Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-23
BUYINGCARS AT SECOND HAND
Pointers to Be Considered by Bargain
Hunters Before Closing Deal.
THINGS WHICH BETRAY WEAR
Cars Which Bear the Name of Little
known Makers should BE
Avoided, M Plenty of Good
Ones to BE Had.

With the passing of the magical six
weeks wherein the wise old grounding
takes his final winter nap, the thoughts OF
almost all who love life in the open Will
begin to turn motorward. About this time,
as the up-to-date almanac doesn't, but
should say, look out for automobiles. This
works both ways-look out for them II you
want to own one, or even IL ySu want TO
dodge one. Suppose that II is the first
named horn of the dilemma which con-
fronts you, and that like most Of us, You
have a big machine longing chained down
by a runabout bank account. In this event
you will get the most for your money II
you decide to purchase a secondhand car
OF good make, rather than a new vehicle
Of lower price: due caution and circum-
spection in choosing the bargain being, OF
course, understood. Where the assistance
OF an unbiased expert can be called In, the
purchaser may nav an easy mind; in de-
fault OF this a resume of some of the chief
points on which a buyer should satisfy
himself, will follow, may prove useful.
"A trial trip will usually be demanded
and accorded" says Vincent r.. SamnIs In
Motor Print. This will give the oppor-
tunity for much valuable observation as
to the condition Of the car. Excessive
noise from the gearing betrays wear, and
the buyer should insist on examining this;
a car need not necessarily be rejected on
this account, because 1t is often as well for
the novice to learn Of the old and worn
gearing and put in a new one when au
felt with It; the cost OF which you will, of
course, have to consider In valuing the
car. II should be noted. however, that
some cars wear out their gears fast. rela-
lively TO the other moving parts OF the
vehicle; or they may have been undulv
worn by unsktlled driving; while in other
cars with very ample gear dimensions any
serious deterioration thereof may indicate
an amount Of hard work that has affected
the car throughout.
AxIes.
In live-axled cars the condition OF the
axle requires especial attention, and II the
purchaser cannot have 1t dlssected for
his benefit, as is most likely he cannot n
should be lacked up, and any looseness in
the bearings tested by shaking the back
wheels. II they are ball-bearinRs. ex.
cessive play may be taken up. unless II is
excessive enough to require new cups and
cones. but the rebushlng of plain bearings
be a more expensive Job. Next. one
or the back wheels should be blocked and
the other rotated at the same TINA
grasping the propeller shaft. This will
Indicate roughly the extent to which the
beyel gear and the di~fferentiaI is worn
and the shake in the universal Joints Of
the shaft can be felt at the same time.
as also in the shaft OF the bevel wheel
where It enters the differential box.
1t is seldom, indeed. that the hack view
OF a live-axled car is taken without the
eye being offended by the "~splaylnR'' OF
the rear wheels. Much OF this is due to
wear in the axle bearings, but in some
light cars there is an evident sag in the
axle sleeve. Where this Is the case you
would be wise to give that car a wide
berth. as the increased and unnecessary
side strain on the badly-splayed wheels is
obviously very great, apart from any con-
s~ideration Of the weak construction.
The running OF the engine will usually
speak for itself; any knock or shake wifi
make itself audible, especially II. with a
two or three cylinder engine, II is run
first on one cylinder only. then ON an
other, by d-isconnecting one Of the other OF
the high-tension wires. This test will
often detect a looseness In the connecting
rod or crank shaft bearings. which would
otherwires escape notice. Here. too. II
may be worth while suggesting the use OF
a length OF rubber hose FUSED as a stetho-
scope) TO locate any unusual noise IN
CONTINUED on Second Page.)