Auto Sales Climb 8.2% in Early August

Sales of cars and light trucks rose 8.2% in early August, compared to last year, partly because of buying by consumers seeking to avoid price increases for 1990 cars, the companies reported Tuesday.

Vehicles assembled by the eight major auto makers in the United States sold at an average daily rate of 33,660 during the Aug. 1-10 period this year, compared to a rate of 31,118 during the same time last year.

Car sales rose 7.4% and truck sales were up 9.4% from the year-earlier period.

In the last two weeks, the Big Three auto makers have outlined tentative price hikes for cars in the model year that generally begins in October. General Motors Corp. said its tentative prices will be about 3.4% above 1989 levels; Ford Motor Co. said its prices will be about 4.8% higher, and Chrysler Corp.’s 1990 prices will be up about 5% from 1989.

The companies said some of the increases are due to costs stemming from government requirements that they install passive restraint systems--air bags or automatic seat belts--in 1990 model cars.

Some consumers may be pushing their 1990 car buying plans up a few months to miss the price boosts.

“I think in all probability there are people buying a little earlier than usual, but not many,” said analyst Ron Glantz of Montgomery Securities Inc. of San Francisco.

He said the picture would become clearer later in the month as more sales reports are issued.

Consumers also were lured by incentives, which auto makers would like to drop during the coming model year.

“Car sales are a little stronger than I expected,” said analyst David Healy of Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc. of New York. “I would say it is the attractive rebates on the ‘89s and the fear of the costs of air bags.”

For Jan. 1 through Aug. 10, car and truck sales were 3.6% behind last year’s pace, falling to an average daily rate of 38,063 this year from a rate of 39,500 last year. Car sales were off 4.8% and truck sales were down 1.5% during the period.

GM car sales during the 10-day August period dropped 2.7% to a daily rate of 9,368 this year from 9,631 a year earlier. GM’s sales for the year to date were 8.6% behind last year’s pace.

Ford’s early August car sales rose to a rate of 6,826 a day, up 17.6% from a rate of 5,804 in the year-earlier period. For the year-to-date period, Ford’s car sales were down 1.6%.

Chrysler’s early August car sales rose 5.6% to a daily rate of 2,835 this year from 2,685 daily a year earlier. Chrysler’s car sales for the year to date were 14.1% behind last year’s pace.

AUTO SALES

Aug. 1-10 % 10-Day 1989 change GM 84,310 -2.7 Ford 61,430 +17.6 Chrysler 25,515 +5.6 Honda U.S. 9,002 -5.6 Mitsubishi U.S. 1,094 * Nissan U.S. 2,943 -0.6 Toyota U.S. 5,218 +505.3 Mazda U.S. 789 +11.3 TOTAL 190,301 +7.4

There were nine selling days in the selling period this year and last year.

* No comparison possible