WASHINGTON — Government officials declared the Cash for Clunkers program a winner as they released final data yesterday showing the program sparked the sale of nearly 700,000 new vehicles.

But the coming weeks will show whether the program was a bargain or a lemon.

Dealers still were awaiting millions of dollars in payments. Analysts wondered if the program generated actual new sales or simply lured buyers to act sooner. Prices for some popular vehicles apparently went up. And some people enticed by the $3,500 and $4,500 rebates now are worried they might have overextended themselves in taking the plunge to put a new car in the driveway during a recession.

Auto research company www.Edmunds.com predicted the industry "is likely to experience a painful hangover" after the monthlong Cash for Clunkers party.

"People rushed into purchases that many would otherwise have made later this year. The result will be lower sales in the weeks to come," said Edmunds Chief Executive Jeremy Anwyl.

U.S. THRIFTS RECORD $4M QUARTER PROFIT

WASHINGTON — U.S. thrifts eked out a $4 million profit in the second quarter, but the number of troubled institutions continued to rise, the government said yesterday.

The Office of Thrift Supervision said the small profit in the April-June period marked the industry's first positive earnings since the third quarter of 2007. It compared with a loss of $5.4 billion in the year-ago period, and $1.62 billion in the first quarter of this year.

"Problem thrifts" on the Treasury Department agency's confidential list, those rated by examiners as having significantly low capital reserves and other deficiencies, rose to 40. That's up from 31 in the first quarter and 17 a year earlier.

CHRYSLER SUES OVER SHORTAGE OF PARTS

NEW YORK — Chrysler Group LLC has sued Daimler AG, accusing the German automaker of failing to abide by contracts requiring it to supply crucial parts and putting the production of key 2010 Chrysler vehicles in jeopardy.

The Auburn Hills, Mich.-based company said without the Daimler-supplied steering columns and torque converters it will be unable to produce several 2010 model-year vehicles, including the Chrysler 300 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV.

Chrysler filed the lawsuit in bankruptcy court in New York on Friday and is seeking unspecified damages from Daimler.

Chrysler emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June after the bulk of its assets were purchased by Italian automaker Fiat Group SpA.