Despite the attempt to boost the economy via auto sales and trying to protect the environment as best as possible, many folks are very much up in arms about the new CARS (Car Allowance Rebate System) program—especially those in the aftermarket auto industry.

The recent induction of the CARS program by the government has raised a few eyebrows as well as fists. The concept of the program was designed to remove gas-guzzling, high-emission vehicles from the roads and to spur sales in a troubled auto market.

Every day we hear in the news about how terrible the economy is doing and how the Big Three is on the brink of bankruptcy in Detroit. But things must be getting out of hand when even Toyota, the world’s most profitable automaker, announces that it suffered major profit loss.

The aim of the bill was to give owners of “high polluting automobiles” tax-payer paid vouchers to help replace the vehicles with “new fuel efficient and less polluting automobiles or public transportation”. But it is not quite as simple as it seems be on the surface.

HKS Co., LTD has reported a net profit of $2.23 million in the 2008 fiscal year even amidst all the cutbacks and difficulties in the automotive and aftermarket industry. In the previous fiscal year, HKS posted a loss of $1.66 million. The healthy performance is attributed to increased sales, cost reduction in operations and expense reductions.