Bill Cresenzo
Auto sales were up in November across the United States, due in part Black Friday, and Hawaii auto dealers are on track to see a strong finish for the year.
Total auto sales nationwide increased 4.6 percent to 1.3 million new vehicles sold in November, according to Auto Data Inc. The Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association predicts that Hawaii will see an 8.8 percent increase in new vehicle registrations in 2014.
Mark Benson, president of Honolulu Ford Lincoln, said his dealership has seen an 11 percent increase in sales so far in 2014 compared to all of 2013. The dealership has sold 1,342 vehicles so far this year, compared to 1,209 at the same point last year.
In November, the dealership sold 132 cars, compared to 112 in 2013. Benson expects the number to hit 1,500 for all of 2014.
The dealership began closing on Sundays this year, making the numbers even more telling, said Benson, who credits an improving economy and the fact that Hawaii's aging fleet of vehicles on the road "has more miles than ever before."
The dealership has more than 800 new vehicles on the lot. Benson said that when he arrived in Hawaii three years ago, the dealership had $3.5 million in inventory. Now it has about $28 million. Three years ago, the dealership had about 40 leases on its books. Now that number is about to hit 1,000.
So far this year, new registrations in Hawaii total 41,039 for the first nine months of 2014, a 9 percent increase from 37,609 during the same time period in 2013.
Mike Niethammer, president of the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association and president of King Windward Nissan Infiniti, said sales at his dealership increased about 1 percent in November.
While he did not have exact figures, Rick Ching, president of Servco Automotive, said that sales in November of this year were higher than November 2013.
"We had a stonger November," he said. "It's generally stronger than the growth on the Mainland. There are great cars out there.The economy is certainly recovering, so there is more confidence out there, and gas prices have been down. People put off getting new vehicles, and now they are coming back into the market and seeing great products."
Resource:
November sales strong for Hawaii auto dealers
November sales strong for Hawaii auto dealers
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