The Washington times., 1929-02-27

it is needed for still others.
According to the men who make
the sales, a significant number of
their prospects are trying to make
their car purchases on approximately
the same basis that they did in 1890.
AS a result, they don't know their
cars until after they have bought
them and then it is too late to do
anything should 1t develop that the
particular make or model fails to
tit the purpose for which it is
primarily to be used.
Demonstrations have changed, or
should have. For instance, it was
not many years ago that the sales.
man did all the driving when the
virtues of the car were being dis
nlayed. Now the prospective buyer
takes the seat behind the wheel.
As a matter of fact, one does not
have to be even warm prospect
to get this seat OF honor. Since
everyone has learned to drive, car
dealers have taken to inviting the
city, en- masse, to come in at any
time ana Try OuL lhCA GdAS'
Up To Purchaser
When the prospect enters the left
front seat, he becomes the chief
officer of the demonstration expedi-
ton. 1t is pretty much up to him
where the journey leads and what
1t reveals about the car. Statesmen
are disposed to leave the matter
entirely in the hands of the prospect.
They have ideas but they do not
desire to put them into possible
conflict with those Of the pros
pective buyer.
According to the sales manager
of one highly successful dealer es-
tablishment, it is surprising that
very few motorists will take the
car into traffic for at least a part
of the demonstration test. Usually
1t is the wide boulevard or the park
drive or the country road for which
the prospect heads the car. This
practice frequently results in a test
that is no test at all, for it repre-
sents the very best possible condi-
TONS The roads are wide and
deserted. There is little occasion to
test the cars steering, its brakes or
it's acceleration beyond the most
cursory fashion. These roads are
smooth and the grades ordinarily
are not steep. AS a result, there is
little to reveal the cars riding COM
fort or the power Of its engine.
Real Test Later
After the car gets into it's owners
hands its most testing form of SER
vice will be in the area where
traffic is heaviest. There it will be
called upon to slow down to- a
snails pace, turn with the greatest
of precision and ease, decelerate and
accelerate with snap and verve, pull
smoothly, and ride comfortably.
Why, then, not give it the traffic
test?
Many prospective buyers will test
the cars acceleration by letting it
slow down in high gear and then
suddenly step on the gas. What
does this show about getaway at
the traffic lights, when it is neces-
sary to go through all the gear
combinations? The ease and celerity
with which the driver can get
through the gears are vital consid-
erations in acceleration tests. And,
when, they are determined at the
one usually gets a chance to study
the cars pickup in comparison with
that of cars alongside.
Back in 1920, the first accelera-
ton was sufficient. There were
several millions fewer cars and yir-
tually no traffic lights in those DAYS.
When a car is taken out. in the
open and run up to IS or 40 miles
an hour to test its smoothness the
driver is forgetting that smoothness
at low speeds also is important and
desirable.
At Their Best
The IS or 40-mile an hour test
need not be ignored, although most
cars are at their best around these
speeds. It well may be used to test
the rigidity of the front end OF the
car--to determine whether the fore
part Of the car is prone to weaving
or whether there is a shake in the
steering that means wheel wobble
or shimny.
The effectiveness Of the car spring
suspension and shock absorbing sys-
tenn will not get chance to show
itself unless the test Is made to
include street or highway nther
than the smoothest one in the
neighborhood.
One OF the oldest and most popu-
lar OF demonstration tests is that
which takes the car to the steepest
hill in the vicinity. 1t is seriously
TO be doubted that this test has anv
real value today. With grades made
TO conform to reason-rarely beyond
per cent in the case of Federal
aid roads-it is certainty that the
average car can climb the hill In
high without difficulty. Yet motor
lists go along putting great deal of
stock in the hill-climbing test. They
lay on it greater emphasis than