Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-10-19
No. es-FIGURING COST.

I had been wantingl to ask Smith a
number of questions regarding tho
cost Of operating his car. So when I
happened to see him entering the
latest item OF gas in his little red
memorandum book it looked like the
right opportunity to approach the
subjeat.
keeping strict account of every
thing?" l asked.
II can tell you anything you want
to know about my expenses" he re-
piled. You know I'm about the only
motorist in the, neighborhood who
keeps track of costs. Feel a bit in
clined to drop it now and again, but
guess it pays me-
You'd be sure about it If you
could see how much other car owners
lose by not keeping a car account
and studying 1t. But don't conclude
that your system is perfect, tor 1t
looks to me as though you couldn't
tell at a moments notice just what
condition your car is in by consult
ing your records. For instance, take
your gas item. In your little red
book you mark the date of purchase
the number of gallons bought and
tho price. At the beginning of each
month you make a note of the mile
age given on the odometer and by
simply dividing the difference be
tween two consecutive months read
ings by the number OF gallons of gas
used-taking into consideration the
amount of fuel in the tank at the
beginning and the end of the month
you are able to tell the number of
miles your car is averaging to the
gallon of gasoline. You make a note
of this each month and compare the
Il figures for the months of the year,
which reveals only the we'll known
fact that your car. like all others,
gives better mileage in Summer than
in Winter. What would really be
valuable to know is what sort of
gas mileage the car is giving each
day. If the figure is low an investi-
cation is in order.
Make Note Of Mileage.
'If you will make note Of the
mileage reading each time you add
gasoline you will be able to make
separate averages any time you are
in doubt as to the carburetor adjust
ment, the cooling system, or even
your brake adjustment. Low gas
mileage. if lower than the reason
able average, is warning of trou-
BILE
You ought to be able to tell
whether you are getting full measure
at the filling station Smith sug-
gested.
That's another advantage" ]
agreed Most car owners complain
because the gas tank indicators are
not accurate, but that is only an
excuse for letting the matter of car
expense slide. l make it a point to
buy gas when the indicator has
dropped to point indicating one
fourth full. And as I invariably buy
either 5 or 10 gallons OF gas at a
time l know from experience just
what the indicator ought to show
when the attendant at the filing
station has stopped pumping. Since
buy gas when the indicator is at
this quarter-full position it is seldom
necessary to take into consideration
the amount of gas in the tank when
averaging the mileage for the pre-
vious or 10 gallons.
ALSO in my accounts | make a note
of the conditions under which the
previous purchase of gasoline was
used. The approximate temperature
is noted, the number of passengers
usually carried and the locality of
travel in the city or on the open
| road. This makes my accounts real
Index of the condition of the car.
Once my gas mileage failed to pick