Auto sales keep rising in San Diego and California

Sales have risen for a full year, even after "cash for clunkers" expired

By Dean Calbreath
Originally published October 21, 2010 at 11:29 a.m., updated October 21, 2010 at 11:52 a.m.

Honda reported Friday, July 30, 2010 a record quarterly profit of 272.4 billion yen ($3.2 billion) as auto sales grew in North America, Japan and the rest of Asia. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

During the year since the "cash-for-clunkers" program drew drivers back to the auto showrooms, auto sales in San Diego County and California have been growing steadily, in a major turnaround from the worst period for auto sales on record.

In the first nine months of 2010, drivers bought 63,491 autos and light trucks in San Diego County, 12.7 percent above the same period of last year, according to data released yesterday by the New Car Dealers Association of California.

Statewide, sales rose 10.8 percent, from 611,277 in the first three quarters of 2009 to 677,552 in the same period this year. Including the fourth quarter of 2009, sales have risen steadily for an entire year. It is the first time in five years that auto sales have had four consecutive quarters of annualized growth. And the association expects that sales will continue to rise through the end of this year.

"Serious car buyers are returning to the market and fueling the California auto industry’s slow but steady recovery,â€