Evening Star Newspaper, February 28, 1926, Page 73

MENACE IN CHEAP MOTOR REPAIRING Car Owners Should Give Me- chanic Enough Time to Do Work. Car owners who do not give the re- pair men enough time to do his work well are guilty of negligence, accord- ing to the conclusions reached by the service committee of the Washington Automotive Trade Assoclation in a report just completed. The local dealers point to the de- mand for cheap and incomplete repair work as evidence of a guilt that starts before the driver has even cranked the engine. “Speeding has been extended to the repair shop and service station,” the dealers declare. “Motorists jobs performed in the crudest and without sufficient time to Insure good work. ‘Progressive service establishments have installed time-saving methods and are endeavoring to conduct their business in a way that will obviate the delaye that are evidences of lack of ma nent, hut to far there have been no improvements which enable a workman to do a good job in the time it requires to do a poor ome. Cheap repair work is o menace, and that menace begins with the mistaken no- tion that this is the day and age when cars can be serviced by mag “Good nagement hus enabled many local dealers shops on an et owners are taken c Much has been mplished to eliml- nate t nnoyance of de in get- ting attention and in starting the car on its round of rejuvenation, but the work itself is not subject to as much speeding up as the average motorist imagines. There still is need for more thinking than action, and think- ing taies time “As with all varieties of speeding, nothine is gained. Rather there is a loss, when the final returns are avail able.” nt re of promptly n ASK THE MECHANIC. Often Will Find Repair Needs That Were Overlooked. event for the 0 o his repair & list of things that need to b 10 the car. This is all very perhaps if the repairer were to take the wheel he might that the list revealed some ms. It is possible that th ht tind some fals or at least some small thing ould remedy with a_word of advice or a few drops of oil like habits, can grow on a motorist without his realizing it. But some one else will catch them in-u minute. So if In doubt as to the wisdom o our re- pair order, ask the mechanic tell you the fuc A f being utes at the whe of your car . Broken Cross Chains. That broken cross ch be bunging a hole throu; but it’s chipping off the enamel on the outside. When the car into holes the fender will down closer to the wheel and chain will strike harder. ow up when going over rough places or steer around them, Better still, remove the broken cross-chain. An annual motorist is to invited discover 15 10 min- may not hounces come the their | where | ring | | which roubles, | He'll | ) the fender, | Good Dancers Declared Best Auto Operators Good dancers make the best auto drivers. True or untrue, this idea has caught the imagination of a great many members of the school of thought that always is trying to hook up this with that. The claim is made that the Instinct for time and rhythm developed by dancing comes in handy when the motorist is called upon to avold a colli- ston. Still, there is no provision in the traffic regulations that before a man gets an operator's permit he must prove his ability to do the Charleston. AUSTRALIA TAKES T0 AMERICAN CAR British Sell 6,539, Compared , to 50,000 Imported From United States. Americans may feel little genuine warmth toward the British rubber magnates, but every time a British utomobile maker thinks of the situa- tion in Australia he feels much less kindly disposed toward his American competitor. The country “down under” last_year imported 76,111 automobiles. Of this number 6,339 were the product of factorfes in England, while ap- proximately 50,000 came from Amer- ican plants. While British manufac- turers were winning 8.6 per cemt of the business, their United States rivals were collaring 65 per cent. The figures are not regarded as ymptomatic of Australia’s drift away from the mother country. The drift toward American automobiles is re- garded as simply a manifestation of approval of the business policles that govern automobile manufacture in the United Kingdom. While American concerns are soaring to new heights of efficiency and devoting time and cnergy to the problem of market con- centration, their European com- itors are sticking to pre-war con- ervatism, Another tremendous factor in the popularity of American made auto- mobiles in Australia is that they are more suited to the needs of that try. As compared with English kes, they are cquipped with rela vely slow speed motors ing gear ang less They also conform more to the standard wheel tract of 4 feet 8 inches prevails in Australia Service, too, is an item in the American encroachment on the Aus- tralian market. The far-sighted policy of providing adequate facilities for automobile repair that has prevailed in the United States. has followed the