The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-08-01
ESTIMATING COST
OF CAR FOR HOME
Where Records Are Kept
Real Running Cost of
Machine Easily Found.

prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture.> s
Many men who do not see the adj
vantage of other home accounts like
to keep records on the cost of owning
and operating their automobiles. Per
haps this is because the man of the
house has more to do with the car
than with other family commodities.
The bureau of home economics of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture has provided special page for
the automobile in the household &C.
rections for keeping home accounts,
the person who writes the record,
whether husband or wife, is reminded
Of the various items which should not
be overlooked in connection with own
ing and running the car.
Makeup of Complete Picture.
A complete picture includes not only
expenditures for gas, oil, repairs, tires
and other requirements, fire, theft and
liability insurance, tax, license plates,
care such as washing and greasing,
and garage If one is rented; but also
annual depreciation as shown by COM
pairing the turn-in at the end of the
year with the buying price or list
value at the beginning of the year.
Cars depreciate both from use or
wearing Of parts, and from obso-
lescence or style changes, even when
used very little. The turn-in value of
a used car often bears little relation
to its mileage or the care given it. In
terest paid on installment notes and
loss of interest on capital invested
would also be added in an exact COM
putation.
The real running cost per mile is
easily found by dividing the years
total cost for all these items by the
years total mileage. Some people
reckon their cost per mile only in
terms of gas, oil, and repairs or re-
placements.
AS the running cost of a car will
differ but little whether one person or
five ride in it. it is obviously econom-
ical for family to use this means Of
transportation, especially for long or
roundabout trips. 1t may also happen
that for the sake of companionship on
such trips, an automobile owner will
offer to take friends with him. This
is very delightful form of hospital
ity which most drivers enjoy. Anoth-
err plan is for four or five friends to
divide among themselves the cost of
long journey. But in this case it
happens quite commonly that an I'M
intentional injustice is done the own
er of the car in estimating what this
cost is. The real running cost in
cludes overhead" as well as cash ex-
pended en- route.
Running Cost Per MiIe.
To illustrate: Assuming that Mr.. A
owns an average medium-priced car,
its running cost per mile, including
everything, would probably range be-
tween 61a and Z cents. The United
States government reimburses its en-
ployees using their own cars on gov
DuSlucSS VII udSiS VI . wills
per mile. Mr.. A and four friends, TAX
ing a 500-mile trip on an eXpense-shar-
ing basis should estimate the total
cost at $50, although less than $40
may be spent for gas and oil en- route.
A moments thought should convince
the fair-minded that either before or
after such a trip the car would re-
Quire putting into good condition; fol-
lowing it, washing and greasing would
undoubtedly be required, the tires
would be more worn even If not i'm
mediately replaced, and other ex-
penses due to conditions of the trip
might appear. While depreciation
may be partly matter of time as
well as of mileage, these other costs
are unacceptable for the owner. The
fact that his friends have had pleas
ure. comfort. convenience, and, after
all, cheap transportation in the car,
should lead to a generous point of
view on their part in sharing the cost
of the ride