Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 7, 1994                   TAG: 9404070340
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN BUSINESS

U.S. automakers posted strong domestic sales in March, up 16.5 percent from March 1993 and the highest March sales since the peak year of 1988. Sales for the first quarter of 1994 were up 17.5 percent from 1993 and the best showing since 1988, the American Automobile Manufacturers Association said Wednesday.

Truck sales by Chrysler, Ford and GM continued to record the most substantial gains, accounting for almost half of all sales. Sales of pickups, minivans and sport utility vehicles, as well as medium and heavy trucks, increased 21 percent to 500,770 from 414,008 in March 1993. The automakers sold sold 1,070,419 passenger cars and trucks, up 16.5 percent from 918,678 in March 1993.

- Staff report

Hondas recalled for shifting flaw

American Honda Motor Co. Inc. on Wednesday announced a voluntary recall on 191,000 of its 1992 through 1994 Honda Civic and 1994 Acura Integra automobiles equipped with automatic transmissions. The recall is for a possible defect in the shift mechanism.

After repeated shift-lever operations, a retaining clip connecting the transmission shift cable to the shift-lever actuating rod may have insufficient retention force and come off. This could result in the shift- lever's position not matching the actual gear position, resulting in unanticipated vehicle movement or no movement at all. No accidents or injuries have been reported.

- Staff report

Briefly . . .

Evergreen Development Co., operator of Evergreen Burial Park in the Raleigh Court area of Roanoke, said it has contracted with Ingram Construction of Madison, Miss., to build a 410-crypt chapel mausoleum. The chapel will be built, beginning in the spring of 1995, near the southeast corner of the cemetery.

Heilig-Meyers Co., Richmond-based home furnishings retailer with stores in Western Virginia, on Wednesday increased its quarterly dividend from 5 cents to 6 cents per share, payable May 21 to shareholders on April 27.

Cooper Industries Inc., Houston parent of Crouse-Hinds electrical products plant in Roanoke, said Wednesday that an Italian subsidiary has acquired the ignition-components business of Magneti Marelli of Milano, in Carpi, Italy. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The Carpi operation has research facilities and produces ignition coils, diesel glow plugs and spark plugs. It has contracts with several car manufacturers and Formula One racing teams. Worldwide revenues in 1993 were about $25 million.