The Washington herald., 1907-08-04

No one should own an automobile, some
one has said. unless he is able TO lay
aside an endowment fund sufficiently
large TO provide for every emergency that
may be required In it's annual mainte-
nance, says the New York Times.
Have your endowment fund large
enough to entertain your guests liber-
ally" Is the additional advice given a
member of the Automobile Club Of Amer
lea. whose experience has shown him that
the entertainment Of friends and the pay
ing OF double rates at country road
houses and taverns may amount TO far
more In the course of year than the
legitimate expense OF keeping the ma
chine IN perfect running order during that
time. It has been said that the desire to
escape so much automobile soelability has
been one of the chief reasons for the in
creasing popularity OF the high-powered
runabout This undoubtedly has had some
influence, but scarcely 70 the extent that
many have supposed. for the demand for
as during the present season
But the social phase OF automobiling is
another story, entirely apart from the
necessary expense of keeping an up-to-
date touring car. a man can cut down on
his social expenses. but he must figure
upon a definite cost in the maintenance Of
his car if he wishes it 70 be in proper
condition every day of the year.
Everything depends. of course, upon
the kind Of car man owns. A rough
estimate, and one which works out very
Wei IN practice. is that the annual cost
Is about one-half the retail price Of the
car. The light runabout, operated and
cared for by the owner, can be main
tanned for 500 or less year. but the
owner Of big 5000 to $500 touring car.
who has an experienced chauffeur 10 drive
and attend to ordinary repairs, must be
prepared 20 eNpeEd considerably more
than this, and if he prepares budget Of
his prospective yearly expenses a sum Of
from $2.559 10 SG00 viii not be unreason-
able TO allow for motor car maintenance
It is assumed, of course, that the car is
freely used. driving about E090 miles a
year. very fair average for the majority
of big cars.
wages of ChauffeUrs.
The wages of the chauffeur viii nat
urally be the largest item of expense.
This may be figured at 500 "a month.
II is. however. possible 10 get good driv-
ers who combine a fair knowledge OF
automobile mechanics for so week, but
a good man is well worth his money. and
the best chaufTeurs in the end may prove
20 be the cheapest, saving the owner
many repair bills. There are a number OF
chauheurs in New York who receive as
much as 500 and over a month. Charles
VI. Schwab and c.. X. G.. Billings. it is
said, pay their head chaUneurs $50 a
month
Next to the cost Of the chauffeur viii
be the storage OF the car. Where the
owner does not possess these facilities
in his private stable, the car VIII be-
stored In one of the large garages of the
city. TIE usual price for the ordinary
touring machine is $50 "A month. This
I includes storage, washing. and rubbing
II any repairs arc needed that the chauf-
/ feur cannot attend 90 upon the machine
the parts needing repair must so to tbs
garage workshop, and the price VIII bC
/ from 50 cents 20 81 an hour. With a good
chauffeur, and In view Of the better ma.
terials now being used in the best cars
the fear Of excessive repair bills has al
most ceased 20 exist The manager ot
one large garage in New York stated tht
other day that twenty-nine cars wer,
stored there during the past year tina
averaged in touring 1850 miles. and tn,
average repair bill for each was less thar
/ S25.
| Judgment in driving is the secret o.
/ the life Of a car" said a tourist who's,
/ expense bill for the last three or foul
years reveals a very small amount foi
/ repairs. THE ratio of expense mounts
/ up in proportion TO the speed II IN,
man who has a car that can go fortl
miles an hour will be content TO keep &
within an average Of twenty-five 10 thirty
I miles an hour. which is fast enough To-
automobile enjoyment. his car will las
longer and his expense bill be much les
at the end OF year than Will be tn,
/ case II he is anxious 10 go the limit a
every conceivable opportunity. Exces.
speed means harder wear upon the tires
upon the bearings, the transmission, tht
brakes, and all operating parts. Incl
dentally. the reasonable driver viii no
be in danger of being held UP by loca
/ eonstables and fined from $50 10 S10O To-
/ overspeeding."
Question of Tires.
/ The question of tires has always been Z
/ troublesome one to the autoist, but tn,
/ experience of veteran tourists shows tha
/ the fear of blow-outs and punctures neeC
not be an ever-pTesent one. OF course, II
+ the lottery OF tires. one may have uncom
/ Portable experiments before he has gOn,
but a few hundred miles. Many of th
/ tiTemakeTs now guarantee their produc
from 1900 TO 5000 miles, and as from 300
/ 10 1900 miles has come TO be accepted a
the average life of a good tire, the tir
difficulty has been practically reduced t
/ the actual wearing out of the fabric. TIL
/ best American tires for the 36-inch wheel
| of the big touring car cost from $50 to s.
/ apiece, while the best foreign makes vii
/ be in the neighborhood Of $50 to S95. Al
extra set Of tires a year ought to b
ample for the majority of users, and a
$50 tire the expense will be $40 An al
] lOWance Of a few extra dollars might b
made for tire rpDairS and with carpfll