Evening star., 1931-12-20
NEW CAR. MODELS WILL BRING
AFLOOD OF DEMONSTRATION
Motor Trade Plans to Meet Unprecedented
Demands for Sampling Onrush
ofNewest Offerings.

Five million people will expect TO be
favored with demonstrations of the
array of new models during the first
three months of the new year
The automobile industry and motor
trade contemplate this situation with
both enthusiasm and trepidation De-
troit is pleased with the prospect of
offering wares which the public will
clamor to try out, but is alive to the
realization that the motor world has
never succeeded in giving so many DEM
onstrations in so short a time.
One-Half to Buy.
Fully so per cent of those who will
demand demonstrations during the
opening months of 1882 want to buy.
They will need to ride, not only in the
car they are most concerned about, but
in other offerings as we'll in order that
they may draw comparisons and select
wisely. They will want their friends to
drive and to express opinions. Out of
curiosity millions of motorists will want
to try the new creations.
Accustomed to giving long demon
strations. and to begging the public to
go riding in the stock which has not
been cleaned from the automotive
shelves, dealers and statesmen may find
1t necessary to adopt efficiency in try
outs. How much time can the trade
afford to devote to each prospect2 How
should the new cars be demonstrated?
And where?
Problems to Work Out.
The prospective purchaser-and he is
legion as never before-will find he has
his own problems to work out. The
new cars are being offered at the worst
season Of the year from the standpoint
Of weather There will be many days
in many sections of the country when
it will not be possible to demonstrate
cars at all, and much OF the time the
thermometer will be too low for con-
centration on the car. The public will
be thinking largely in terms of the cold.
snow and the road conditions. Properly
trained statesmen might be able to cap
italize these obstacles by demonstrating
how comfortable, safe and enjoyable
modern cars can be under adverse con-
ditions 1t will be an excellent oppor-
tunity for the public to familiarize itself
with the newer security which the 1882
models will have to offer. But the pub
lie itself is also little rusty IN its
demonstrating.
call for concentrated attention on the
part of prospective purchasers. We
shall doubtless see more well-fllled de-
monstrators on the streets. Several
prospects will go rading at the same
time and not all may have an opportu-
nifty to do the actual driving. For the
first time in the history of buying cars
the prospect will find it necessary to
observe his contemporaries. How does
the other prospect shift gears? What
do the other people in the car think
of the riding qualities? Does the man
at the wheel have to expend much
effort to decelerate from high speed?
Car as 1t Really Is.
Because demonstration cars will be
pressed into service as never before,
and under the most adverse driving con-
ditions prospective purchasers will be
able to see the car as 1t really Is, since
there will be little opportunity to keep
the demonstrators in the pink of con-
dition. With more drivers taking the
wheel these cars will also be subjected
to greater abuse. If performance Is
outstanding it will be logical to assume
that the car one purchases should be
exceptionally satisfactory.
A shortage in demonstration cars Is
predicted for the early part of the year.
This prophecy is based not only on the
larger sales forces which will be re-
quired to bring the new jobs to the at
tention of the buying public, but also
to the high rate at which mileage will
be built up. Most automobile concerns
sell their demonstrators after a certain
number of miles have been added. The
ruling in one case is to sell all demon
strators with mileages OF $500 or over.
Normally such mileage is added to the
particular firms cars in less than three
months.
Decided Advantage
The high rate Of mileage addition,
however, will be a decided advantage
where an owner desires to forecast the
future of his ownership. He will be
able to drive and thus come 10 know
exactly how a particular model will
handle after it has been given years
service in point of miles. There are
some cars in the higher-pr1ced bracket
which do not develop full power and
f1exibility until their engines are well
broken in, Some of these cars have
been known to reveal vast Improvement
after 10000 or $4,000 miles OF service.
In other words, it should not be neces-
sary for prospective purchasers to follow
the plan of one motorist who does not
ATTT0M0TTVE RRTEFSI