The auto industry had a great 2011 in terms of sales and after a strong January, it looks like 2012 might follow suit. Analysts found car sales rose 11 percent in January, which indicates Americans are starting to replace cars they held onto during the recession, Reuters reports.

The figures surprised most prognosticators who believed sales growth, if there was any, would have been modest at best. However, spurred by the popularity of Volkswagen and the rebound of longtime favorites like Toyota and Honda, the industry avoided its usual early-year slump.

"Normally you have a little bit of the December hangover," Al Castignetti, head of U.S. sales for Nissan brand, told the news agency. "January starts out very slow and you try to make the month in the last 10 days. The absolute opposite happened this year."

The strong beginning to the year has some experts rethinking their forecast for the year. Now, they think that there could be as many as 14.18 million vehicles sold in 2012.

There are a number of reasons for the sales growth. According to Reuters, one of them may be that gasoline prices, while still high, have remained relatively stable. Additionally, ABC News reports many people may be leaping at the opportunity to replace their rides with updated used cars, as the average age of cars on the road is nearly 11 years.

Whether you're looking to get in a used car because your current model is running on fumes or if you just want a change, New Jersey State Auto Auction has you covered. With a wide variety of makes and models at affordable prices, there is something for everyone.