The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-04-30

During the Season Travelled
$500 Miles According to
Owners Record.

A contributor to the Horseless Age
tells Of his experiences with several
cars which cost him varying prices
mile down 20 his latest machine.
which figured out about six cents a
mile for more than 1900 miles of run
ming. 9t@
My first car. two cylinder run
about" says he. !" gave me something
over 5000 miles OF service between
October. 1905. and October. 1908. when
II was turned In at three-quarters OF
its original cost In part payment for
. larger car Of the same make. Its
operating cost was between seven and
eight cents q mile. Perhaps on ac-
count OF my inexpsrienee the repair
bills were large. "something over 800
Storage. with, washing. at a public
garage at SIS, month for the first
six months helped to swell the bills.
1.-THE little cars good condition at
the end OF the two years accounted for
tho large allowance on the new car.
which cost with equipment a trifle
over $4,000 This. nominally 30 horse.
power touring car. weighing 2.450
pounds, cost me eight and q half cents
q mile to operate for 1860 miles be-
tween October. 1908, and April. 1910.
II gave excellent satisfaction as
good. reliable machine. and brought
half Of its original cost when turned
IN. Repairs arbsasating 20 strife over
$500 formed part of the expense, but
$50 OF this for overhauling was prob
ably unnecessary. in part at least.
I'm comparing these two cars with
the one that I now have II should be
stated that accident and indemnity in
surance amounting to about SIS per
annum, and painting for the small car
ut $50. and vanishing at $25. for the
second. are items that have not been
duplicated In my present car. Depre-
citation and interest on cost have not
been considered in any case. although
that latter item should be. My gar.
age 10 my dwelling. % that there are
no storage charges. but against this
II the fact that buy my gasoline In
small quantities. the average cost of
SOS gallons used in my present car
having been 21.7 cents gallon. Its
usual cost II 20 cents in Berkeley or
Oakland. but paid 40 cents for 1t at
Lake Tahoe last summer.
1.-THE car that ] now Aave 10 . five
passenger touring cal. 1910 model.
which cost me fully Sqilpped $3.50.
This includes $3.50 fre(xht added for
California delivery. Its motor IL a
four cylinder one. ratsd at 80 horse
power by it, makers tGkxAA A. NJ. rat
Ing $3.50. The whee1bass IL 40 inch
e.. giving very roomy five passen-
ger body. The weight. although 1t 10
. large car, 10 only 1850 pounds and
II 10 well carried by - by "A inch
tires.
ION account of the cars excellent
materials and workmanship 1t 10 as
good mechanically after nearly 10000
miles 40 when bought 1t, and has ev-
en- more power than when new. Its
body paint work looks al fresh az
when first finished. but the running
gear and hood should be painted anew.
A. shown by the table herewith. It has
cost me 36s6.17 to run 9.646 miles. or
practically cents q mile.
1.-THE car 10 carefully driven, gener.
ally at = speed Of from Is to 20 miles
and hour. seldom over 30 and never
over AZ. lts speed maximum do not
know. for it, throttle has never been
vns&A A tn
tires Of one make-the original equip
mcnt-have averaged 5000 miles
each two Of another make 1890 each.
Minor repairs and adjustments are
looked after by young friend and
myself. but valve grinding. cylinder
scraping for carbon and the like are
done at repair shop at as, cents an
hour. The item Of $S2.45 for repairs
and requirements IL made up Of relin.
Ing brakes. replacing broken spring
clips and one spring leaf. and putting
back the original distributor that
had replaced previously by q local L.
milton system that was not satisfac.
tory"
He furnishes the following table OF
the cost Of operation ot his car. from
April %. 1910. to January 20. 1911
The figures. meticulously careful. are
these: $50
Five new tire casings-Slx4. 5000 80
Two castings retreaded-34x4.. 34.0(
sundry repairs to tires ,...... 1905
Mechanical repairs and
requirements .............. S245
Grinding valves .............. 1856
Scraping cylinders-carbon -. S5(
69S gallons gasoline. .......... ISL. 81
:s& gallons lubricating oil. 2l.5s
Transmission grease ......... ass
Prpst-OLite recharges. ........ 46S
Recharging storage battery. 3.55
Sundry tools. waste and
matariala oss