Car sales surge over 62% in 1st two months of 2001

Automobile sales for the first two months of the year jumped over 62 percent as buyers took advantage of auto dealers’ discounted prices on last year’s models.

The January-February period saw auto dealers on the islands sell a total of 86 units compared to 78 units in the first two months of 2000. Industry players attribute the rise on unit sales to local dealers offering close to rock-bottom sticker prices on 2000 models.

The four automobile dealers in the CNMI — Microl Corp., Joeten Motors, Triple J Motors and Midway Motors — usually offer very competitive prices early in the year in an effort to move out last year’s models in preparation for the coming of the latest models from Japan, the US and South Korea.

“In the past, auto dealers usually experience a 38 percent increase in sales during the January-February period. The better-than-average sales figures for the first two months of 2001 could probably be attributed to the good pricing dealers sought for their 2000 models,” Microl Corp. Vice President Douglas A. Brenner said.

The rise in auto sales could also mean that people are beginning to lessen their tight grip on their precious dollars, which may bode well for an economy that which has been in the doldrums for quite awhile now.

According to figures from the Commonwealth Auto Dealers’ Association, Toyota Motors cornered more than half of auto sales in the first two months of the year. Microl, the exclusive dealer of Toyota in the CNMI, sold 113 Toyota units during the period.

The figure represents a more than 130 percent increase from units sold in January-February 2000, which totaled only 49. The second hottest selling brand of automobile in the first two months of 2001 was Nissan Motors. Joeten sold a total of 30 Nissan units during the period.

Joeten’s other marquee, Kia Motors, ended up third in the automaker race with a total of 21 units sold throughout January and February 2001. Mitsubishi Motors was the fourth most popular brand during the period, which saw 18 of its units being wheeled out the showroom of Triple “J”.

Broken down further, units sold during the period determined the Commonwealth market’s continued preference for sedans. Local buyers snapped up 46 cars, 21 sports utility vehicles, 13 trucks and six vans in the first two months of the year.

In the used car department, local auto dealers sold a total of 99 units for the year, 52 units in February alone. By dealership, Microl led the way with 39 used automobiles sold for close to 40 percent share of the market.

Joeten came in at second with 29 used cars sold for 29 percent. It was followed by Triple “J” with 25 used cars sold which accounted for 25 percent share of the market.

Midway, which had no new automobile sales for the period, sold a total of six used cars, three in February.