PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

Seems the gov't has heard about the dealers holding cars or checks till the rebate arrives...and the gov't is none to pleased. They're saying the dealer must retain your "clunker" and allow you to take home the new car before the dealer gets their money. Nice since the gov't isn't holding up their end paying the dealers as promised. What a mess!! I wonder if the dealers will all band together and sue the gov't over the money their now owed.

Per http://www.cars.gov/faq

What happens to the vehicle I trade in?

The CARS Act requires that the trade-in vehicle be crushed or shredded so that it will not be resold for use in the United States or elsewhere as an automobile. The entity crushing or shredding the vehicles in this manner will be allowed to sell some parts of the vehicle prior to crushing or shredding it, but these parts cannot include the engine or the drive train.

So, if you want some parts off a clunker, and the dealer doesn't want to sell them, they apparently don't have to. But the entity crushing them can. So ask where the car is going and see if the chrusher will sell some parts.