February new car sales down

YOUNGSTOWN — New-vehicle sales dropped to their lowest point in decades last month, but a weak economy wasn’t the only culpirt.

“I think it had to do with the weather,” said Shorty Navarro, who owns the Stadium dealerships in Boardman and Salem. “I don’t ever remember that much snow.”

Sales have been slumping since the nation’s credit and stock markets collapsed in 2008, but they reached a new low in February. Last month was the snowiest February on record.

Dealers in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties sold 969 new vehicles last month, which was 4 percent below the number sold in February 2009.

For the complete story, see Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com