A low down in motor-vehicle sales put the brakes on retail spending in September, Statistics Canada said today.

StatsCan said that sales declined by 0.9% to $30.9 billion.

But when sales by dealers of new, used and recreational vehicles and auto parts are excluded, retail sales soared by 1.7% in the month.

That was the largest monthly sales gain for non-auto retailers in eight months.

StatsCan said sales rose in all non-auto retail sectors and were particularly strong for clothing, personal care products and general merchandise.

Retail sales for the third quarter of the year advanced 1.3% compared with the second quarter and marked the seventh consecutive quarterly gain.