WARREN — Automobile dealers in Trumbull and Mahoning counties last month regained some of the momentum they lost with a sluggish August by ever so slightly eclipsing sales numbers they posted one year ago.

Sales rose 0.19 percent for the month with 5,132 deliveries of new and used vehicles, the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers Association reported.

Impacted by the viral pandemic that nearly brought the industry to a standstill earlier, dealers remain off the pace they set through September 2019, but the numbers have improved.

Through September, the 41,204 deliveries is 4,192 — or 9.2 percent — fewer than the same time last year. That is a 1 percent improvement from the overall numbers Mahoning Valley dealers posted in August.

New car sales in September led the mini resurgence, posting a 3 percent gain from 2,855 in September 2019 to 2,941 last month. For the year, sales are down 14 percent, an improvement of about 3 percent from August.

Used car sales fell slightly behind for the month with 2,093 deliveries, down 2.1 percent from 2,138 in September 2019. The segment remains 2.3 percent off for the year, which has notched 18,627 sales compared to 19,077 last year.

Dealerships in Mahoning County with the most sales in September to buyers in the Mahoning Valley were Sweeney Chevrolet, the top-selling dealership in the Mahoning Valley, 296; Taylor Kia of Boardman, 269; and Boardman Subaru, 248.

The top new vehicle sellers were Sweeney Chevrolet, 218; Taylor Kia, 166; and Boardman Subaru, 157. The top used vehicle sellers were Taylor Kia, 103; Boardman Subaru, 91; and Fairway Ford, 85.

Sales in the 21-county region represented by the dealers association were up in both new and used vehicle segments for the month. New cars sales rose 7.55 percent and used car sales, 11.3 percent, compared to September 2019.

New car sales for the year are off 7.4 percent and used vehicle sales are virtually flat, posting a 0.38 percent gain, the association reported.

“September sales continue to show resilience, and consumers in northern Ohio have stepped up once again to support the industry,” Louis A. Vitantonio, association president, said. “As inventory levels continue to improve and interest rates remain low, many consumers are deciding this is the right time to purchase or lease a vehicle. The preowned vehicle market is also very strong with a double-digit increase this month and the same amount of year over year vehicle transactions.”

rselak@tribtoday.com