New-York tribune., 1917-05-06
Even So, They Are Not
Built to Stand Up, Says
London Times"
Admits We're Alert
But Opposes Idea That Amer
lean Machines Are Best
for the Colonies


for its colonial markets, 10 compete
with automobiles Of American manu-
facturc, brings forth an interesting
eonparison by "The London Times OF
british and American ideas and ideals.
Naturally, the London publication IS
committed 70 the British side, although
making reluctant concessions on a few
points. such as ftments and service OF
our motor cars.
zone reader argues that motoring
conditions in the United States sre
almost identical with those prevailing
IN the British colonies and in South
America. and suggests that the stand
ard American car is a far better colo
NAL lob than the special cars which
sre built in England at additional e1-
pense for colonial trade-a point ne
claims. which is very often over
,.oLodp - 20 ouote "The Times" The
.tsndard American car must be oulit
80 tbat Il will cross the Rockies, plough
-, ysv across the Great American pes
.rt struggle through the almost ooe"
torlcss black gumbo OF the DSHoeos' a..o
and nj the same time nave an S''iN'
tive appearance in Fifth Avenue. -
1The same kind Of car is neeueu ~
Canada. South Africa, AusIralla anu "a
Hrgen4ine. maintains this correspoilu-
Ut and nuts forth in support oil ms
rJos Tho certainly very strong argu-
,non+ that users in those countries are
hr,.;rc American cars rather than brlt-
DISiie !nLS ,,ti, 1stryctions. because they arc
on which the London. paper com
r,snts. AIN our opinion, the contehtioH
is not supported by fact. .;.
pvt there is no wholesale self,sstlS-
ed attitude regarding the Britsh
motor car maker, as can be seen py Ihe
America is a country Of big records
and sensational event. England apaI'
from the war. is not such eoun.ii
Tbe average Englishman is not an aa-
r.;ear. in fact. he rather dlstrusts
nnblicitv: and so the average Engllsh
bnyer is not greatly impressed by Ine
se9ea+ional performances OF cars, ana
s,,r makers understand this mental OUT
look. r .o,,-eo that
.ba verv excellent records set up py
American built cars in crossing contl-
nonts mountain ranges, deserts ana SO
Fe-.I' ara really and truly honest per-
+o-rosnces. but to the best OF the
writer's knowledge no particulars nave
heen published as TO the meehahlosi
eon5;+ion of the cars after such siren
nous performances. One may, III Iue
course of 3 sensational o'OuV mr. NJ
'cross-country record breaking triP' TN TN
p car TO destruction, and II thlS pe ~
q - "a E.0RlS0
csr owner and builder is prepared 10
SscL he opinion as to the merits ot MS
ovvn vehicle in nine cases out OF ten'
for run to destruction, the average
pr;t;sb construction viii beat the
American. for these cars are built 1or
sbort.lived service and TO sell at a 10"
nr;ce tbe makers contending that own
ers can afford 70 scrap the machine
after. at most. two or three year %
service. The British idea IS 10 Dullu
cars that. in effect. should last forever.
again, in advertising American cars
Not a single point that would appear 70
the buyer is overlooked brlIlsh caI
unfor+unately, are not so advertised;
English buyers have not He' reaonou
the stage of paying. say, 5000 for car
for a wears use, and sacrificing IL lot
.be nrice of scrap material at the year
cnd 10 buv a more up-tO-date Vehlcie'
Here is one fundamental difference IN
the English and American car outlook'
zone weak point in our British meth-
ode &c our inability or Discrimination 10
- seoryice' Oversee buyers. pre-
nared 10 nav a comparatively high price
for british vehicles, do not care TO run
the risk of being held up owing TO de-
Law in obtaining spare parts ana r'
ncwals following a smash or lcGllihaIc
wear and tear. Again. oversee buyers
and users. living under more spacious
skies, are quicker TO appreciate ana uc-
mand little novelties and luXuries than
.be Britisher. and, taking advantage OF
this conservatism, or, more accurately
cxercisinp similar trait them
selves. British manufacturers have IN
+he mast been rather slow IN adopting
new features and improvements, on the
pIea of in our opinion so-and-so mas
pot vet reached a sufficient degree OF
reliability TO Justify our adopting u as
a standard fitting.
"This little weakness has undoubtedly
lost English makers many sales ABROAD
Tor whereas even the cheapest AMER
can cars arc sold complete WIN th'
la.os. tvnc Of detachable wheel or rim,
electric lighting and engine StarVrg
cot electric warming devices. mechanl-
cal tire pumps and so on and so forth'
a, an inclusive price, the buyer OF
british car has been presented with
simnle body, having no accessories De
vond hood and screen, and n pare
chassis and tires, in return Tor ms
aShould he desire and insist on the
Citing Of modern appliances, he hss
bccn forced 20 wait for delivery and 10
nay an extra sum Of from $50 TO El5O
- oeccurc a complete vehicle. An ad-
ditional disadvantage has been that
some Misunderstanding sets. Tor eI-
ample-could not be so satisfactorily
fitted when built into an existing car
as when due allowance was made TOT
their incorporation in the original de-
sign"
II is our opinion, in view OF the e1-
.ont and success Of war loan and re-
cruiting advertising done in England,
that the British are no longer quite so
rnroved by advertising as once they
worc. After the war the field ought 70
he fnllow for motor car publicity OF q
different type from that which formerly
Aourished in England.
THAT ia a great deal OF a theory. too.
about American cars being built 70 30
~ tho scrap heap after ono season.
There are literally thousands OF Amer
jcsn motorists running cars thev nave
owned four or FIVE seasons. That Is
long. because the very alertness which
"The London Times" admits We have
here in equipping our cars does tend 70
make a machine here look decidedly
cut Of date IL il is more than two or
three years old. But somebody buys
the cars that are turned in. mind you,
and they keep on running, too. No in
dustry could thrive as Americas auto
mobile bnsiness has done. on an end