Diehl Toyota sales consultant Amy DeAugustine points out features on a new Toyota Avalon hybrid in Diehl's showroom.

At this time in any other year, the lots at Diehl Toyota of Butler would be filled with 150 to 160 new vehicles.

But when Toyota sales manager Dominick Hillwig closed out sales for the month of June, the lot was nearly bare, with only 22 new cars ready for purchase.

“The surplus and backlog from COVID has just run out,” Hillwig said.

Diehl Toyota's situation is similar to that of many other dealerships around Butler County and around the world, as a supply disruption that kicked off a global shortage of computer chips at the beginning of 2021 is making new cars hard to come by.

Computer chips are necessary in a number of different functions in modern cars, including engines, transmissions, in-car technology like GPS screens and more. The shortage has persisted since the beginning of this year, making getting a new car a challenge for both dealers and customers.Normally, an increase in demand for cars would be a good thing, but as the pandemic comes to an end and consumer demand for new cars rises, some dealerships are struggling to provide product for customers.“The majority of people who come in are understanding, but some others come in and seem surprised that they can't get the car they want,” Hillwig said. “The overall volume is down, but automobiles are just like anything, when the supply is down, prices go up.”Many customers have shown a willingness to either pay more or wait.“We're sort of selling forward — we've had some people come in and hear that, OK, it will take six to eight months to get the car they want, and then they'll put down a down payment and come back later in the year,” Hillwig said. “Every individual's purchasing process is a little different, so if you just totaled your car, it's different than if you're just coming up on the end of your two- or three-year buying cycle.”<b> A portion of this story is shared with you as a digital media exclusive. To read the <a href="http://www.butlereagle.com/article/20210705/NEWS01/210709736">full story</a> and support our local, independent newsroom, please <a href="https://buff.ly/3hFN0NI">subscribe online</a>. </b>

Diehl Toyota sales consultant Amy DeAugustine points to the dash console in a new Toyota Avalon hybrid in Diehl's showroom at 266 Pittsburgh Road, Butler.