The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-31
SECOND HAND CARS
FROM A NEW ANGLE
]. IT. Cole Finds an Unreal.
lied By-product Of
Mileage.
NOT SENILE AT TWO YEARS
Mercer Team to Race-De
Palma Gets Prize Money
Other Notes.

The Oft discussed second hand car
question has been taken IN for consid-
Grafton by J. J. Cole. president OF the
automobile company which bears his
name. and he has brought forth figures
to show that the depreciation which own
ers stand when they sell their cars as
used - far too high for the mileage which
is left IN them. Assuming that there
ore 100000 miles OF running in well
r,,d,. serNiccable car--which appears
reasonable enough-Mr Cole says to
prove his theory:
Il can cite the case of n dealer who
mad seventy-three used cars. either In
process of overhauling or ready for sale.
The dealer was asked to figure con-
seryative estimate OF the number OF SER
vice miles left in these seventy-three ma
chimes He made II low, 100000 serv &c
miles His total investment In the sew
.nty-three cars was $4,000. The original
cost he figured at sl50.000. The deprecia-
lion which the original buyers OF those
cars had stood on the entire seventy-three
cars was approximately 100000. or 80
per cent OF the original cost"
Figuring that many persons after only
f, single seasons running OF anywhere
from 5000 to 5000 miles or so sell their
,rs as second hard. Mr. Cole continues
Greatest discrepancy occurs which Is OF
tremendous interest to the motor industry.
While these cars had suffered a deprecia-
ton Of approximately so per cent. there
rad not been expended to exceed 10 per
cent OF the actual number of service
miles This therefore, constitutes the
gre.,t unrealized by-produst OF the motor
industry. The unit Of measurement
vherehy the value of all automobiles Is
detc'n ned is the service mile.
There Is no more reason why car
at the end of two years should be re-
xardsd as seniie," Mr. Cole says else
shere than for concluding that n man
at 81 years of age has fulfilled his USE
fulness The average good car at the
end Of two years has merely settled down
10 the place where its working parts are
perfectly coordinated
Three Mercer cars have been entered
n the 500 mile rAce at indianapolis on
May 80 Eddie Pullen will drive one
ana Spencer Wishart another. The third
river is as yet unnamed. 1t may be
mat Caleb 5. Bragg will drive the third.
l!s hasn't done any driving OF late Two
o, the cars are In the AS inch class.
The third In the 400 inch class Pullen
ain probably drive this and Wishart one
Z the bigger cars. There are now
eighteen entries for the 500 mile event.
Ralph de Palma Will not De u HeHioer
O. The Mercer racing team after all. He
Las signed definitely with the Mercedes
and expects a car over here very SOON
lie may make a trip abroad. but II he
does will be back here by April 20.
he Palm, has at last got his money
rom the Miwa ukee people. who handled
L.e Vanderbilt Cup and Grand Prize
aces I'm 1912 After waiting from Oc-
.,ber Of that year DE Palma said yester-
d,y he had been paid In full. Some
fpo-tsmen OF Milwaukee. who didn't want
20 ..e the driver wait any longer. made
"a the money for him. /, was certainly
The tire upkeep contest, which was be-
run by the Ajix-Grieb Rubber Company
a. April last year, comes TO an END TO-
day. A few days thereafter the judges
Nl award the prizes to the EOS men
WHO have earned a share in the distrlod-
ron Of $1,000 for taking care or their
tres The compel ton. which ID open
20 chaufeurs whose m.lesg,s are certi-
1.d 20 by the owners OF the cars they
drive. has attracted entries from every
section OF the country. The totals in
many cases have been several times the
guaranteed 5000 miles OF Ajax tires.
The results OF the competition will be
Watched with interest by all motorists.
,1ys Horace De Lisser OF the Ajax COM
rsny "as indicating what can be done
he careful and unremitting attention 10
'l- tires. owners may see what can be
a- onpl'shed by using tires WIN every
attention 10 their needs ana from Una.
'ont OF view, Il no ohter. this COMES.
- value When the winning IotaIs
are announcer thhK puo''c 'h'e'es'
vl be keeniy aroused.
"lt IL the first time such contest has
been tried 10y any tire concern. announcer
point OF interest"
The salesrooms of Partridge. Clark a
H-r-.gan. Inc, on West Fifty-sixth street