August car sales best in 2009

August was the best month of the year for new car sales in the Mahoning Valley, nearly matching sales from a year earlier.

Car buyers, who have been reluctant to buy since the collapse of stock and credit markets last fall, were enticed to buy last month by the federal government’s Cash for Clunkers program.

Dealers in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties sold 2,246 new vehicles last month, said the Automobile Dealers Association of Eastern Ohio.

Previously, the best month of this year was June, when dealers sold 1,746 new vehicles. Dealers sold 2,342 new vehicles in August 2008.

The top three dealers last month were Greenwood Chevrolet Hummer in Austintown, 91 sales; Bob and Chuck Eddy Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Austintown, 79 sales; and Sweeney Buick Pontiac GMC in Boardman, 74 sales.

The top-selling vehicles were the Chevrolet Cobalt, 141 sales; Ford Focus, 96 sales; and Chevrolet Malibu, 87 sales.

Last month, dealers sold 3,228 used vehicles, compared with 3,761 in the same month of 2008.

The top used-car dealers last month were Greenwood in Austintown, 95 sales; Sweeney, 70 sales; and Performance GMC of New Waterford, 67 sales.

The top-selling used vehicles were Chevrolet Impala, 93 sales; Chevrolet Cavalier, 85 sales; and Chevrolet Cobalt, 71 sales.