Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-18
COOPERATIVE GARAGE
IDEA HAS ADVANTAGES
Would Save Owners of Automobiles
Much by 0pportune
Repairs.

At one of the leading automobile fac
tories there is what is known as the
STAFF garage" This is, situated away
from the factory proper, and it is treat
ed as quite separate concern, having
its small staff of men-a washer, a
greaser and a mechanic-and dealing out
supplies Of gasoline, oil and tires in the
same way as a public garage. The cars
which are housed in this building are
some ten or twelve In number, and are
used by the manager and the depart
mental heads. who are thus freed from
the necessity Of having a properly
equipped garage at their houses--a shed
of any sort will suffice to cover the car
for the night and on It's return to the
factory next day it win be cleaned and
filed up again ready for further use.
This system forms an interesting ex-
ample of what may be called a CO.
operative garage, and since In various
towns similar organizations appear to
be coming into favor. the subject is
worthy of some detailed discussion.
In these days of reliable cars. which
viii run for a year or more with only
an occasional half-hour's oiling up and
at the end Of this period require but a
slight general overhauling. to fit them
again for perfect service, the former
ilcCcsSlty the employment OF q SkllleQ
inechanic-driver has disappeared almost
completely.
Car Kept Clean.
II the owner himself drives, as is the
case with over half of the cars running
today, the cleaning and general oiling
up work can be conveniently done by a
youth who fills up his spare time in the
house or garden, or one of the stable
hands can be drafted on to the Job II,
on the other hand, a driver is desired
the best practice. indicated by the con-
sensus of owners opinions. is to have a
youth, who is otherwise adapted to the
work. given the necessary tuition at the
makers factory and to let him do the
driving and the minor adjustments.
Where the co-operatipe garage idea
appeals to the owner lies in several i'm
portant advantages. Provided the loca-
ton Is suitable. 1t offers convenient
storage place for his car and saves the
necessity for the provision Of q suitable
motor house at home. The car will be
kept clean and oiled up, ready for the
road at all times.
Up to.th.s point, all this could as easily
be done by the driver himself, but where
employment of skilled mechanic, who
keeps the cars constantly up to pitch, SO
that a general overhauling is never re-
CURED. The owner who runs his car him
sen KNOWS well how annoying II is to
have the car running Off color-the valves
need regrinding: the magnetic requires
some adjustment; there are many ratties
and general noises.
Combine Same Make.
The ordinary garage can, and usually
does, do this work. but the cooperative
garage idea is that the one mechanic who
looks after the half dozen or more cars
will be able to give full attention to every
slight defect at once. thereby obviating
the usual necessity of the car being run
TIL the defect becomes sufficiently pro-
hounced to call for journey to the re-
pair shop
In the ideal case, the cars In such a
cooperative garage could be all Of the
one make. a variant Of the idea has been
suggested whereby all the owners of one
particular make of car in certain dis
trict combine together to engage the
services of a skilled mechanic from the
makers factory and this expert spends
two or three days in turn on each car.
rectifying defects and tuning all I'D
again.
There is much in favor of each OF these
plans. opposition may not unreasonably
re expected from existing garage and re-
pair-shop owners, again. the idea of CO.
operation must not be extended to the
supplying OF fuel. tires and accessories al
trade prices, or trouble of a severe kind
may be expected from the ruling trade
bodies. Still. there Is something in favor
OF the general idea from the private own.
ers point of view. and therefore the sub.
1ect is deserving of present mention and
future discussion.