Chicago area sales of domestic new cars fell 6 percent in January to 28,609 units from 30,430 a year earlier, when sales were the strongest for the month in six years.
General Motors Corp. sales fell 8 percent, to 18,784 units from 20,344 in January, 1984; Ford Motor Co.`s were up 6 percent, to 7,021 from 6,642;
Chrysler Corp.`s were down 19 percent, to 2,560 from 3,180; and American Motors Corp.`s were off 7.5 percent, to 244 from 264.
Ross Kelsey, executive vice president of the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, which represents more than 700 Chicago area dealers, said he wasn`t concerned about the sales decline because sales in the 1984 period were very strong. He also said Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac dealers were short of some cars while Ford dealers were unable to get sufficient numbers of the new Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable that went on sale in December.
Kelsey said dealers will be more concerned if sales don`t start their traditional upward swing following the annual Chicago Auto Show, which ended Sunday. Historically, sales edge upward in February and then rise sharply in March, April and May. A year ago new-car sales topped 40,000 units for three months after the show.
