No CARS Equals Drop in US September Sales

September is the first full month without government incentives in the United States and analysts are already predicting a drop in new car sales. As you probably know, approximately 700,000 new cars and trucks have been purchased through the Car Allowance Rebate System in the US, with most carmakers that participated in the scheme reporting low inventories and even boosting production for specific models.

Dealerships have already reported a slight decrease in showroom activity, although some others said there were some signs of improvements late in the month, according to a report by Reuters.

"We have started to get little rumblings that maybe the consumer isn't quite so flat on their back, that they have been responding to some of the incentive programs and the fact that leasing is coming back," said Rebecca Lindland, an automotive research director at IHS Global Insight.

NHTSA said in late August that with buyers have purchased 404,046 passenger cars through the scheme. On the other hand, the most traded-ins were trucks, with 450,778 units. Chrysler was only seventh with 6.6 percent while Kia came in eight with 4.3 percent.

"Cars purchased under the program are, on average, 19% above the average fuel economy of all new cars currently available, and 59% above the average fuel economy of cars that were traded in. This means the program raised the average fuel economy of the fleet, while getting the dirtiest and most polluting vehicles off the road," it is mentioned on the official NHTSA website.

"84% of trade-ins under the program are trucks, and 59% of new vehicles purchased are cars. The program worked far better than anyone anticipated at moving consumers out of old, dirty trucks and SUVs and into new more fuel-efficient cars."