American automobile on its journey ato world popularity. By comparisons, the “made in England™ car suffers in this vital respect. Sign Says “Watch Yourself.” An enterprising township has erect- ed a pertinent &ign at a dangerous point of the highway calling atten- tior to a mirror in which the driver s himself as he approaches. The sign say: Watch yourself,” while the mirror is id to be a surprise to many drivers who Imagine they look trustworthy when at the wheel. THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT PLAN FIXES LIABILITY Financial Responsibility Law | Experiment to Eliminate Irresponsible. An experiment designed to effect the gradual elimination of irrespon- sible motorists from Connecticut high- ways is now under way in that State. Under what is known as the “finan- clal responsibility law,” passed in 1925 by the General Assembly, all persons who have been convicted of reckless driving, speeding, driving while in- toxicated, or evading responsibility, or who have caused the death or per- sonal injury of any person or property damage of $100, may be required to qualify themselves to settle for any damage they may do or forfeit regis- tration of their cars. Persons with good driving records are exempt. The financial responsibility required is at least $10,000 in cases of death or injury, and $1,000 for property dam- age. The requirement may be sati fled by insurance, surety bond, or de- posit of cash or collateral with the State treasurer. Will Enforce Law. Robbins B. Stoeckel, commissioner of motor vehicles, has nounced his intention to enforce the new law strictly. If it works as expected, he says, the percentage of financially re- sponsible registrants will be increased gradually. It is his hope that the law will deter registrants from allow- ing unqualified or unauthorized per- sons to use their cars. “The registrant is the one who will be held responsible for financial quali- fication if the car while in unauthor- ized control is in an accident or if the driver thereof is d iplined,” he said. “So it is expected that after some ex- perience with the operation of the act each registrant will become more care. ful about the persons in control of his car and will demand exact knowledge as to the plans of the person or per- sons into whose hands the car is de- livered or to whom it is loaned. He does not expect administration to be difficult. The law will be enforced by a special section of the motor ve. hicle department, assisted by members of the State police. A fine of $25 is authorized for persons failing to re turn their registration certificates and license numbers when required to do so. The department already has the records nec v for application of the law. Application Records Available. “In Connecticut there are in exist ence re for ce htation some 80, 0¢0 ope rds whic describe accidents ctions of Connecti cut licen: operators and of those operators of other States who e been concerned in Connecticut discip- line covering a period of eight years,” said Mr. Stoeckel, that at any time the application of a person for qualification can be investigated by consultation of records. “This particular financial qualifica- tion law is intended to give discipline to the State over a registrant similar to the control whch it already has over an operator. It seems to be true that most operators are registrants well. For 1925 to December 1 th were 259,047 ope ors and 253, registrants. Wherever an operator a registrant as well the operator's driving record can be used—that it, in fully 90 per cent of all c orty-two per cent of C motor vehicle registrants are already insured. This, according to the best statistics obtainable, is the biggest D. C, FEBRUARY 28, 1926—PART : SUNDAY MOTORIST An Abridged Magazine for Car Owners. EDITED BY WILLIAM ULLMAN According to John Smith, who knows all about cars, one of the most frightful results of one-arm driving is matrimony. What's Wrong With This? Putting it mildly, economists and the credit experts are worried over the overextension of credit on pur- chases of automobiles. People are buying cars in a most extravagant and illogical manuner, they point out, and warnings of dire results in a a prophesied financlal collapse are not infrequent. This is all very in- teresting and seemingly sound, but a pecullar situation exists at present. Summed up, it is the discovery that it isn’t so very expensive to buy a new popular priced car every year and take no care of fit. All very unsound, certainly! But millions are doing It and the process runs some- thing like this: A man buys a $1,500 car, paying one-third down and carrying the $1,000 balance on 18 instaliments of approximately $55 each. At the end of the 12 months he trades in the car for just half what he paid for it and agrees to pay the balance, $750, in 18 additional installments of approximately $42 each. This means that for the first 6 months of own- ership of the