Even though the program started a month ago, the 136-page rulebook with detailed regulations was released just this last Friday, and by the looks of it, there are very stringent obligations if anybody is interested in taking advantage of this deal.

If anybody has a car to be traded into the Cash for Clunkers program, it must be a 1984 model year or newer. This can be tricky however; for example, if the car that is being traded was manufactured in July 1984 and the new vehicle was manufactured in August 2009, it will not qualify. The trade-in and the new vehicle must be less than 25 years of each other to the month of manufacture.

The fuel economy of the trade-in must have a combined city and highway rating of 18 mpg or less. (The fuel economy of any vehicle can be checked at this website: www.fueleconomy.gov.) One exception to this rule is the case of work trucks which may not have been rated for fuel economy and will be judged by instead by age. They must be from 2001 or earlier, but also be within the 25 year mark.

The total amount of the refund will be determined by how much of a difference there is in fuel economy between the two vehicles. If the difference 4 mpg and 10 mpg there is a $3,500 credit; if it is more than 10mpg then there is a $4,500 credit.

Even with all that said, don’t go to the dealership thinking and expect to take the old ’89 Ford Bronco that’s been rusting away in the backyard and expect to get $4,500 for it. The most overlooked rule is that the vehicle being traded in must be in driving condition, registered in a timely manner and insured for at least a twelve full months prior to the trade.

Qualifying purchases must be model year 2009 or 2010 and can be purchased or leased. However, if leased it must be leased for at least 5 years. The new vehicle also has a maximum MSRP cap of $45,000, so your dream Skyline GTR will not qualify under the program.

There are a lot of different and precise requirements for qualifying for the rebates, so make sure to research as much as possible before taking the plunge. All of the regulations and FAQ’s can be found at the official Government page: www.cars.gov.

Perhaps in due time, the technology will exist that you can have a 1/10 scale mini-me to ride shotgun in your Genetics ride. In the mean time, within the Genetics line-up, ABC Hobby brings from the motherland over thirty new classic bodies. These include the classic Toyota Celica, Datsun Sunny, Datsun 240Z, Honda CRX (coming soon), and more recent models (such as the Mugen Fit). The bodies are fully detailed, scaled to the highest degree of realism and were designed especially with car collectors and enthusiasts in mind.

ABC Hobby is not a new start up making out dated bodies and they are not a stranger to the R/C market. Established in Osaka City since 1968, the company designs and manufactures car and boat models as well as a complete line up of R/C accessory and replacement parts. They pride themselves in signature 1/10th scale model cars with new bodies and designs released every month. Best of all, their kits are made in Japan to ensure material and design quality.

All kits are ready to run with minimal assembly. (ABC Hobby says it’s “95% ready to run” out of the box.) The shaft driven 4WD system sits in a Fibre-Reinforced Plastic (FRP) double-deck chassis and is powered by an electric racing motor with a 7.2 volt battery system. The suspensions are advanced individual double wishbone units with oil-filled shock absorbers to provide the most realistic road handling experience.

Other standard features are aluminum motor mounts, high grip slick tires and universal axel joint shafts. If all this isn’t enough for you, ABC Hobby also manufacturers many performance parts for you to gain an edge on the competition.

If you are like us; neither a good driver nor a good painter, then you may just want to get get a hold of ABC Hobby USA for a nice racing paint job scheme which are offered starting at $60 per body. In the mean time, we’re going to practice our driving and drifting skills in these little bad boys. Plus, it is going to be the closest thing to owning a real Nostalgic Japanese classic for awhile.

12►

Special thanks to: Patrick Pabalan, ABC Hobby USA – For more information please visit www.abchobbyusa.com.