The Washington times., 1916-09-30
PURCHASEROF AUTO.
SHOULDKNOW WHAT
STOCK CAR MEANS.
Ability to Throttle Down to Two
Miles an Hour More Impor-
taDt Than Speed.
MADE FOR REGULAR SALES

"How' to buy a motor car has frequent
~ been the theme Of articles designed to
help the man who wants TO purchase an
automobile, but has no special knowl-
edge on the subject TO guide him." says
Richard Selby. local Paige distributor.
Elm the main the advice has been sound
and the information given has been
helpful.
Recently, however. new tendencies
have been developed in the industry
which may have the effect of confusing
the average buyer unless certain facts
are made clear to him.
Just at present one of the most i'm
advertising, involves the status OF the
stock car, Every automobile owner.
every buyer Of a motor car, present or
prospective. should know what n really
meant by a stock car. or what the
salesman should mean when be talks OF
a stock model.
Not q Freak Car.
"a stock car Is what the manufacturer
makes to sell and the public buys to use
for daily service. II Ia not a freak car
or q stripped chassis: II has no specially
made pistons or cylinders or freak gear
ratio; Il 10 not tuned UP to do stunts.
II Is. or should be. the same motor car
in every particular that any man can
buy. that any man can drive. that any
whether in city traffic, or sandy roads or
stock models. the cars you must buy
because they are the only ones made
for the market and the only cars that
telegraph poles or burn up the track
at tme-destroying speed.
ITO be sure. such cars can be made
and sometimes are made-for one hun
ASA1 L.. all I'M
but such car Is an impossibility as a
merchandising proposition for two rea-
sons: because ninety-nine drivers out
OF hundred would not dare use such
speed and. therefore. don't want It and
because II built to make that speed such
cars would not be practical for daily
service.
ITO do 100 miles an hour a car must
have specially high gear ratio. This
ratio could not be used In city driving
"wheR Mr.. Average Buyer is looking
fer Motor car he should be far more
impressed by the fact that the car Of
fered him can throttle down to less than
two miles an hour than In the assertion
that a car bearing the same name once
broke all speed records.
Moreover he Is vitality interested in
gssolene and oil consumption and he
should realize that when a car Is built,
or tuned. to do freak stunts Il acquires
voracious appetite for fuel.
ty Complete Demonstration.
rThe safest way is to get a complete
demonstration Of the car you are think
Ing Of buying. II you are interested
In high speed. make the demonstrator
stop on her accelerator and open her
up oyer a fair straight away: IL you
would like to know how she would
handle In traffic make him try out her
fexibility under Just such conditions as
you expect to find when you drive your
car In daily service.
Being a stock car II will do Just
what you can do with Il and that Ia
what you ought to know. The fact that
II might double its speed IL a special
gear ratio were used of no practical
value to you. And after the demon
stration II you have any doubts get
the opinion OF an engineer or any motor
car expert.
zone other point Is now of special in
torest to the motor car buyer and that
10 the present. condition of the market
In relation to price. The cost OF ma
tertals. as every one knows. Is very
high and continues to soar. Labor
costs also are still on the upgrade.
ITO maintain the standard OF value
VIII mean an increase in price, and as
j view the situation, that advance will
come before the end OF the year There
fore. the man who puts OF buying his
car TO some date In the future, Is taking
chances with his pocketbook.