Want a prediction of auto sales for the remainder of this year? Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

The automobile business doesn't stand in isolation from the remainder of the economy. Right now there's trouble in the economy so where does that leave the auto business? Estimates for the year's sales already have been lowered, but the industry estimates still seem strong considering what's going on.  

I think people are afraid. Maybe it's unreasonable fear, but it's there on the front page every day. Fearful people aren't as likely to buy cars in record numbers.

The stock market is chaotic, up 1000 and down 1000 points in recent weeks.

The housing market is slumping. Sales are falling. Foreclosures are climbing and likely to climb even higher when interest rates go up on those adjustable mortgages.

Hedge funds go bump in the night and credit is suddenly gone. Interest rates are up if you can get a loan. Even Cerberus had trouble borrowing the money to buy Chrysler.

And, of course, the price of oil remains around $70 a barrel as speculators and oil companies, with convenient refinery shutdowns, keep the price up. This leaves well owners from Texas to Teheran happy but the rest of us paying $3 a gallon. No downturn in sight now, either.