The Washington herald., 1916-02-21
MOTOR GOSSIP
Nv ASP, GROGAN.

Buying car Is uSuhi'S O
between a mans pocketbook ana ms
ideal. Nearly always the ideal Is wrong
ana the pocketbook right for reasons
which a little thought will render oo'
vfous. In other words, II a man makes
a clean sweep Of his bank roll IN Guy
ing a car and has his eyes shut to the
other factors in making the purchase
tba cbances are that he will make q
mistake that will be more costly than
the first payment l.
There is a logical method to follow In
selecting a car and one that Will eiInl'
nate the chances Of securing venice
which will either: First, cost too mucn
in the first place; second, cost too mucn
to run; third, prove to be generaly uh'
suitable for the purposes to whlcn II
to be put
come of $500 per annum and sever
children ia not the same as that FOL
the single youth with a $4,000 allowance
with no one to support but bulldog
Before ever venturing into the lair oil
the persuasive salesman your armament
must be prepared. In the quiet OF your
own domicile sit down with a pencil aho
paper and collect your thoughts py con-
centrating on the following:
l How much can 1 reasonably AFFORD
to spend for a car?
2 How much can I AFFORD 10 spend
for its maintenance?
These are the first two factors. After
the germ Of car-desire has bitten the
prospective purchaser. he will not lack
for reasons as to why he should have a
car. The reasons that spring up, how
ever, should be shelved until these two
questions are answered definitely.
The intending purchaser will therefore
nearly always set down a figure which
will suffice to put him in certain price
zone Of cars. He may say, for example
anywhere from 800 to 1900. This viii
open a wide field from which to choose
Tho second figure, or upkeep. will de-
pend whether or not the intending buyer
il a city dweller or a country dweller
whether he intends to keep a chauffeur
or drive himself and also on the milea &c
he intends to travel
Having determined the purchase price
and then resoIutely made up his mind to
stick firmly by his decision, the car buyer
should carefully consider the features he
wants in a car. These must be selected
from among the following: Speed, capa-
city. nature Of country to be driven in
amount OF usage cApSShCu pSA NoSf ANAAA
Der of passengers to be carried on the
average trip, season OF the year car Is tc
be used, kind of trips to be taken and
who is to drive.
II a car is desired for medium speeds
it does not mean that 1t will not a,
times be able to run at high Speeds
For medium speeds, however. where
twenty-five miles an hour will be the
average running rate in the oper
country, any of the stock touring
models will I'LL the bill.
By the expression capacity is meant
the load-carrying ability. II car /,
wanted so several people can pile in
at unexpected moments, a seven-pas-
senger body will be desirable. If, or
the other hand, II is known that the
load will always be certain amount
it is far more economical to purchase
a car with a body having smaller
capacity, because 1t is cheaper tC
operate. The three-passenger roadster
is a good example of lightness where
small capacity with economy is de-
sired
The nature Of the country to BIZ
driven in should govern the car to g
great extent. A car for billy country
should have plenty of reserve power.
Flat country. with few towns Of
great population. offers an ideal com
bination for the motorist. He car
use a light engine geared fairly high
and thus secure the condition of max
imum economy.
II the car is to be driven in all sea.
sons of the year and in all kinds OF
weather. II would be profitable to buy
either an inclosed design or one Of
the convertible types which are oper
In the summer and closed in the colde,
months