Based on the first half of the month, May’s used-vehicle sales volume will likely approach 4.5 million units and beat year-ago figures by 1.5 percent, according to CNW Research.

The firm said in its latest Retail Automotive Summary that it is forecasting 4.46 million used sales this month when accounting for the results of franchised and independent dealers as well private-party transactions. This would compare to 4.39 million in May 2013.

This would also put the year-to-date tally at just under 15.9 million, which outpaces the 15.65 million used cars sold through five months of 2013.

As for May alone, the biggest growth is expected to be among the independent dealers, whose sales are likely to increase 4.8 percent to 1.44 million. Meanwhile, franchised dealers are projected to boost their used sales 3.5 percent and move roughly 1.60 million units.

Casual sales will likely see a 3.7-percent dip with 1.42 million cars moved this month, CNW said.

The firm’s president, Art Spinella, explained some of the overall growth in dealer used sales: “The stable finance market, accepting wider and lower score consumers, has opened both franchised and independent dealers to a wealth of new shoppers who in the previous few years found it hard to get financing and relied on the casual market where they purchased older vehicles.”

Interestingly enough, though, dealers may want to pay attention to this next statistic: days’ supply of used cars has fallen. Spinella shed some light on why.

“This run on used vehicles has shrunk the days’ supply by 1.4 percent versus a year ago, and even though auction prices are not rebounding as one might expect, part of the reason remains a mismatched consumer demand versus inventory condition,” he said.