Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-23
Richmond Automobile News
HALF OF CARS SOLD
ON INsTALLMENT PLAN
Question Worrying Banks Advance
ing Money for Automobile Pur-
chascs and Sales Managers.
quEsrroSNAlRE SENT orT
General Motors Dealers Give Sep
aratc Figures on Sales To City
Dwellcrs and to Fnrmcrs-NInny
Of Latter Class Pay Cash.

OF Latter Class Pay Cash.
Between - aud - per cent OF all
cars being gold today are being mar
system.
THIS is the first absolutely authori-
ihtlvc answer 70 a question that has
puIzitd many sales eSccutivcs of the
automobile industry and which has
Interested leaders in many other lines
~ activity, including bnnks which
advance money on securities Issued
~ the time payment companies. and
hlsc manufacturers and dealers in
shch things as p!anos, talking MA
cnincs and furniture. Heretofore ca-
Inmates on the percentage OF automo
olics sofa ~ = time payment basis
>" nor cent, these percentages being
merely rucsscs made h.: men NOR.
or loss familiar with actual cond,-
lions in restricted localities. The
per cent, or. To he exact. iG.1 per cent
percent. or. 10 be exact. iG.s per cent.
Is made available by thc''iencral Mo-
statistical division Df which has Just
completed tabulatinE tho replies IL a
lhestionnairf which wSs sent To All
iis dealers. numbering well over TO-
0co. in all parts OF the United States
over ~ per cent OF the dealers 10
whom the blanks were sent made
lit,l"b cars sold. Or which. ~. is1 were
sold for cash and 6:.7.a were sold
ON time" Or iG.7 per cent Of the
total number.
The period for .~hich the question
mar" asked information VA. that
from August 1919. 10 July il. 1920.
nnd therefore Includes the latter hall
~ 4 summer selling season, the fol-
sons. and the first half OF the sue
cc"iinE GUNNER selling season. 1t
-. therefore, 4 comprehensive sweep
Of sales conditions over "A full year
a. Ia ~ F,tala ~
f'iNr separate Figures.
~ th!s fcpor, tn. General Motors
hcdItrs CAV. separate tigurrs on sales
I" city nw.ilers and to farmers and
IN cacb class iistcd IN. number Of
sales Of new ana used passenger cars
ana new and used trucks for caSn
anu on deferred payments. II Is IN
ttr'st.nS 70 note that -! the sales to
FARMERS 3s,-ih wcr. sold on time tn.
casn sales numbering 1889.
~ "as 10 nave been expected. city
h"'lt.rs paid cash more frequently
tilhh the farmers. only ii,s per cent
oi ears sold 10 city jewellers brI uv
Through credit arrangements. there
h.inE 6i,nsi cash sales out Of "a total
81 Ilp.'.n; 100 per cent ut ;h.. me-
passenger cars reported sold 10 city
jewellers were sold on credit. Will.
- per r.pt ~ IA" new trucks sold
10 City jewellers ami thus placed In,
thr scrvic" 81 mercantile houses w.r.
partly financed. X ~ Interesting to
Nnt' ~ TINS connection that only 81 2
Ien' o. ~" nstn trucks We're sold
-" Inv, anu "l'o ~ N: used passen-
"st. soiI 70 cry jewellers
80 -. hia.S' iilhhs
- nt!ch 'he sam. relative posi-
.'oi. - sno"H w lhc hSurts REPRE-
nsna'"S 500 70 farmers 81 new and
Its"thScr cars ana new and
:, =. y, 49, pr cent OF ne"
tssn."at' this ucilNerea 10 FARMERS
S''e SOW on dcic,Feu payments, ana
-! " cent 81 ,he uAeu passenger
~. n"ihS summary disposed OF,
MhHr 80 per cent OF the new, trucks
air so1n on 'ime 70 farmers anu as.i
49,, - "a ". us.n iIucks. rms
w ~ - per cen, .or new trucks
,ne n'SheS' pcrcehias: In the
n.gtc ,lst,
~ 10 UT ALSO repofttd Inc maxi
i,inin an'ouhl os nm. icy allowed on
~ Ic,' ,''Sinehl sa!es 70 cry dwell
anu farmers. we hSeFaI" being
=" lhohths % Guy a"ciicrs and Ill
- ~ W"rs INC average down pay
iil,h. =, ~ .'l.rr"d payment sales
I'ppIIrh was -" PER cent OF the cash
Sc,,Inh pi.s.
'Ssht"'l W 81 tn'S" hrhrrs AZ inns
.'Hh' - pai Iuta!iS va dah!c. since
Ihahg hutohipbi!e executives. includ-
itI pnt" Naies inahaGcrs ana pro-
nhCtluh 'SPcrtS, ~: 'hdcavoring to
ioTcCast lne ~ market. Rtaiiztnf
thc nnpor'ahc" OF the selling OF
"htnUobi!es on circuit, many of these
executives nave scfnt!nizcd tho pos
sihltitL 81 extending the use Of this
M:tHcus OF scilhs. however. there is