The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-06
AUTO NOW SOLD
FULLYEQUIPPED

without the valuable accessories which
make up the complete automobile OF to-
day n would be difficult to sell even
the best Of cars. The pampered pur-
chaser has been led by competitor among
the makers to demand the best that can
be bought in equipment. If the manu-
faCturer had been asked five years ago
TO supply the line of dash instruments
and other auxiliary features found on
every car Of today he would have lifted
his hands in despair and announced that
it could not be done.
Ask any dealer what equipment Is fur
nished with his car. He will answer,
perhaps, that lit is, of course, fully
equipped" If you press him for details
you will be surprised at the list that will
be given you unless you have been
keeping in touch with the lengths to
which manufacturers have gone this
year to make the car complete at the
purche price.
Have Electric Outfits.
Electric lighting and starting, which
were put on the car for 800 extra in
1914 and even on some Of the 1915 cars,
are now fitted on cars selling below
$500. In addition to the starting and
lightning units the advent of the greater
use Of electricity has meant the fitting
OF expensive switches ammeters, juno
searchltghts, electric cigar lighters and
even electric heaters. The bulb horn has
disappeared and IN It's place is an cleo
trio warning signal
Speedometers which would cost the
owner between s25 and $50 are standard
equipment on all the cars selling above
500
Windshields have ben fitted for some
years now, as have tops side curtains,
robe rails, foot rails tools, pumps, jacks
and tire irons. Yet not only have all
these devices been kept upon the cars
Of 1916 but all of them have been es-
sentially improved in many details.
wIndshieIds Better.
The windshield is a far better appear
ing job today than it was two years or
even one year ago. There is a marked
tendency to tilt it backward slightly
this year, which tends to cut down the
wind resistance of the car and at the
same time lends a racy appearance to
the vehicle. 1t is a buiIt-in part of the
car now and is not stuck on as an after
thought The result is that it conforms
to the lines Of the car and really en-
hances the beauty of the design instead
OF being merely a mass Of glass work.
Tops, Of course, are better than ever
before. The One-person design has passed
through the joke stage Unscathed, and
now can Iedllg pear out us name. There
was a time when it was necessary for
he owner to call his friends and neigh
bors to assist in putting up the one
person top, but it can be done now by
one person without leaving the car.
switches Are Supplied.
The electric switches on many OF the
cars include efficient locks. They are
made as a rule by the manufacturers Of
the lighting, starting and ignition sys-
TEN employed on the car, if the same
maker is supplying all three.
Some Of these switches are highly in
genious and-expensive. They incor-
pOrate besides the lock feature, a wiring
system which reyerses the direction of
the current flow every time the switch
Is turned on. This saves the points in
the breaker mechanism Of the ignition
system. By means of the lock, the car
cannot be operated until the key is in
serted and this provides a guard against
the cars being stolen. If not altogether
thief-proof, it is still quite effective.
The searchlights supplied on at least
oSe car which has Just been announced
are attached to the windshield and may
be used for reading road signs at night,
for examining cross roads and a great
variety of purposes for which a dirigible
lamp Is available. ..