by Calculated Risk on 11/03/2008 12:26:00 PM

From Bloomberg: Ford Motor Says October U.S. Auto Sales Declined 30 Percent (hat tip Justin)

Ford Motor Co. ... said its U.S. sales fell 30 percent in October, the 23rd decline in the past 24 months.

The total dropped to 132,838 cars and trucks, from 190,195 a year earlier ...

Meanwhile, also from Bloomberg: GM, Ford, Chrysler Shut Out of Auto-Bond Market for Fifth Month

Ford Motor Co., GMAC LLC and Chrysler LLC were shut out of the market for bonds backed by auto loans for the fifth straight month ... Sales of auto bonds slumped to $500 million last month, compared with $9 billion in October 2007, according to Merrill Lynch & Co. data. ...

The credit market seizure is forcing automakers to cut back on loans to dealers and customers, contributing to a slowdown that may shrink U.S. auto sales this year to the lowest level since 1993.

And Ford is probably in the best shape of the U.S. automakers.