4 Apr 2009

Car sales stuck in low gear

5:52 pm on 4 April 2009

The recession is continuing to take a toll on vehicle sales.

New car sales in March were down 23.3% on the same time a year earlier.

And while sales rose in March after a poor February, they're still lower than they've been in any other month for six years.

A recently liquidated Wellington car dealership in Wellington is selling vehicles at a discount of more than $30,000 this weekend, while an Auckland dealer is offering two cars for the price of one.

Andrew Simms is offering a free car with each of four $90,000 Alfa Romeo Breras sold and each of four $115,000 Citroen C6s.

The free cars are in the $30,000 range.

Mr Simms says, however, that it's a marketing stunt and not connected to the recession.