WARREN — Automobile dealers in the Mahoning Valley continue to sell vehicles at a pace well ahead of 2018.

Through October, dealerships sold 83,168 vehicles to buyers across Ohio and for the month, they sold 8,740 vehicles — nearly 10 percent more than the 75,779 sold in the first 10 months of 2018 and 7 percent more than the 8,175 in October 2018.

Reports from the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association also show a 6.5 percent increase to just buyers in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties for the 10-month period and a 4.3 percent jump for the month.

In the three-county region, 50,724 vehicles were sold to buyers through October, compared to 47,618 for the same period last year, and 5,372 for October, up from 5,149 in October 2018.

New vehicles sold for the month were 2,984, up 4.6 percent from 2,852 in October 2018, and for the year there was a 6.2 percent jump, from 26,665 to 28,321. Used vehicle sales for the month were up 3.6 percent, from 2,225 to 2,305, and for the year, a 7 percent increase, from 20,027 to 21,412.

Dealerships in Mahoning County with the most sales across Ohio in October were Sweeney Chevrolet, 331, which made it the top seller in the Mahoning Valley; Sweeney Buick GMC, 266; Greenwood Chevrolet, 251; Taylor Kia of Boardman, 250; and Boardman Subaru, 244.

Dealerships in the county with the most sales in the three counties were Sweeney Chevrolet, 313; Sweeney Buick GMC, 256; Greenwood Chevrolet, 239; Taylor Kia of Boardman, 238; and Boardman Subaru, 231.

The top new vehicle sellers in Mahoning County were Sweeney Chevrolet, 229; Sweeney Buick GMC, 157; Boardman Subaru, 156; Greenwood Chevrolet, 140; and Toyota of Boardman, 124.

The top used vehicle sellers in the county last month were Taylor Kia of Boardman, 120; Greenwood Chevrolet and Sweeney Buick GMC, tie at 99; Sweeney Chevrolet, 84; and Jim Shorkey Youngstown Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, 71.

Across northern Ohio, new vehicles sales grew by more than 3 percent despite the United Auto Workers strike against General Motors. Dealers sold 22,617 last month compared to 21,919 in October 2018.

For the year, new vehicle sales are off by less than 0.5 percent while used vehicle sales grew by 6.5 percent over the same period to be up 5 percent through the end of October.

“October represents the fourth straight month of solid new vehicle sales growth,” said Louis A. Vitantonio, president of the dealers’ association. “While it was unexpected, it does come as good news.”

rselak@tribtoday.com