Recent internet purchasing analysis shows that by August 20, interest in new cars will be down to the level it was before the government-sponsored programs, in part because of people preferring used cars in New York.

Edmunds.com said that although interest reached a high on July 29, two days after the federal program was officially launched, buyers are now less likely to be shopping online and researching new vehicles.

“The funding for the original program was very low in relation to the size of the auto market,” said Michelle Krebs, Edmunds.com senior analyst. “This created a ‘Gold Rush’ mentality where consumers hurried to take advantage before funding ran out.”

People are still looking at purchasing vehicles, however, including those now considering used cars in New York, but there is some concern about new car sales later this year.

Krebs’ colleague Jessica Caldwell warns that a continued economic downturn could impact sales this fall, even with the introduction of new models after the spate of purchases related to Cash for Clunkers.