Ford, GM March Sales Drop More Than 40%

Ford, GM March sales dropped more than 40% in March. Like housing sales, auto sales are tricky in the winter months.

GM said it sold 155,334 cars and trucks, down from 280,713 a year ago. Ford reported monthly sales of 131,465 cars and trucks, down from 222,337 a year ago.

Chrysler reported a 39% drop in sales to 101,001 cars and trucks from 166,386 a year earlier. Toyota said U.S. March sales fell 39% to 132,802 vehicles from 217,730 a year ago.

Comments coming out along with the reports seem to be a bit more positive and in line with my thinking that the recession is over, or pretty close to it. Keeping in miind that these comments are coming from auto company officals, here's what they had to say:

"We had a strong close at the end of the month as customers responded to strong incentives, President Obama's positive statements about GM, and the government backing domestic warranties," Mark LaNeve, head of GM's sales and marketing, said in a statement.

"The market is starting to show small signs of life which need to be nourished like seedlings," Chrysler Vice Chairman and President Jim Press said in a statement.