A vacant auto showroom (©-iStockphoto.com/Adam Dodd)

I’m always a bit apprehensive about anything I read on April 1. After all, the Web is full of amateur pranksters, and it seems like no one can resist trying out a little humor (and, in most cases, I do mean a little humor) on a worldwide audience. I mean, did anyone see that article about left-handed cars? What was that guy thinking?

Anyway, I truly wish that one of the blog posts I read on Wednesday was a joke — unfortunately it’s not. I’ll warn you ahead of time, this is pretty depressing to see; however, if you want a quick and very clear snapshot of the current auto sales figures for March 2009, look no further than the comprehensive list posted by John Neff at Autoblog.

We hear about the slump in auto sales daily it seems, but until you really see the numbers and take the time to digest what you’re reading, it’s difficult to comprehend. After looking at these rather dismal numbers, can you believe that they were actually expected to be worse? Reuters reported that U.S. auto sales were down, but that they were actually better than expected for the month of March. Looking at the numbers, that’s tough to believe.

There’s one more point to note about the March 2009 auto sales figures. Take a look at the very bottom of the list to see how the U.S. manufacturers stand up against the competition. It’s interesting to see that the foreign automakers (Honda, Nissan, Toyota and even BMW) are reporting sales losses similar to those reported by the domestic manufacturers. Interesting, yes — but still sad.

More related stuff:
HowStuffWorks – Auto
How to Buy a Car
How Car Financing Works
Consumer Guide Automotive – New Car Search