For a while there, car dealerships were looking pretty deserted, writes Ryan Felton for The Wall Street Journal.

“We had times where you could have a helicopter land on my lot,” said David Kelleher, president of a dealership group based in Glen Mills that sells the Chrysler, Ram, Jeep, and Dodge brands.

But now new cars and trucks are making an appearance once again and are available for purchase.

Buyers will find a bigger selection of certain brand models to choose from this spring as supply-chain issues ease and factories stabilize.

Kelleher is seeing stock levels swell on some specific models.

Dealerships saw about 1.8 million vehicles in transit or on lots at the end of April. That’s a 50 percent improvement over the same period in 2022.

Higher inventory also means a greater likelihood of promotional deals.

Mixed in with an increase in vehicle availability, though, is the issue of fast-rising interest rates and higher-priced vehicles. The average vehicle sold for about $46,000 in April.

“We need to enhance sales and stop ordering,” David Kelleher said. “Because of the interest-rate climate, we need to think differently now.”

Read more about an uptick in vehicle inventory at The Wall Street Journal

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