Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-01-22
Barney 0ldl(l fed says:
WATCH YOUR STEPS WHEN
BUYING,

WATCH YOUR STEPS WHEN
BUYING.
Copyright, 1922. By King Feature Service
The automobile owners Of the coun-
try, 100000 of them, are as a class,
unfamiliar with the money values Of
mechanical things and, therefore, they
win buy parts and accessories or COM
pounds, etc, and pay high price with
out. knowing whether they are getting
true value for their money. In pre-
vious article I brought up the subject
of ''back alley" batteries and branded
battery electrolyte, but these are only
two serious evils with which the aver
age owner has to contend. There are
pirate parts, excessive prices for re-
pair parts. worthless accessories 1or
which you may pay 1000 per cent pro-
fit and more, tires of doubtful value,
useless repair shops, etc. 1t might pc
seem from this that the industry IS
pretty much afflicted with desire. to
put its hands in the owners pocket
and steal his money, but this does
not happen to be the case with most OF
the merchants in the business who are
legitimate traders.
what ! particularly abhor is manu-
facturer who will & market a device
claimed to do certain things when ne
knows he cantot possibly guarantee
those claims. The spark gap is per-
haps the Oldest in the field for w when
extravagant claims are made. lhese
devices called variously transformers,
energizers, etc, are placed IN the iile
to the spark plug or attached rlght 70
the plug. One maker actually claims
that these devices will cure oil pump
ing, reduce carbon, give more powe'r,
and speed. decrease fuel consumption.
Oil humping has a very definite cause
and no fittingtli like that is going to cure
Il or even stop it for while.
Auxiliary Air Valve Craze.
T advise the motorist against the
purchase of such accessories where the
claims made cannot be proved. Anew
wears ago there was an auxiliary ar
valve craze. Just who started 1t l 40
not know, but do know that motorists
"felI' for these devices which sold 1o or
around S. in most cases. Ihey VIII
start another craze no doubt. In one
instance the device cost the manu1ac-
turer something like 10 cents ana you
Maid IS for it. It was sold on money
hack guarantee, but since you had to
have the intake manifold drilled and
tapped. you did not care to remove
the device and plug the hole, once the
device was installed. So, even though
the device did no good, you didn't seno
+ hack. The air valve did nothing that
your carburetor could not do.
In the field of repair parts the own
or is at a disadvantage. If he goes IN
to a service station and wants Ger
tain part for his car, he must pay the
nrice asked or have the part made out
SIDE. Some manufacturers take al
vantage of this fact and make an I'M
reasonably high profit on parts: me
joke is apparent on some cast lroh
parts. Where the real worth and sen :
ing price ought to be in cents, IL IL
quoted in dollars. Right now the own
err must buy those parts. or else pira,e
narts In some cases where the pirate
parts are better, it is wise to ouy
them if you can tell the difference. IN
quality and workmanship. In buying
narts ALWAYS remember that the cast
ones are cheaper than the forged ones
and the metals have pound Value
unfinished parts are cheaper thar
those recurring machine or hand work
narts for cars made many years agt
cost more than parts not kept IN stocf
SO long as the overhead must be 1lg
ured in. But there is going to be some
real changes in the parts selling pusl
ness, if we are to take the Word o.
one of the largest service managers II
this country. He says parts price,
are too high service costs are TOO hlgl
and It costs the owner too much TO rui
his car-and he is undoubtedly right.
Legitimate Tires Best.
The tire business seems to have j
on them all. Here you are offered al
kinds and forms and makes of tires
reduced prices. The only tire to buy
as L have repeatedly said. is that Q
legitimate make. not necessarily tina
Of highly advertised line, though tn
latter are usually best. A manufac
turer may be small producer an
still make excellent tires at fairly loE
cost. What l warn against though ar
tires of obscure make, retreads' or
tires, seconds. etc. They are not WORT
gambling with.
There are anv number Of accessorie
which are marketed through legitimat
channels which are just as worthless a
the tires or the spark gaps, for con
sidering the claims made for them.
There is class of windshield clean
ers in liquid form many of which
have tried myself and found wanting
These liquids, cloths, compounds o
whatever forms they may be found in
are claimed to keep the Windshield
clear in stormy weather. I have trie
ten different liquids in a snow storT
I'D not one would keep the shiel
clear enough to see through it in tn
right way In Il mild rain storm
have found that these liquids work. bu
in severe storm they do not. On
manufacturer even advertises such
ridiculous thing as a wiper on wood
en- block and shows a picture of tn
block being used from the seat by tn
driver. Evidently we are supposed t
be one-arm drivers with a contortior
lists inclinations.
Before you buy any kind Of accessor
or fitting get the written assuranc
of the dealer that it will be exact
what is claimed for it. No matte
what the price. get what you pay TO
If you do that you will discourage
lot of manufacturers from marketin
devices that are made" for motor
its who are too free with their none.
ASK MEG
n