The Washington herald., 1916-02-09

Company, is on a visit to the Hudson
factory in Detroit, Michigan.
EIkins Reed. southeastern representa-
tive Of the Pennsylvania Tire Company.
is in the city for few days. During his
stay he is the guest of the Chew GouCher
Company, local representatives.
Paul Richards, OF warrenton. Va. was
in the city yesterday. He states that as
soon as weather conditions permit work
is 10 be started on the new Warrenton
and Fairfax turnpike. This road. when
will considerably shorten the
distance between Washington and War
rentOn, in addition to providing a fine
highway through a historical section of
Virginia.
Josephus Wells. who has opened an ac-
cessory store under the name of the
Federal Auto Supply Company, is in
Philadelphia on business.
G. e. Stevens. manager Of the Chicago
Pneumatic Tool Company, builders of the
Little Giant Truch, leaves tomorrow on a
trip thrugh the South in the interests
Of his company. He expects to go as far
south as Jacksonville. Florida, before re-
turning to Washington.
As motor car business grows older the
question Of taking an old car as part
payment on new machine and the
amount to be allowed upon it looms up
larger and larger.
Every owner who wishes 10 trade in
a machine when he makes up his mind
that he would like to have either II
new car of the same make or secs some
thing else that suits his needs or fancy
better. places a value on his old machine.
In most every instance this self-valua-
tion is all out of reason. The second
hand car is worth just what 1t will bring
on the open market 1t may be worth
more to the man himself, but he Is
out of the question.
The idea that dealers are allowed large
commissions on machines and, therefore,
can make big alliances for second
hand machines and charge the difference
between what the machine is really
worth and what they allow for 1t up
to profit and loss is a fallacy. In days
gone by, when the motor car business
was new and prices for a machine not
representing near the value, either in
mechanical workma nship or finish, that
the machine of today does perhaps the
dealers commission was such that he
could make fabulous allowances for d
secondhand automobile.
Those days are not of the present.
Today the agent is given a commission
by his factory just sufficient to maintain
a showroom service station and have
enough left at the end of the year to pay
himself a fair return.
Consequently when he allows more for
secondhand machine than it is worth
he must make 1t up somewhere and the
place that 1t is most apt to be taken
out is in the service that the owner Is
led to believe that he will receive II
he purchases the machine in question.
Or 1t may be in a case of this kino
the agents car is one whose catalogue
price Is inflated, and that a couple of
hundred dollars must be deducted be-
fore the true value of the machine Is
reached. Fortunately manufacturers OF
this type machine are short lived and 1t
Is well that they are. Most every dealer
knows approximately what a secondhand
machine Of any make is worth and he
will allow so much and no more. Ther-
will be but a variance of a few dollars
between the different agents in the al
lowance price.
An example of the successful efforts
of motor car makers to simplify the ex-
terror of appearance of their cars is
noted in the Cadillac eight.
Among points which may be cited is
the manner in which the frame of the
windshield is set into the corners of the
cowl and securely anchored, thereby
eliminating the necessity for stay rods
or braces. 1t Is also observed that the
running boards are perfectly clear, the
battery box being concealed in a COM
partment behind the dust shield along
side the running board, on one side, and
the detached accessories such as wheel
jack. tire hose and gas tank filler on che
opposite side
Another point Is the manner in which
the side lamps are designed and attached.
which does away with the exposed wir-
ing. The latter not only contributes to
neatness In appearance, but by thus
concealing the wires they are protected
from the weather, and the probability OF
damage from other sources ia removed