NEW DATABASE: Iowans went domestic in Cash for Clunkers

Posted on Nov 11, 2009 by David DeWitte.

File photo by Cliff Jette/The Gazette

Iowans went domestic more often than other Americans participating in the government’s Cash for Clunkers program, according to newly released government statistics.

The Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Toyota Camry that were the first, second and third most popular purchases nationally were only third, sixth and fourth, respectively, in Iowa.

They were eclipsed in Iowa by the Ford Focus FWD and the Chevrolet Silverado pickup, which landed first and second with sales of 388 and 337, respectively.

Chevrolet’s Cobalt and Impala models, which didn’t even make the national top 10 list, ranked fifth and eighth in Iowa.

Iowa dealerships processed a whopping 8,888 transactions under the program. They received a total of $37.4 million worth of government Cash for Clunkers vouchers — more than dealers in Alabama, which has 1.7 million more residents than Iowa; South Carolina, which has 1.5 million more residents than Iowa; or Oklahoma, which has 700,000 more residents than Iowa.

The most popular vehicle trade-in at Iowa dealerships mirrored the national trend. It was the four-wheel-drive Ford F150 pickup. Iowans sent 508 Ford F150s to the scrap heap, followed closely by 506 two-wheel-drive F150s and 506 four-wheel-drive Ford Explorers.

Inventory levels influenced the kind of vehicles purchased under the Cash for Clunkers program, officially known as the Car Allowance Rebate System.

While domestic automakers may have had a smaller percentage of models eligible for rebates under the program, they tended to have more vehicles in inventory, making it easier for consumers using the program to find one they liked.

The Gazette’s Zack Kucharski contributed to this report.