The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-06-10
IMPOSSIBLE To
OBTAIN ENOUGH
AUTOMOBILES
Both Dealers and Public Fail to
Get Cars
BIG DEMAND FOR AUTOS
Second Hand Cars are Selling for
Exorbitant Prices-AIl
Makes Wanted


1t may seem hard luck. to some
people that 1t is not possible to go
to an automobile dealer, buy mach
inc to pay 70 rit, an dtake 1t home at
once, but such thing can't be done
! just now. Anyone who buys car
these days must be content to wait
anywhere from three weeks to three
months before it can be delivered
to him. Buyers and prospective buy
ers are inclined to be little harsh
toward the dealers on account of
this state of affairs, but little in
vestigation will show that the dealers
and garage-owners are up against
it just as much as the man who wants
to own car and can't get II.
During the war; large number of
automobile factories turned over both
the use of their plants and their pro-
duction to the government and many
ceased temporarily to manufacture
cars for the individual. They turned
their resources toward the construct
ion of trucks and other motors that
were needed in the military service
such as ambulances, tractors, and
motor lorries.
On the 11th of November when the
war ended, it was not possible for the
government to return the plants i'm.
mediately to private owners on ac-
lcount OF the big war contracts still
running nor was it possible to imme-
diately start the plants working at
the old status at once after the gov
ernment was through with them. The
fact Is that, at this time, automobile
plants are just getting acclimated
again to their former production OF
pleasure cars.
Even though now the mannfactur
ing OF automobiles is practically nor
NAL again, the manufacturers are fac
ing demand that is not normal, q
demand that has never before beer
equalled. During the war. when one
would naturally expect the demanC
for machines to drop below par, the
expected did not happen and the pub
lie still bought at once all the auto
mobiles that the dealers could gel
hold Of But this Spring the rea
rush for cars came and with the ever
! Increasing demand came a diminishing
supply. Naturally such condition.
seriously affect the price of machines
{ for the selling price will neve rdroI
as long as the demand exceeds tht
supply.
1t is no longer a question with the
dealers whether they can sell a cal
or not. The question is whether
they can get one to SELL AS soon a.
one is sent TO the dealer, it is snapped
up as soon as il shows itself Wit
, this state of affairs, second hand cars
are in great demand and are sellinl
, for prices that are certainly far ou
OF proportion to their worth and il
I, some cases exorbitant There is on'
. case in town where the same auto
mobile has been traded back to
garage three times with an increasing
7 price eac htime and the final pric,
= was perilously near the originc
selling price.
Bennington dealers and garage
: owners have sold cars Just as fast a
; they could get them this Spring am
y now far behind on their orders. Car
3 OF every make have been ordered am
E the prospective owners are impatient
+ ly awaiting their arrival. The dea
ers themselves cannot keep cars lon
enough to do any demonstrating. On
dealer, trying to keep at least on
3 car to demonstrate with, fixed up an @
d ira price upon it so that no one woul
purchase ii, but It was sold With
= few days.
10 No one can say when or how thi
n condition of affairs is to terminate
~ but at present there seems to be n
,s more popular product on the markC
% than automobiles