The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-15

| into the retail dealer for new automo- bile.
 Not "a Piece of Junk"
 This car then is generally ciassed in an- tomobile slang as a piece of junk, 2 when, as a matter of fact this automo- l ically and successfully perform the real | work of it's life.
 When an automobile dealer gets this automobile, he turns it over ii his ex- pert mechanics. At d small cost, may b $l50, it is put in first-elass shape and then put in the used car department fol sale.
 Just because there is a slang phrase a piece of junk" the automobile buying public shys away from the best motor car bargain it is possible to get It has been said that if it was left entirely to the woman to buy the car she would use her bargain instinct and get this great value. The used car having been properly worked in, it's mechanical whims cor rected at the expense Of the first owner, the new owner of this used car has smal Il operating expense and has entirely elimi- mated the shrinkage in value. In MT. Coles analysts of the used car problem he cites a case of an automobils dealer who had g used automobiles. eith- CT in process of overhaulng or ready for sale.
 The dealer was asked to figure a con servative estimate of the number of serv- ice miles left in these 73 automobiles. He made it low. 100000 servic1 miles. His total investment in the B cars was $90000. The original cost of these machines he figured at S150,000.H The depreciation which the original buyers of these automobiles had stood on the entire 73 cars was ap- proximately $120000, or 80 per cent of the original cost
 
 President Coles analysis shows that it is here the great discrepancy occurs and which is of tremendous interest to the automobile industry. While these cars had suffered depreciation of approxi- mately so per cent, there had not been expended to exceed To per cent of the ae- tual number of service miles of which these cars were capable. This, therefore, constitutes the great unrealized b- product of the automobile industry. The unit of measurement whereby the value of all automobiles is determined is the service mile.
 What Manufacturer Thinks
 We have heard a great deal of talk about the solution of this used car prob- lem,' says MT. Cole. We realize that no man ever wore out a good automobile. We realize that after a car has been turned in as used car to one of our representatives, that not to exceed l5 per cent of it's possible efficiency has been lost. We also realize that the remaining S5 per cent efficiency of good used motor car is vastly more valuable to the man who wants a motor car, mainly for aetua, transportation, than the original value of one of the new cheaper cars.
 We have, therefore, encouraged our dealers throughout the entire country to install adequate service departments wherein the used car can be reclaimed.
 Peopl wonder where the used car goes The reason they cannot answer this ques- tion themselves is because big organiza- tons are so deftly rebuilding these used cars that the public does not recognize a used car when they see 1t running on the streets. There is no more reason why a car at the end of two years should be regarded as seniie than for concluding that a man at g years of age has fulfilled his usefulness. The average good car at the end of two years has merely settled down to the place where it's working parts are perfectly co-orlinateG
 When you stop to analyze t there is little, as a matter of fact, real wear on the part of a motor car which is properly built in the first place. The time will come when buyer approaches a reputa : ble dealer on the subject of buying a used car With as much commercial confidence as he now approaches the same dealer with respect to new motor cars. The per sonal confidence which the user puts In him is the real asset of every successful retail dealer
 People are going to learn that there is no stigma connected with driving a used car, provided good business judgment has been exercised in it's purchase."