Evening star., 1926-12-05

A CTOMOBlLE repairs are
n reaching new high levels,
4 A with the need for service
attaining such proportions
that many shops are deluged with
unfinished jobs.
Why?
That is what everybody interested
in motordom asks. The manufac-
turer particularly is concerned.
He firmly believes he is turning
out a better automobile than ever
before, but these cars are developing
ali manner of troubles. For the first
s or 10 thousand miles they seem
70 be ideal. but after that more and
more cars arc developing the repair
shop habit.
A survey was made Of the cars in
a typical repair shop recently. One
owner was having a new ring gear
installed in a $4,000 car, used for
three seasons. Another had the
crankcase dropped TO have the sixth
bearing replaced. A third was hav-
ing his fourth new igition coil in
stalled.
Agents for spring-control devices
frequently are blamed for the bad
riding OF cars and for numerous
other annoyances that sometimes
appear traceable TO these devices.
Recently an owner complained be-
cause, as he believed. his controls
pulled the car over too far on one
side. Removal Of the controls de-
veloped that the springs did not
have the same clearance on one side
as on another The car had list
OF an inch to one side.
1t was a new car and its delivered
price is $1,000
The writer has just talked with
the owner of a $500 car which has
developed some tappet troubles. 1t
seems that the owner has induced
the manufacturers Of the engine to
send a special representative TO re-
build the power plant and correct
the trouble.
Asked how he liked the two cars
he owned before the present one.
the owner admitted that while run
ming up their collective mileage of
1000 he had spent $500 for repairs,
not counting 100 hours of labor
which the dealer expended in a
fruitless effort to hold his customer.
Why are these cars going to
pieces? Are cars not as well made
as they are designed? Are they
doing more work. but breaking down
badly .as result? Are drivers pay
ing the penalty for speed. power,
acceleration and downright abuse?
1t would he interesting to know.
Every one marvels at the way the
modern car. even of the lowest-price
classes. starts off without hesitation
and climbs the steepest hills in high
gear Traffic takes much out of
cars. but thousands of them stream
along in the procession. never falter
ing. Cars are being punished. it is
freely conceded. and it is a question
Of whether they are or could be
built to withstand the abuse in
f1icted on them.
Perhaps the blame is not to he
laid TO any one group. since troubles
are various and occur under the
most puzzling circumstances. Bad
design probably plays minor role
in this drama of destruction, for
improvements have been legion. and
wherever design fails il generally
is agreed that il is handicapped by
poor workmanship.
Automobile manufacturers have |
been able to avoid the tendency to
cut corners on quality to a large
extent, since they have found that |
big production cannot he maintained !
without consistent quality. The les /
sons learned from skimping have !
been hard ones indeed in the auto
mobile business.
What about workmanship:
System and machinery have done |
much to Safeguard automobiles !
against the inroads of human in
competence But much still depends !
upon the workman. and history /
proves that he is not always reliable. |
There are those who firmly believe
that much OF the radical and serious
trouble being experienced by many |
motorists is due to the failure of
the automobile factory employees to !
give lNclI Npi tl'd' t'uNh w ''N' |
characterizes the handiwork of the |
true craftsman.
Manufacturers are not to be |
blamed for this. they say.
Even the dealers are vexed by the |
shortage Of men who can take a
personal interest in each job. The |
tester for a high grade make of car
in certain city recently asked his |
garage man TO look over his per- /
sonal car to see why il wouldn't |
start. The garage man stepped out
"a the machine and in FIVE minutes
had put his finger on the amazingly |
perplexing trouble There was no
cas in the tank.
Others claim that the orgy OF
trouble is the result OF operating
So mile an hour cars al 40. 4Omile-
an-hour machines at 50, and so on.
Balloon tires have given new sense
OF security on rough roads. and the
average driver does not care how
terrtically the inspiring weight of
the car is being punished just so
long as he is not feeling the bumps.
Engine efficiency devices are tempt
ine the unwise to run several thou
sand miles without hothering to
change the oil Because a cheap
car runs nicely al 80. the owner feels
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