Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-26
FREE REPAIR SERVICE
.EC0sTEY IN THE END
Manufacturer Must Make
Legitimate Profit to
Thrive.

Is there any reason. why the pur-
chaser Of a motor truck should ex-
pect free repair service and is there
any reason why motor truck manufae-
tuners should give 1t? said a: local truck
salesman q few days ago.
When you purchase a suit Of clothes
you do not expect that the tailor will
press them without cost. repair rents
free Of charge and sew on buttons for
nothing. When you purchase a watch
you do not get free cleaning at the end
of six months simply because you per-
sist in opening the case every day and
let dust find it's way into the works:
nor do you get new handspring free
Of cost because of your folly in drop
ping the timepiece on the floor Then
why, when you buy motor truck.
should you expect free repair parts and
demand a guarantee covering such when
without doubt more than tWo-thtrds OF
the expense connected with such truck
is due to the ignorance of the operator
and the owner?
That owner who demands such gra-
tuitous service from the truck manufac-
turer is asking for a service, that he can
not secure in other lines OF business
That owner could not conduct his own
business il he were endeavoring to oper-
ate along the same line and extended
the same form of blanket guarantee TO
his purcha sing clientele. BY such actions
the truck makers are putting themselves
in a bad hole and the truck buyers are
expecting to get bread from stone
Wise Buyer Is Different.
1t is impossible for any motor truck
manufacturer to continue In business I'M
less he reaps a legitimate profit from
his efforts. It is impossible for any motor
truck dealer to continue In business un-
less he. too. makes a legitimate profit
from his sales; then why should buyer
be SO short sighted as to expect the deal
err to cut the price, in a word. giving his
commission to the buyer, and IN aoditioi'
give free repairs and continue IN DUST
ness? 1t is impossible. It Is unpusiness,
| like and that buyer who expects ano
solicits such transactions is bound, sooner
or later, to pay the bill. He cannot ex-
pect such a dealer to commune IN DUST
ness: he cannot expect such dealer &c
in the care or operation of his truck, and
he certainly cannot look for much CO.
operation after he has purchased his ma
chine
The wise buyer looks through differ
ent pair OF spectacles. He is a business
man himself He knows he cannot give
| away his profit to the buyer and still
make money That is one of the I'M
possibilities Of business life that he learn
| ed years ago. He knows that a business
| cannot be conducted without a rational
profit and he prefers to buy his trucks
from a maker or dealer who insists on
his profit and because of receiving TINS
profit is in q position to continue IN bust
ness and give service of a rational nature
during the life of a truck.
1
Guarantee Selling Argument.
Truck manufacturers do not object to
a rational guarantee covering defective
materials and defective workmanship
but SO many buyers want unreasonable
guarantees. 1t is only the manufacturer
Of an inferior product who wishes to use
his guarantee as a selling argument thai
seeks such protection under, such a cloak
The maker who has a truck we'll made
and one that will stand up can afford t.
stand pat on his price and refuse to dc
free repair work because by such actor
he will undoubtedly get the recommen-
dalton of the owner. For a time thi:
condition makes hardship to those con-
Germs putting the best possible by way
of design, material and workmanship tr
their vehicles. but in the long run 1t viii
win out, and they will become the con
repeat orders OF business. The buyer
who uses every effort to get the Lowest
price by taking a part OF the dealer's
commission Is certain to have to pay fol
his whistle before the truck Is through
with its service to him.