Evening star., 1926-05-09


Thousands of cars are out of serv-
ice because of the difficulty of obtain
:ng parts from organizations that are
out of business or that do not keep
adequate supplies of parts for d1scon-
tnued models. Metropolitan traffic
already frightens owners OF cars with
enteuuated brakin9 systems and stall
able engines.
Careless buying is blamed for this
state OF affairs. The new thought in
huvinC is to purchase car that is
sufficiently up to the minute to opvl-
ate excessive model depreciation, vet
not so ultra modern as to be expert
mental A number of factors are In
Nolved in the economical selection OF
car. and manufacturing policy is COM
ing to be regarded as one or the most
vital considerations
Two years ago a manufacturer OF
q car in good repute produced a bet
ter automobile and patted himself on
the back for having taken forward
sten at a time when other car makers
were inclined to be going in for guam
tity production of cars that drlfted
into increasingly lower price classes
This better model is being discontln-
ned, the manufacturer having changed
his plans entirely. Whether a. change
fetal to stockholders is regarded as
beside the point In all such changes,
whether for better or for worse. the
owners of the discarded models pay
the penalty.
Foreseeing Model Changes.
IT is freely admitted that with
fast-moving industry and frequent
changes in management 1t is not easy
for the car buyer to foresee the
course of events in any one make,
but economists and experienced mo-
torists can predict with unCanny GER
tainty the likelihood of model changes
in popular makes of cars. A number
Of individuals have distinguished
themselves as prophets by taxing spe-
cif1c makes of cars and predicting ex-
actIv what changes will be made in
forthcoming models.
This was illustrated On one con-
spicuous instance. whefe the 1925
model of a popular make did not
carry four wheel brakes, as many be-
1jeved it would. Economists based
their prediction upon manufacturing
policy, pointing to the fact that thlS
company was out for increased pro
duction, using price as Its greatest
sales weapon. For that reason the
addition of expensive equipment such
as two more brakes and the expensive
layout to make them work properly
was unthinkable. Had this company
used points of design for its sales
argument. the addition of newer
hrakins system would have been
certainty.
All motorists who bought this par
ticular make of car A, year ago do not
hnd themselves taking d loss by dis
carding it. So far as these buyers are
- tc hal
choice was mainly a matter of chance.
But through careful reasoning their
predicament could have been obvlated,
II is explained by those who have
taken the trouble to analyZe the sltua-
ton.
The position of any manufactures
with respect to the rest of the INDUS
try has come in for great deal or
consideration in this effort to assist
motorists in buying more with an eye
to the future valuation Of their prod
nets. One car maker may be indie
pendent enough to adhere to policy
of eliminating yearly models. An
other may be more subject to the
vagaries of competition and cannot
he relied upon to adhere rlgldly TO
such a policy. 1t is not so dlfflcult
for the motorist to decide the question
for himself
PrOducttOn nSufeS are dIl open oooh
nowadays, reports from manufactur-
ers being printed in the financial col
umns of the daily newspapers. 1t has
been pointed out for the convenience
of car buyers that production figures
after they have grown cold can be
taken as sales figures for all practical
purposes, since a company cannot
keep producing far in excess of actual
orders An exception issmade in early
Spring production. Nssen there is an
effort on the part of manufacturers
10 supply their dealers with adequate
stocks in anticipation of heavy de-
mands and as a means of preventing
loss of sales through inability to de-
liver proaptly A further exception
concerns the heavy production of en-
tirely new cars which reflects buying
on the part of dealers rather than on
tle part of the ultimate consumers.
The mere reputation of a manufac-
turer for quality of product and hon
est dealing is not necessarily safe
guard for the man who buys a car and
who desires to have ii enjoy high