Detroit Big 3 vehicles are biggest clunkers

A decade ago, the U.S. auto industry was rocked by the advent of the truck as the family car. SUVs ruled the road. Crew-cab pickups packed in adults and kids as well for all kinds of uses. Now a lot of those trucks appear to be coming back as clunkers.

Autobytel.com, one of the pioneers in online auto shopping, is finding that all but one of the top 10 models being checked out on its website by consumers for its eligibility for "cash for clunkers" is a truck. It says the list of models by popularity ranks like this:

1. Ford F-Series
2. Ford Explorer
3. Chevrolet C/K/Silverado
4. Jeep Grand Cherokee
5. Dodge Ram

6. Chevrolet Blazer
7. Jeep Cherokee
8. Dodge Grand Caravan (minivan)
9. Dodge Dakota
10. Ford Ranger

Those figures seem to jibe with what other sources are saying. Hyundai's U.S. CEO John Krafcik said a week ago that Fords were the top brand showing up as early clunker trade-ins, especially old Explorer SUVs.

One dealership, Paragon Hondland Acura in Woodside, N.Y., has been taking a closer look at the 33 clunker deals it has handled so far. It finds that the average mpg for clunkers trade-ins is 16, and the average mpg of the new cars that are being bought is 27. About 70% of the trade-ins are vehicles built by Detroit's Big 3 and 75% were SUVs, pickups or minivans.

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