Dealerships Hoping You're Ready To Buy

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By Sade Malloy

Summary

A big weekend for retailers and for car sales. The four-day break to get in the holiday spirit and spirit of buying. Just in time for one dealership that says it's starting to feel the downturn in economy.

Story Published: Nov 28, 2009 at 6:47 PM PST

YAKIMA -- A big weekend for retailers and for car sales. The four-day break to get in the holiday spirit and spirit of buying. Just in time for one dealership that says it's starting to feel the downturn in economy.

When it comes to national trends Yakima is in a league of it's own. But the bubble is beginning to burst for some car dealerships, as car sales hit the brakes.

Bob Hall says across the nation and at his dealership new car sales are down 40% and used car sales are off 5 to 15%.

"We didn't see as much of that last year. But in the last 12 months we've followed the nation and the used cars have been a little bit ahead, but both are down," says Bob Hall, Bob Hall Auto Dealerships.

Local dealerships are hoping this weekend might help turn the downward trend and maybe the holiday spirit will get you in the spirit of buying.

"Normally this weekend we'll do double maybe even triple what we'd do on a normal weekend," says Chance Morgan, Stewart Subaru. "Then you add it being the last weekend of the month and everybody off, it's that much better."

Stewart Subaru didn't want to tell us specifically how many cars they sell but a salesman we talked to sold two cars Friday, that's one more than usual.

"Visiting relatives, possibly looking for some vehicles and they had one on the corner and wanted to see what they were asking," says Bill Harper, car shopping.

Catching the consumers eye is a big part in this four-day holiday break. The folks at bob hall say being close to Walmart could help their sales. The idea is the more people you have driving by the bigger your chances of having somebody drive away in a new car.