second new car he has two payments to make, or $97 a month. For the second 6 months of the second year of the plan, how- ever, payments are only $42 month! Then comes the third year Wi the trade for the third new car and a new agreement to pay 18 more installments of $42 each. This is assuming the list price of th: car remains upchanged. For-the first 6 months of the third vear his total payments mean an outlay of $84 monthly. The final six months of the third year, however, mean pay- ments of only $4 The exact figures are mot ne to bring out the point. It s ohvious that he can approximately $5 a month for half of each year and £100 a month for the other st have a new car. H that buying will stimul. percentage existing in any State. Tt is a long step already taken toward securing financial responsibility of all persons on the highways. The general run of motor vehicle accidents and convietions will annually bring before the commissioner of mo- tor vehicles for financial qualification about 15 per cent of the State’s reg- istrants, No Hardship on Driver. “Out of these, possibly half will be concerned in cases where no par ticular damage has been done and where it Is likely no departmental decree of any kind is indicated in the records. The other half, or be- tween 5 and 8 per cent of all per- sons concerned in accidents or con- will be required to qualify. “This will bring before the department approximately 15,000 persons a year ses must be decided. “To require financ responsibil- ity is no hardship, consequently the policy of the State will be to require qualification as Invariably as possible. Inasmuch as this law is @ new meas. ure, never, so far as known, tried any. where, it may be well to say that in its adiministrative phases it does not, in Connecticut, seem to place any par- hardship upon anybody. A »n need not be subject to its pro- ons except as the result of his own RN {0AKLAND} V4 a An Open Letter To our Friends: Our complete sales and service organizations are now devoted to the sales and service of the New Oakland Six and the New Pontiac Six—in Washington, D. C., and surrounding counties of Maryland and Virginia. I believe that both the Oakland Six and the Pontiac Six represent outstanding motor car value. And this opinion is based upon more than twenty-two years of experience in the automotive industry. The Oakland Six is winning and holding good will every- where. It is enjoying an unprecedented demand. Oak- land sales have doubled in the last six months. The New Pontiac Six was the sensation of the National Automobile Show in New York last month, where it was shown for the first time. It is one of the proudest achievements of the General Motors Corporation, and at its amazing low price sets an entirely new mark in motor car value. Back of both the Oakland and the Pontiac are the per- manence and prestige of the great General Motors Corporation, with its almost unlimited resources. We extend to our friends and the general public a cordial invitation to attend a special showing now on in turn, a creased production and, decreased list price. Analyzing Theft Rates. Evidence of the close relationship between bootlegging, car thievery and makes of cars is clearly indicated in the new automobile fnsurance thett rates for a large llastern city a3 promulgated for 1926 by the Na- tional and Eastern automobile con- ference. Theft ratés have been raised on no less than 16 makes of cars with annual production of 3,000 and over. It will surprise many to know that the increases are not con- fined to any one particular group of cars, vet there is a reason for the increase in each case. Several popular small cars are in- cluded in the list. This Is not sur- prising. Such cars are v able once they have serv or the bootlegger's purpcse. do not arouse the suspicion of police since they are usually asso- clated with persons of moderate in- come and harmless nature. A few of the better cars are favored by the bootlegger because of their sped. That, too, is easily appreciated. The most puzzling Increase, however, con- cerns the virtual doubling of the rate on a highgrade car that is asso- ciated with aristocracy. Can it be that bootlegging is becoming faddish? Engine Bore Important. In shopping for a car, engines in- variably are judged by their size (from appearances) and_what they do in demonstration. The matter of bore and stroke, particularly bore, seldom is considered. The salesman may say something about the engine being 314x5, but, if he does, the prospect s sure to ask what sort of gas mileaxe car s rthing that »m the my tery of bore and The bore of an engine is very im- portant. It tells a great deal about economy. power and endurance. A motorist would be quick to suspect that he was cons product if the salesman said the were five leaves in the springs when the former model had seven, but a re- duction in the bore does not seem to mean anything to him. With a stroke