After Laura's boyfriend Jim traded in his "clunker" (a beautiful late-model Mustang) for an even newer Honda Civic, that got me thinking. Would the U.S. Government give me $4500 for my 1995 Mercury Villager with over 148,000 miles on it? Is the "Cash for Clunkers" program (aka the "CARS program") for real?

This answer is a resounding YES. And I have a brand new 2010 Prius III to prove it!

I do want the world to know, my old Villager was not a clunker! It took me all over this country - even back and forth to Florida just a few weeks ago. I'll miss it (but have a pleasant distraction to ease the "pain").

You can see more pictures of my new car.