AUTOS

GM Sales Dip, Chrysler Hits 1st-Quarter Record: General Motors Corp. reported a 2% sales decline in March, in part because of a 18-day brake maker strike that virtually paralyzed the world’s largest auto maker. Meanwhile, Chrysler Corp. said its U.S. vehicle sales in March were up 8.1% from a year ago, helping it post its best first quarter ever. GM spokesman Ed Lechtzin said the No. 1 auto maker’s decline was primarily in sales of cars to fleet buyers. Detroit-based GM expects to recover. Chrysler, based in Highland Park, Mich., combined a car sales increase of 2.3% with an increase of 11.8% in deliveries of pickups, vans and sport-utility vehicles to surpass the daily sales rate of March 1995 by 8.1%. Honda and Nissan results are expected today, while Ford and Toyota will report Wednesday.