By AARON MUELLER
Niles Daily Star

There is finally an encouraging sign for the Michigan economy. U.S. auto sales rose 24 percent in the month of March.

Using a plethora of incentives, Toyota overcame a rush of safety recalls and saw sales leap 41 percent in March, compared to a 9 percent decline in February.

Ford sold 183,425 cars and light trucks last month, good for a 40 percent increase from February.
GM increased sales 22 percent overall for the month, selling 188,011 cars and light trucks.
Mike Lee, sales manager for Tyler’s Automotive in Niles, said the dealership saw a modest increase in sales this month but did not have exact numbers.

He declined to comment on the increase in GM sales, as the dealership is currently in a wind-down with GM and Hummer.

Lee said a hot seller has been Kia, which the dealership brought to the lot in December.
“They’ve got a great warranty and great price points,” he said. “They’re just good looking, stylish cars.”

Kia reported a 23 percent jump in sales nationwide in March, selling 30,522 vehicles.
Lee said the increase in sales both locally and nationwide is encouraging and creates of sense of optimism for the future, but he wasn’t particularly surprised by the increase in March.
“The warm weather makes people come out,” he said. “It is a spring market and that usually brings sales.”

Campbell Ford-Lincoln-Mercury and Gene Wesner Chevrolet, the only other local new vehicle dealerships in Niles, did not return phone calls from the Star by press time.