Romania's car sales market went down by 14.7 percent in the first half of this year, compared to the same period last year, to 50,700 sold units, according to the Association of Car Producers and Importers (APIA) in Romania.

Car deliveries were down by 18.3 percent in the first six months of this year, but grew in June compared to May this year, by 6.9 percent.

The main causes which triggered the car market decline were the delay in the Clunkers program, which started in March, not in February as it happened in 2010, as well as maintaining the impossibility to deduct the VAT for car purchases in case of companies, together with the lack of financial resources in case of buyers.

The car production also took a plunge of 2.9 percent, to 177,600 units in the first six months of this year. The production grew in June by 34 percent compared to May this year. Exports also decreased by 5.3 percent in the first six months, when 155,400 cars were delivered to export.

Best sold brands were Dacia, with over 12,700 sold units, followed by followed by Volkswagen, with 4,500 units, Skoda, Renault and Ford.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: photoxpress.com)