August car sales declined versus July, according to data from the joint report of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) on Tuesday.

According to CAMPI and TMA, auto sales in August 2024 were at 39,155, a minimal 0.4 percent decline against 39,331 sales made in July 2024.

Commercial vehicles dominated August 2024 sales at 29,626, up 4.3 percent compared to the 28,408 sales last July 2024, followed by the 21,812 sales made by light commercial vehicles.

‘Ghost’ dampens sale

Sales of passenger cars in August, which in the Chinese tradition is considered as a “ghost” month, also made a negative variance, posting just 9,529 sales against July 2024’s 10,923 purchases.

The top passenger car brands that dominate the August sales are Toyota at 35,178, Mitsubishi (16,397), Suzuki Philippines (5,526), and Honda Cars Philippines (5,174).

However, the total automobile sales from January to August 2024 continue to pile up at 304,765 against the 276,200 sales made in August 2023.

CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez did not divulge reasons why sales last month declined.