DETROIT (AP) - U.S. car buyers were back in the market last month. Analysts are expecting July to be the best month for U.S. auto sales since last August, when Cash for Clunkers caused a sales boom. They say July's model-year clearance sales helped bring out buyers after lackluster sales earlier this summer.
Edmunds.com predicts July sales were up 8 percent from the same month last year and up 9 percent from June.
Analysts say shoppers were looking for bargains. Chrysler was offering to make buyers' first two months' payments in July, while Toyota started its usual summer clearance sale a month early.
But the good times may not last.
Automakers are trying to hold the line on deals, which cut into profits. TrueCar.com says incentive spending was down 4 percent compared with last July.
And buyers still have a lot of uncertainty about the economy and employment.
J.D. Power is lowering its forecast for full-year U.S. sales by 100,000 vehicles to 11.7 million.
Automakers report July sales on Tuesday.