28 percent drop in September automotive sales

Economic, labor, and immigration uncertainties continue to dampen the sale of new cars, vans, trucks, and sport utility vehicles in the CNMI. Authorized dealers reported yesterday a 28-percent decrease in new vehicle sales in September compared to the same month last year.

The Commonwealth Auto Dealers Association sold only 36 new vehicles in September, compared to 50 during the same month last year.

The 36 new units sold last month brings to 320 the total new vehicles sold between January and September-a 31-percent drop from the same period last year.

“It’s the economic uncertainty, and everything else that’s happening and not happening,” CADA’s Douglas Brennan told Saipan Tribune. He said financial hardship is coupled with labor and immigration worries that he hopes will subside soon when the CNMI gets used to the final transitional worker rule.

Brennan, the general manager of Microl Corp., said that CADA does not expect sales to improve toward the holiday season.

Microl Corp. sold 17 new vehicles in September, a 26-percent drop from the same month last year. Its year-to-date sales were also down by 41 percent or from 205 to 120 units sold during the first nine months of the year.

Brennan said that Microl is starting to recover from the impacts of the Japan quake and tsunami. “We’re not getting our inventory back,” he added.

Joeten Motors came second with 13 units sold last month, a 28-percent decrease from September 2010. Its year-to-date sales marked a 27-percent drop, from 158 to 116.

Triple “J” Motors sold only six new units in September, a 33-percent drop from the same month last year. Between January and September this year, it only sold 84 units, a 16-percent drop from its year-to-date sales in 2010 of 100.

Of the 36 new vehicles sold in September, 16 were cars, 10 were SUVs, and five were trucks and vans.

Toyota Corolla dominated not only the car sales but also the overall automotive sales market with six units sold last month.

The other cars sold were three Nissan Altimas, two each of Kia Souls and Toyota Camrys, and one each of Ford Fiesta, Honda Accord, and Hyundai Accent.

Among SUVs, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage sold the most with three units each in September. CADA also sold two Mazda CX9 and one unit each of Nissan Rogue and Toyota RAV4.

Of the five trucks sold in September, four were Toyota Tacomas, and one was a Ford Sport Trac.

Of the five vans sold, four were Toyota Siennas and one was a Nissan Quest.

As for market share by franchise in September, 17 were Toyotas, five each were Nissans and Kias, four were Hyundais, two each were Fords and Mazdas, and one was Honda.

CADA sold a total of 29 used vehicles in September, bringing the year-to-date sales to 206.

Of the 29 used vehicles sold last month, 15 were sold by Microl, 11 were by Joeten Motors, and three were by Triple “J” Motors.