Austin car sales fell in 2008, but drop was smaller than many other cities

From statesman, January, 22, 2009...

December was a tough end to 2008 for Austin-area auto dealers, with a 30 percent drop in sale of new cars and trucks. But area dealers ended the year down just 12 percent from 2007, a smaller decline than in many other parts of the country, according to new figures from the Freeman Auto Report.

Local dealers sold 88,192 new cars and trucks last year, compared with 100,090 in 2007, based on new-car registrations that Freeman tracks statewide. Truck sales were down 19 percent, while passenger car sales fell 8 percent.

In December, dealers sold 6,524 vehicles, down from 9,354 a year earlier.

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