of 4% cylinder engines vary in to displacement as follows for rious bores inches, six al piston the va Bore. 3 g% our-cylinder engine has cubie inches or n a six-cylinder ce, but with a A x4y a displacement o more displacement th: engine of the same stre bore of 3%. While power and economy Iy influenced by displacement, it is im. portant to remember that g engine design play an Amportan as well. The general tendency been toward smaller engines. Just be- cause bore and stroke are small is no reason to assume that the engine m: not handle the situation as well better than a larger proposition. It depends upon the car, its design and its price. “F. 0. B.” Hanging On. Attempts on the part of many per- sons in the automobile’ industry to bolish the practice of quoting fic tory prices has never met with cess for the reason that such practice glv competitors an e on busi ow It is being tried by one dering a cheapened | | be of the companies that has featured price consistently. The experiment will be watched with interest. The motorist himself, however, will have sometking to say about it. It i8 no secret to the careful buyer that delivered prices must include an un- loading charge, which may run high or low, depending upon conditions. Knowing both factory and daivered prices, the motorist been able to figure just how much he is being charged for having his car brought to his door. He Is fearful lest a general adoption of the delivered price ar- rangement encourage some evils for which the trade already has been criticized. It is doubtful, however, whether much progress will be made in the Gelivered-price plan. It makes it so much easler for the other manufac- turer to quote an “f.0.b.” price and land the sale. Braking Helps Brakes. Those who witness the feats of quick stopping performed by metro- politan taxi drivers, and who have speculated as to how such control is possible with the two-wheel variety of brake: re beginning to see that brakes are helped by being used. Up to a certaln point it is an axiom of motoring that the more frequently the brakes are used the more efficient they will be. The secret of the rule lies in the word “frequently.” Brakes that allowed to drag or that are nalf en; «d while the car is running down long grades will not provide the quickest type of stopping. That is because the linings become polished. The taxi driver brakes frequently, but each application of the brakes is of short duration. The brake linings be- come rough and the frictional values are raised to a point where the best stopping 1s had. Did You Know That— An engine will knock if the spark gap at the distributor is too wide? The supercharger is being manu- factured by arge electrical equip- ment compan Reduction in wind resistance has resulted in adding 10 miles per hour in speed to one of the latest sport closed Jobs? One camshaft valves of a V-e of cylinders is 't the othe will operate all the ht engine if one block slightly ahead of Car Bath Temperatures. The temperature of the water for washing the car is a more fmpor- tant facgor in paint preservation than | most motorists imagine. A careful | balance must be made between water temperature and that of the car's body. | Pouring cold water on a hot hood | is just a 1, for instance, as using hot water on a cold hood. It would better to wash a hot hood with hot w but no owner need take uch risk if he has the patience it until the car body comes back a normal temperature. In Winter bodies are often so cold {when put on the washstand they tu ally steam when cold water is poured | over them It well to used | is remember that the | temperature of th wate used for washing should always be a little be low that of the car body What's the Answer? 1. Is “noknock” high-test gas? 2. How many of cars are equipped with air-cooled engines? Why is it advantageous to feed gas from the hand throtse in traflic? 4. How much gasoline is wasted in | stopping a car on the level? W is the hest way gas the same as kes to keep during the week | and look for the a | partment next Sunday. You may be | speeds, | noticeable | flat tre swers In this de- || Girls Join College Boys in Driving in Topless Roadsters College boy are not alone in driving sporty roadsters with the tops back during the biting days of Washington’s Winter. In the National Capital's traffic stream on one of the coldest days of the Winter, when every one was :2eking the warmth of home or office, three girls were observed to pass a busy intersection with nothing but a windshield between them and Boreas' worst. Rich fur coats and heavy-lined gloves probably made up In measure for the lack of curtains and top. HOT, DRY WEATHER HARDEST ON'TIRES Winter, Spring and Fall Sea- sons Bring Little Wear on Car Rubber. Hard times are on the way for auto mobile tir Summer with its sun-baked high- ways greatly increases tire tread wear, according to rubber experts who have learned that the rate of wear