Bahamian new car dealers revealed that the Car Show “bounce” appeared to have returned in 2012, with April’s sales up between 83-100 per cent month-over-month compared to March.
But despite enjoying what they believe is the best post-Car Show month in the past three years, Bahamas Motor Dealer Association (BMDA) members were cautious on the long-term implications, telling Tribune Business “it remains to be seen” whether this translates into a long-term growth trend that sets the sector back on the road to pre-recession sales levels.
Rick Lowe, a director and operations manager at Nassau Motor Company (NMC), the Honda and Chevrolet dealer, told this newspaper: “We’ve seen a little something. I would imagine the others have as well, because the banks don’t get aggressive just for us. Hopefully there’s more business to come and people have to replace cars now.
“Our sales actually bounced 83 per cent in April over March, and that’s a big difference. But we’ve been selling very low quantities. I’m hopeful that it won’t drop back down.”
While warning that it was “a little too early” to determine the Car Show’s full impact, given that final sales data for BMDA members collectively had yet to be compiled, Andrew Barr, Friendly Ford’s sales manager, said April had been “a pretty good month” for his dealership.
Source: Neil Hartnell, The Tribune
