After another long and rather harsh winter in most parts of continental US, it's time for the spring meltdown of frozen accounts and the long awaited leg stretching en route to the local car dealership. Auto sales in the United States have remained positive even after half a decade of uninterrupted growth, thanks to the improvement of the economy, rising consumer confidence and cheap gasoline prices that have rekindled the American fondness for large pickup trucks, crossovers and sport utility vehicles.