may be as much as douh with a temperature rise from 40 to 8¢ degrees above zero. During Winter, wet or snow-cov- ered roads reduce tread Wi to a markedly low point. Cool, wet Spring and Autumn days also brin little damage to the contact surface of automobile tires. Rubber experts have observed vast difference In the rate of in tires t have been driven from a temperate zone to a warmer cli- mate. When driven L cooler a immediately is notic urthermore, most wear occurs | when the car is being driven at high | the difference being most | 1t speeds over 40 miles an | hour. Longest service comes from tires on cars driven by careful \ln\'ri ers Differences in the quality of the highw which have been blame for a lot of premature wear on tire: are blamed for good reasons, it is declared. pus kinds of road sur faces make difference in | tread we In arriving at the findings engineers observed tire pe; formance in several million miles tests. | Wear in the has been minimized USEOFMOTORBLS SHINS HUGECAN Report Reveals 32 Per Cent Increase in Service Dur- ing Past Year. A gain of 32 per cent during the last year is shown in the number of motor busses in use in the United States, ac- cording to Edward F. Loomis, secre- tary of the motor truck committee of the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce. At the beginning of 1926 Mr. Loomis states, there were 6942 busses in use compared with an estimate of 52 L year ago. made after a survey by the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce. Operations of bus common carriers now cover 0 miles of route while non-common carrfer bus opera- tlons reach over 334,401 miles. The number of busses operated by common rriers on January 1 of this year is estimated at 37,500, while last year it was 34,100, Non-carrier operations ac count for 31,925 busses, as against 18, a vear ag Most of the interstate lines operate in the New England States, New Jer- sey and Pensylvania. New York City is the center of a network of these lines to New Jersey, Pennsylvan Connectieut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island cities Outstanding ments is the ir of busses used b thefr subsidiaric he steam r: roads into the bus field was of special significance. Further g are expected in this group during the current year In the non-common carrier field the largest gain oce 1 in the number ¢ busses used in school service, the crease amour to approximately 100 per cent irge advance in the number of sightseeing and touring busses is indicated in the 8. Bus chassis manufactured livered during 1925 totaled light-duty c nishing th eat est number, nam 302 vehicles, or 38 per cent. Nex line was t heavy-duty class, witl stal of 6,107 vehicles, representi per cent while the medium with total of 4,725, fur per cent of the entire outpu the year’s develop se in the number railways and entrance of elec the GUARANTEED Washed, Sterilized Wiping Rags CH SECLOTH—POLISHING CLOTH The Capitol Wiping Cloth d tire, which is built to the | shape it take on the road under | load The t d, being built flat shape, gives better traction becau i it p ents greater road surface. And since it is bullt so that loads do n produce excessive distortion, there an even, slow wear, which permi the tire to give its full potential mile axe (52, UBED CARyon | Joseph McReynolds | wrong! (Covyright, 1926.) | 14th STREET AT R | Company 1011 First St. S. E. Phone Lincoln 10247 AUTO REPAIRING Expert service and repair- ing for all makes of cars UDSON and GARDNER VICE A SPECIALTY T. J. CAMFIELD 17th and V Sts. NNW. Pot. 5446 Tires and Accessories More QUALIT "less MONEY Lower in price than any other closed car in the world, of standard specifi- SEDAN 595 P.0. B. FACTORY Potoss ond Specifications snbject o change without wotice WILLYS FINANCE PLAN offers easy time-payment terms at the lowest credit-cost in the industry cations — sliding gear transmission, heavy channel steel frame, extra roomy body dimensions . . . Lower in pricethananyotherclosed car of equal quality. The only low- priced car with such quality materials as genuine Molybdenum steel,genuine Chrome Vanadium steel, and such quality equipment as A uto-Lite start- ing, lighting and ignition, Tillotson carburetor, Stewart vacuum feed— and 86 other superior features . . . A production schedule 50% greater this year than last is a result of public response to higher qual ity-standards established by this lower priced car., display in our salesrooms. s Sincerely, The LUTTRELL COMPANY, OVERLAND with SLIDING GEAR TRANSMISSION WATDMAN-JUSTICE MOTORS, Inc. WILLYS-KNIGHT SALES OVERLAND SALES 1515 14th St. N.W. 1108 Vermont Avenue N.W. WILLYS-KNIGHT AND OVERLAND BRANCH SALESROCM, H St. at 10th N.E. SERVICE STATION—1108 Vermont Avenue N.W. : Phone Franklin 4001 Now=—14n the Great WILLYS-OVERLAND LINE—a Car for Every iurse President. The Luttrell Company Show Rooms: 14th Street at Rhode Island Ave. Service Station: 1444-6 P Street