Triangle watch: auto sales

In the first half of the year, Triangle residents bought fewer trucks and more cars, as gas prices rose.

From January through June, consumers in the eight-county region purchased 51,741 vehicles, according to data from the N.C. Automobile Dealers Association. That was 1,169 more than in the first half of 2005.

But cars represented 49 percent of total sales in the first half, up from 48 percent a year earlier. Trucks represented 51 percent, down from 52 percent.

It's not a huge shift, but it mirrors a change happening nationally. Sales of trucks and sport utility vehicles have slowed as pump prices soar.

Automakers are catching on, mentioning gas prices and the efficiency of their cars in advertising campaigns.

Unrest in the Middle East and increasing oil demand worldwide has pushed local prices for regular unleaded fuel to almost $3 a gallon.

In North Carolina, 7,335 fewer trucks were sold during the first six months of the year, with the big three U.S. automakers suffering the brunt of the shift. Honda, Hyundai and Toyota benefited most as dealers in the state sold 5,862 more cars.

Auto sales are a useful economic indicator because they show how much consumers are willing to make big-ticket purchases. When times are tough, people often delay such purchases. Their spending patterns also can help reveal modifications in buying habits.