County Vehicle Sales Strong

SIDNEY – If automotive sales are an economic thermometer, Cheyenne County’s temperature is moving up. Auto sales over the past six months have increased, compared to the same time last year, even though a year-to-year 12-month comparison shows sales are slightly down.

“We’ve noticed an increase,” said Cheyenne County Treasurer Diane Scott. “We’ve issued 86 more titles and collected $64,546 more state sales tax than the same time last year.”

The comparison was made utilizing figures from January to June in both 2009 and 2010.

Utilizing figures from June 2008-09 and June 2009-10 shows a slightly depressed market in the region. According to Scott, her office issued 134 more titles and collected $9,511 more state sales tax in the 2008-09 year. During that time, a national “Cash For Clunkers” program was in effect. Scott said Cheyenne County saw a dozen or so sales as part of the program.

It’s a mixed bag of opinions from local car dealerships, who, like the comparisons, say the market is both up and slightly down. The overall consensus shows the local car market is, at the very least, steady.

“It’s been holding up good,” said Denny DeNovellis with Sidney Auto Sales. “It’s not what it was two years ago, but we’re real pleased with sales this year.”

New car sales also are picking up. Eric Anderson with Reganis said the dealership has had “some really good sales months.”

Wolf Auto manager Barry Karnik said sales will coincide with the economy and that every month is like a new start for a car dealer.

“We don’t believe it’s that bad,” Karnik said. “We believe it’s picking up.”

Bill Maddox of Maddox Motors said his sales are average, or slightly below average, for this time of year.

“There’s no big improvements yet,” Maddox said. “RV parts have been doing better, but that’s because of the hail storms. We do a lot of out-of-town RV parts sales.”

Anderson said there are other indicators that the car market is making a comeback. Chevy recently announced a new 2010 Malibu model, which has not yet hit sales floors but has sold 280,000 units.

Ford said last Friday that it made $2.6 billion from April through June, its fifth straight quarterly profit. The Associated Press reported that the company, which announced record losses in 2008, now predicts it will end 2011 with more cash than debt.

When asked what customers in the local market are shopping for, Anderson and DeNovellis said pickup trucks.

“A lot of people in this area don’t get too far left or right, pickups and SUVs are always good sellers,” DeNovellis said. “Pickups, SUVs and cars, in that order.”