thousands of people into car dealers.

The Obama Administration wants to add another $2 billion into the program, on top of the $1 billion already used up.

The big winner has been Ford, according to auto industry expert Art Wheaton. Wheaton says Ford was better positioned and had more desirable high-tech cars.

"Ford has the full hybrid system, same as Toyota. Ford was in a position to take advantage of some good public relations as well. They actually benefited from the bad news from Chryseler and GM. People said, 'I want to buy American and Ford's going to be around, they made it through the tough part. We'll get a Ford,'" Wheaton told WNED News.

Emerling Ford General Manager John Woodruff says the Springville dealership was selling a lot of the new cars incluing the Focus, Fusion and Escape.

Woodruff says there is pent-up demand for new cars.

"A lot of people have been putting off [buying a car] and if they're getting an extra $3,500 it absolutely makes their decision a lot easier," said Woodruff.

Wheaton says Ford had a number of new models and pushed Cash for Clunkers very aggressively.

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