Valley new-car sales fell 20% in February

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

New-car sales in the Mahoning Valley plummeted 20 percent in February, but used-car sales increased 11.5 percent, according to statistics released Tuesday by the Automobile Dealers Association of Eastern Ohio.

Sales of new cars fell from 1,880 last February to 1,522 this February.

Sales through the first two months of 2012 are down about 14 percent, from 3,889 last year at this time to 3,349.

Dealers sold 96 new Chevrolet Malibus in February and 90 Lordstown-built Chevrolet Cruzes.

Those sales dropped by 174 and 117, respectively, compared with figures from last February.

The Chevrolet Silverado (59), Chevrolet Equinox (47) and Ford Fusion (41) rounded out the top-five best- selling cars of the month.

Bob and Chuck Eddy Chrysler Dodge Jeep, 4850 Mahoning Ave., Austintown, with 107 new-car sales, posted the highest sales total in February.

Taylor Kia, 7975 Market St., Boardman, finished second with 104 sales, and Greenwood Chevrolet, 4665 Mahoning Ave., Austintown, finished third, selling 95.

Used-car sales rose 11.5 percent, showing a strong rebound coming out of a relatively flat 2011.

Dealers sold 4,127 used cars in February, 428 more than they sold during the same month last year.

Greenwood Chevrolet sold 134 used cars, the most of any dealer.

Donnell Ford, 7955 Market St., Boardman, and Denny’s Auto Sales, 1204 South Ave., Youngstown, each sold 94 used cars in February, finishing second.