Evening star., 1933-11-26
AUTO RIDING HELD
APPRECIATION NEED
Manufacturers Launch Cam
paign Against Demonstra-
ton Resistance.

II YOU haven't taken a demonstra-
ton in it you don't know the latest car.
So declare the automobile manufac-
turers, fearful lest the motorist assume
that the current car is mere eye appeal.
To break down demonstration re-
sistance" a number of unusual plans
are being experimental with, resulting
in thousands of sursprised prospects
and an increasingly greater number Of
sales.
One of the leading car makers is
stressing demonstration in all of his
advertising copy. Another tells the
public it doesn't know anything about
the car until it has taken the wheel.
Unusual is the invitation sent to 200,-
600 owners over the personal signature
of the president of famous producer
OF high-grade cars.
Reason for Campaign.
Embodied in this executives letter is
the reason for the campaign for dem
cnstrations. We have accomplished
many new engineering and manufac-
turing wonders since some 100000 men,
berS of our family bought their last
cars" runs the miSSiye. I'VE want
every one to know of these wonders.
Won't you present the inclosed card to
your distributor or dealer, take the
demonstration we have arranged Tor
you and then write and tell me what
Sop 6htnh Of 4b{S our eeda,e mew 1ar5? oana5eo
BY the car makers is the public's lack
Of experience in making demonstrations
practical. Much will have to be
learned by the prospect before it will be
helpful to him to take the wheel. At
present the demonstration is too much
OF mild Joy ride, frequently enveloped
In conversation and often conducted
where the mCtOriSt can have no possible
conception Of why the car is superior.
One case is cited where the prospect
ara salesman listened to base ball
scores over the cars radio and didn't
give the performance of the car the
slightest consideration. Scenery is bad
for demonstration purposes. 1t detracts
from the Job at hand. Too much traf-
fc also has its objections. A Smile
drive through the city may reveal ease
in handling to the experienced driver,
but to the average person it is just lot
Of confusion that blinds him to the be-
havior of the car A well balanced
demonstration is preferable. Manu1ac-
turers are urging their dealers to train
sahsmen for this sort OF offering OF
the stock
Many Stunts Given Up.
Gone from the picture are such stunts
as the slow pull up a steep hill in high
gear This sort of performance is no
longer necessary. Motorists want sus-
tanned speed without effort on hills 1t
Is no longer necessary to demonstrate
quick stopping. What one wants Is
straight-line stopping at high speed and
total absence Of Skidding tendencies
when the car is stopped on a curve.
More important than top speed is the
rapidity with which car can attain a
cruising speed and abandon it when an
emergency arises on the road. Good
time is made in touring. not because OF
high speed but because of the ability to
cut down the intervals required to get
up to touring speed after slowing down
for curves and traffic.
Many motorists have queer ways OF
trying out the riding qualities of car.
1t is important to know what the air
pressure is in the tires and to select
streets that are real test. What may
look like rough road may not be so
bad as it seems. 1t IS advisable to try
a car over the same road twice. II
possible, do this en- days where the tenn
perature varies widely. The idea is to
see how the shock absorbers control the
springs when at different temperatures.
This can be approximated by taking the
car over the road when the shock alb
sorbers have not been working hard and
when the fluid is less thinned out, re-
peating the test after the car has been
driven some distance over rough road.
How quickly motor starts is an i'm
portant consideration in ownership, but
few who take demonstrations can de-
eide this point. The car usually is
brought around with the motor we'll
warmed up. Efforts are being made to
revise this arrangement and to let the
new motors prove to the satisfaction OF
prospects that they do start like a
flash. Many dealers are offering proof
OF gasoline economy, which is con-
sideration of growing importance now
that fuel prices are again on the up
swing.
Stormy Day Best.
It is natural to select a fair day for
a demonstration, but much more prac-
tical to try out a car when it is storm
ing. This will reveal the advantages
of the newer ventilating systems and
show just how stable the car is when
traction is at a low ebb. One of the
most important things In comparing
of about the same weather condition
Let's see what the new cars made
Of, but let us not be in doubt as to how
to make this testing productive.
demonstration in how to take a demon
Stration comes first.