The Washington times., 1913-03-08
OPERATING COSTS
TO GET ATTENTION
Rise in Fuel Prices Will Set
Automobile Owners to
Thinking of Expense.

Price of the original car and the cost
of operation are two factors that in
terest a majority of the buyers today.
and. although the purchasing price al
ways has been an important considera-
ton. the cost of operation has not been
considered so seriously heretofore as 1t
will be during this year, because OF the
rise in fuel prices as well as the gen.
eral increase in the cost of living.
The buyer in looking over the auto
mobile field in Washington will, in COM
pairing the prices of 1912 with those Of
1913, be first impressed with the general
increase, which varies from SIS to $500
per car, but while at first glance the
prices are higher, a search through the
equipment of these vehicles invariably
proves that the buyer is getting much
ago In other words, the added equip
ment more than counterbalances the
added price.
Tnen, too, there are not a few eX-
amples of where more equipment has
been added and the prices reduced.
Nearly a dozen concerns have done this,
which has been made possible by a re-
duction in the number OF models, by
increase in the annual production and
consequent cost in production, and also
gearset parts in different models SO
they are more readily manufactured
and so there is reduction in the
amount of changing factory machines
the different models. All these combine
to give more to the buyer.
Other Advantages.
But the buyer for this year has other
advantages over the buyer of last year
namely, in that the equipment Is better
and more complete, so that when he
purchases the machine he is through so
far as money expenditure is concerned.
The car sold with top, storm curtains,
glass front, demountable rims, speed
ometer. clock, horn, anti-skid attach
/ ments, electric lights and engine starter
! is ready for the roads, and there prac-
: tically is no necessity for him to have to
| waste an hour or spend dollar in ad-
| ding contraptions to his machine. This
| Is a great gain, chiefly with cars listing
| from 1900 up, as previously cars selling
: below this figure have been quite ration
! ally equipped, often the equipment being
| the appetizing feature of the sale.
Forgetting for the moment the dollar
and-cent phase of this question and
looking at the car so far As improve
ment in running Is concerned, here.
too. improvements are apparent the
bodies are larger-not very much-1ust
4
10 give the necessary foot room which
has been lacking. Not few makers
have found il necessary to add an lncn
or so since their first announcements or
1919 models were made, they having
discovered that an added feature here
| or there has infringed on the space
| available, and the only solution was
| TO add more space. -
| But when more space has been added
] only half the tale has been to!d-therc
~, n l.
mea asurabiy increased, so much so that
scarcely anything else of the rear sea:
can be seen-the seat cushion reaches
| almost to the floor. The left-seat front
passenger has been looked after by the
more general use Of a divider. or par
tition. which serves to satisfactorily
keep him away from the left arm OF
| the driver. In the coupe and other
| closed models the left seat often is
few inches farther to the rear. giving
both driver and passenger, additional
room.
Made Inroads.
In the last year the readily adjusted
storm curtain has made wide inroads
into the top field. These curtains by
their design permit OF being brought
| into use in less than minute should
the exigency arise. valuable feature
, of them is that in cold weather they
! hermit of easy entrance and exit to the
| tonneau. Hand in hand with this ac-
| cessibly- bly-worked-storm-c curtain campaign
| is the more rational attachment or the
| windshield. which is being brought back
nearer to the steering wheel. where II
affords more adequate protection. with
the advantage of a better road vision.
Some OF the more aggressive makers
have improved the windshield action sc
that in one position II services TO diVer'
the air current toward the floor. as
. N
more general use OF the cowl dash has
assisted in this windshield trend.
To the cowl dash must be ascribeo
another tendency of the season, namely
locating the gasolene tank within th'
cowI and feeding by gravity. the ad
vantage of this location consisting II
the added baggage space available uh
der the front seat. Europe started
| America thinking on this tank location
| and undoubtedly by the beginning o
next season there will be as many
American concerns locating II here al
there are European. There are severa
concerns carrying the tank in the reaI
that should give a more accessible NIL
ing funnel which funnel is satisfactory
when there is not a baggage trunk
Where the tank Is located in the dasl
| side filler should be fitted.
Need Buttons.
The advent of electric lighting ha
cessible switchboard with press but
tons or otl,sr means for bringing on tn
lights. Tho heavily cowled dash make
IL nearly mposslb to mOun; .h"se ut
! tons on the vertical part and yet hav'
them accessible enough for ready opera
ton. One company has built d supper
on the steering column for them, other
are mounting them on the forward fac
of the front seat and a few are bridin,
them out onto the Ct tn 0v
For those who prefer left-hand loca
ton OF the steering wheel there Is tn
assurance that % per cent Of the liste,
models are fitted, remarkabI
, showing in this field. In addition t
! this are others who give an optiol
! on the location. The left position o
the wheel takes with IL either right
hand or left-hand operation of the lev
ers for speed changing ami brake opera
ton Those placi z these levers in tn
r center are showing wise discretion Il
E moving them back into the space be
: tween the seats where they do not in
terfere in the slightest with entranc
> to the car, and in which position tn
L one piece robe can be used