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New vehicle sales up 16 percent in Oct.
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Posted on Nov 03 2011
By Mark Rabago
Associate Editor
Associate Editor
For only the second month this year, new vehicle sales posted an increase last month, with 42 units sold in October compared to 36 during the same period last year, according to the Commonwealth Auto Dealers Association.
Broken down, the 16-percent uptick includes 26 cars, eight sport utility vehicles, four trucks, and three vans, based on CADA’s monthly sales and market share report.
Save for last month and June, when new car sales were up 35 percent, CADA figures are down the rest of the year.
CADA president Doug Brennan attributed the positive sales figures in October to Japan finally recovering from the triple disasters that also devastated automotive makers’ manufacturing sites, especially in Sendai, in March.
“The disruption in parts and vehicle production caused by the Japan earthquake/tsunami/ nuclear disaster caused quite a lull in the vehicle market. As parts and vehicle production facilities are coming back on line, more inventory is available,” he said.
By dealerships, Microl Corp. sold 20 new vehicles last month compared to 11 a year ago, an 81.8-percent increase. The 20 vehicles sold translate to a 47.6-percent market share.
Joeten Motors sold the same number of vehicles last month at 14 units compared to October 2010-38.8 percent of all new vehicle sales of CADA.
Triple J Motors sold eight cars in October 2011-three units off the 11 the dealer sold during the same month last year. That is a 27.7-percent drop in sales and a market share of 30.5 percent.
Brennan, who is also general manager for Microl Corp., said he doesn’t actually look at last month’s growth as an increase in sales.
“A better description would be a surge in customers who have been waiting patiently for the vehicles they want and are now able to purchase,” he said.
Despite the positives for October 2011, year-to-date figures show that new vehicle sales are still down 27.4 percent, as CADA so far has only sold 363 units compared to 499 from January to October 2010.
