The Washington times., 1920-07-17

; Iy there had been a noise like a Ger
man sevsnty-fve exploding In a Bel
sian ehsncsl and his wife had tainted
from the shock. He himself had re-
tainsd enough presenee OF mind 10
switch on once more. but his nerves
we're frszsied and he wouldn't touch
the car again with a nreman's ladder.
The service man heard the testi-
mony and eross-exsminsd the com
plainsnt.
when you started the motor after
switching on, did you use the electric
cranker%"
make? The engine hadn't quite stop
contact. The whole car exploded
and"
$50 you rad. Now. when you
switched on. did you happen TO step
.m no aceeierstorT'
"Yes, but what's wrong with that?
I always do that. and this Is the first
time that the car has exploded
why, II sounded like"
I'm sure II must have" interrupt
ed the manager. NOW, II you Will
lie down on the grass here and look
under your cAr'--snd he suited his
own action TO the word-"I'll show
YOU what happened"
The mufrlsr was hopeiessiy and
eetotally damaged. The act of
hutting on the motor and opening
he throttle had niied, It as well as
he cylinders with an explosive mix.
.ure. The sudden switching on had
introduced a burning charge to the
muffler, and the result was what you
and / have might expected
As the owner told the service man,
Ii was the manufacturer fault for
not providing a muller that would
Withstand the bursting pressure OF
bushel of INT. Ten times out OF ten
II is the manufacturers fault lin the
owners estimstion) when somethins
goes wrong with a car during the
nrst nve months of its use. Analyses
of troubles compiled by dealers show.
however, that nine times out of ten
the owner Is at fault and that the
tenth percentage OF failures may be
properly laid at the door of the manu-
facturer.
In what we commonly speak OF as
the last analysis tmeaning the one
that hasn't yet been ngured) the
dealer is responsible for a large num-
Der Of returns that occur during the
first 100 days of a cars life. He sells
car to a novice and gives him
few lessons in driving. In day or
so the dealer graduates his pupil cum
laude. and ss a diploma hands him an
instruction book which he says must
be followed implicitly. He mentions
particularly the points that require
fabrication.
SO far he has performed his duty
to himself and to the purchaser. But
he foYgets that a mechanism which Is
as familiar to him as a pocket-knife
NAV seem an absolute mystery TO the
new owner. In common justice 10
every car. every manufacturer and
every owner. the dealer should go
over the car in detail, point out TO
the purchaser each part that requires
oilins, and explain the function OF
every moving part. He should show
how TO make the simple adjustments
and explain the necessity for making
them. 1t is foolish to confuse the
new owner with q multiplicity or
names that mean nothing to him, ex-
pecting him to locate hidden parts
without guidance. What does an
arrluent barber know about torque
tube: how much can a magazine Illus
TRAITOR grasp of the construction OF
difYerential when he examines sec
tional drawing for the nrst time In
his life? The owner should be SHOWN.
Some dealers have already seen the
wisdom of educating the owner, aho
have made IL their policy not to let
him take his car away until he can
operate and care for 1t with fuii
knowledge Of what he Is doing ana
why he does IT. Some make IL I'M
perative that the car be returned 10
the service station monthly for IN
spection. stipulating that the suar
antee will be void unless the terme