Valley sales of new autos slip

By Don Shilling

New-vehicle sales were down 53 percent last month.

New-vehicle sales in the Mahoning Valley dipped to their lowest total of the year in May, which normally is a good month for dealers.

Area car dealers sold 1,261 new vehicles last month, which was down 53 percent from the 2,666 that were sold in May 2008, said the Automobile Dealers Association of Eastern Ohio.

Before last month, the slowest month for sales was January when 1,458 deals were recorded by dealers in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

Vehicle sales have been down drastically nationwide since stock markets crashed and the economy and credit markets worsened last fall.

Only two local dealers increased their sales last month over May 2008. Bob & Chuck Eddy Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Austintown sold 83 new vehicles last month, which was an increase of nine, and The Honda Store in Boardman sold 75 new vehicles, an increase of four.

Those two dealers also led the region in sales. Coming in third was Preston Toyota in Boardman with 64 sales.

For the first five months of the year, dealers sold 6,897, which was down 45 percent from the 12,537 sold during the same months of 2008.

Used-vehicle sales have been faring much better this year, but those also were down in May.

Dealers sold 3,071 used vehicles last month, which was down 13 percent from the 3,547 that were sold in May 2008.

The top-selling dealers for used cars last month were Greenwood Chevrolet Hummer in Austintown, 91; Stadium GM Superstore in Salem, 80; and Columbiana Buick Cadillac Chevrolet, 68.

For the first five months of this year, dealers sold 17,657 used vehicles, which was down 6 percent from the 18,836 that were sold during those months last year.

The top-selling new vehicles last month were the Chevrolet Malibu, 62; Chevrolet Impala, 53; and Chevrolet Cobalt, 45.

The top-selling used vehicles last month were Chevrolet Impala, 94; Chevrolet Cavalier, 79; and Chevrolet Cobalt, 74.

shilling@vindy.com