New-vehicle sales fall, used-vehicle sales rise

By Don Shilling

The Chevrolet Impala was the area’s top-selling vehicle last month.

New-vehicle sales in the Mahoning Valley fell 5 percent last month, while used-vehicle sales jumped 14 percent.

Dealers in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties sold 2,107 new vehicles in September, compared with 2,222 in the same month last year. The numbers were reported Thursday by the Automobile Dealers Association of Eastern Ohio.

For the first nine months of this year, new vehicle sales rose 2 percent to 22,555, compared with the same period last year.

Last month, the top-selling vehicles were Chevrolet Impala, 140; Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 95; Chevrolet Cobalt, 75; Chevrolet Trailblazer, 64; and Chevrolet Malibu, 59.

The top-selling dealers last month were Greenwood Chevrolet Hummer in Austintown, 121; Sweeney Buick Pontiac GMC in Boardman, 111; Stadium GM Superstore in Salem, 109; Bob & Chuck Eddy Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Austintown, 88; and Preston Toyota of Boardman, 82.

Automakers cut back or eliminated leases last month. Local dealers recorded 229 leases or 11 percent of total deals on new vehicles. In September 2007, they recorded 786 leases or 35 percent of total deals.

Dealers sold 3,884 used vehicles last month, compared with 3,408 in the same month last year. For the first nine months of this year, used vehicle sales were up 4 percent at 34,345.

The top-selling used vehicles last month were Pontiac Grand Prix, 103; Pontiac Grand Am, 84; Chevrolet Cavalier, 83; Ford F-150, 81; and Ford Taurus, 81.

The top-selling dealers for used vehicles last month were Stadium GM Superstore, 121; Columbiana Ford, 107; Greenwood Chevrolet Hummer, 99; Columbiana Buick Cadillac Chevrolet, 94; and Taylor Kia of Boardman, 89.

shilling@vindy.com