Dealer has an 07 due in next week. I don't see the 2007 Mariner on the IRS site. 07 Camry and Lexus have been added. Anyone have any info on the mariner? Thanks! BTW it's fully loaded with a sticker of 32890

 

It should be exactly the same as 2006. It's just a formality to get "on the list" and it's not because it is so new.

BTW... tax laws apply to YOU and the year YOU bought the car, not the year the car came out.

You could by a 2001 Prius and get a tax break, so long as you are the very first owner of that car.

 

The previous poster is correct in that it SHOULD be a formality for the '07 mariner to get on the list of vehicles that qualify for the new tax credit. But it is a formality that has not yet been completed, so be careful.

The apparent loopholes with this tax credit can be quite confusing. For instance, take the previous poster's example of the 2001 Prius bought new in 2006 - perfect example of a loophole. If you bought that car, new, in 2006, you technically wouldn't qualify for either the previous tax deduction, or the current tax credit. Why? Because the 2001 Prius was certified to qualify for the now-defunct tax deduction, but you had to buy it before 1/1/06 to qualify for that deduction (and in our example you didn't). Conversely, it (currently) fails to qualify for the new tax credit because, even though you bought it after 1/1/06, it has not yet been certified to qualify for the new tax credit (only 2005+ Prius models have afaik). So your 2001 brand new Prius (or any Prius up through the 2004 model year), doesn't qualify for any kind of tax deduction or credit.

My point is - be very careful in analysing the tax breaks you get from purchasing a hybrid vehicle. There are very, very specific hoops that you and your new car have to jump through before you can claim the new tax credit. The '07 Mariner hasn't yet jumped through those hoops (but, like the previous poster said, it SHOULD jump through them in plenty of time for you to claim a tax credit on your 2006 return).

Another topic is the circumstances under which a tax credit is even useful to you. Theoretically, it is much, much better than a tax deduction. However, you can only use a tax credit if you have a tax liability. If you fill out your tax return next year and end up not owing taxes (i.e. you have a refund coming to you), this new tax credit may very well be unusable, and lost forever.

 

Manufacturers have until December 31, 2006 to submit their details to the DOT, EPA & IRS and the results might not be published until as late as January 2007.

Honda doesn't even have the Civic Hybrid 2006 paperwork done, so don't sweat it. As soon as Ford submits, the IRS will update their website.

 

I wouldn't sweat it, the 2006 addition came rather late in the game as well. In fact, sometimes they don't pop up until a month or two prior, it's nothing to get worked up about, it will appear.