July auto sales based on mid-month totals look grim despite record incentives. Industry analysts J.D Power and LMC estimate U.S. July auto sales down 5 percent.

Declining sales will pad the already large inventory numbers piling up on dealers lots.

DETROIT (Reuters) – U.S. auto sales in July likely fell a little more than 5 percent from the same month in 2016, a fifth consecutive month of declining sales and the largest monthly drop so far this year despite persistently large consumer discounts, industry consultants J.D. Power and LMC Automotive said on Thursday.
LMC cut its full-year 2017 forecast for new vehicle sales for the fourth consecutive month, to 17.0 million units from its previous forecast of 17.1 million.