The sun., 1918-09-29
PUT USED CARS TO
SEVERAL TESTS
With a Little knowledge You
Will Be Able to Deter
mine Value.

AT this season OF the year, anu holt
particularly at a time when new car
production has been cut down consider
ably. there is greater activity In the
used car field. Many thousands OF
prospective owners will need some advice
on the purchase Of a used car so as to
be able to avoid buying a wreck with
perfectly good money.
1t has been said that q used car Is no
better than the dealer or man who sells
II, and there Is q great deal Of truth In
this. In our larger cities the newspapers
are filled with so-cailed blind advertise
ments OF owners who must get out OF
town or go to war; or which give
some such excuse for selling. The buyer
should be very careful OF the greater
number of these because they are sim
ply poor propositions handled for the
dealer by some person who Is supposed
to be the owner The very best place to
select for looking over used cars Is the
salesroom Of some reputable dealer on
motor row or in the automobile section
Of the city. II you are interested In
used Hudson. go to the Hudson dealer !;
In a Hupmoblle. go to the dealer in that
car In this way you are sure at least
Of getting a car that has been put In
shape properly and not "jobbed up for
a sale. Often, however, dealer VIII
have cars OF other makes in his shop.
and naturally so, because all sales are
not TO previous owners OF his car.
It is usual for a dealer TO give the
exterior OF a car the best appearances
possible so that 1t will strike the fancy
Il the buyer. especially II his wife l.
along. Good external appearance Is, oil
course, essential, but for the time be!ns
it should be neglected. The chassis
should be gone over. and IL found salts
factory then attention may be devoted
10 the condition Of the upholstery, the
ton, curtains, paint. &C. These are mat
ters which are not important In the run
ming Of a car. A good body won't Keep
a car running.
1t is a most difficult matter to tell by
a mere drive around the block whether
the car Is in perfect condition. especially
IL the street Is smooth. Take. for ex-
ample, such small cars as the Ford ana
Chevrolet. These cars have steering
systems which are likely to show signs
OF throwing a fit II worn excessively.
This trouble Is in the nature OF rapid
oscillating of the front wheels as though
they were being turned rapidly from
one dill ection to another. This is dan
gerous and annoying. II happens only
on rough roads and at a certain speed,
/ usually about six miles an hour When
| going fast Is not noticed and or
smooth roa DIS II Is not apparent
Rattles and squeaks caused by loose
parts are noticed only on rough roads
Hence Il is wise when trying out the
car to take it first slowly and then at a
fair rate over a bad piece OF road.
! Never take a dealers word that that
can be hxed w in a jiny." Do not
take a car unless 1t Is 'hxed up and
to your satisfaction. Never take cal
with certain parts of the equipment
missing which will be sent to you just
as soon as they come" Half the time
they never come or are delayed until tht
end of the season.
| In order to determine the fitness o.
the used car you will have to drive 1
yourself to see whether there 10 undue
play in the power transmission system
A bad clutch or q worn transmission
can De overcome by good driving
and the demonstrators usually are yer.
good at covering up such spots. Brake
should be tested so that a refining jo
Is not necessary the first week you hav
the car.
II possible open the drain plugs o
the transmission and rear axle and Sc
III any oil or thinned grease runs out
Often a bad set of gears or even gear
less for a short run by packing the ca
with heavy grease.
A new battery usually costs any
where from s25 to SIS, depending on tn
size. and II Is the easiest of things {
take an old battery ready for the Jun
pile and get II In shape 50 it will Civ
service for a few minutes.
In driving around on the demonstra
ton one can only listen for loud knock
In the engine and other parts. Bearings
OF course, can be frightened and certain
loose parts made to remain quiet for
time. Here Is an important point A
"oil pumper" is an engine whose piston
and rings are worn and such an engine
when 1t gets hot after running som
time. will pump so much oil into til
combustion chambers as TO cause mis-
firing and bad running generally Flo
} a short period the 'oil pumper" will b
all right. Look around the valves 70
oil leakage from an oil pumper.