SANTA MONICA, California — November's new-vehicle sales are expected to show a 4.5 percent decrease from November 2008, according to Edmunds.com's monthly forecast. But that downward trend may be good news for consumers, as automakers offer seasonal incentive programs.
"November is living up to its reputation for being one of the worst months of the year for car sales, so everyone is hopeful that Thanksgiving weekend will boost the numbers," said Edmunds.com senior analyst Jessica Caldwell. "But automakers have already launched holiday season incentives in order to pick up the pace, and that sense of desperation suggests that bigger discounts — but smaller selection — may be available for those who wait to buy."
Edmunds.com analysts predict that November's Seasonally Adjusted Annualized Rate will be 10.34 million, down from 10.43 in October 2009. November's new-vehicle sales are expected to be 710,000, a 15.0 decrease from October 2009.
The combined monthly U.S. market share for Chrysler, Ford and General Motors domestic nameplates is estimated to be 46.4 percent in November 2009, down from 48.6 percent in November 2008 and up from 45.1 percent in October 2009.
Inside Line says: November auto sales may be in a funk, but you may be able to work that to your advantage. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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