Second-hand "Liveliness."
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The Demand from Civilian Sources for Heavy-capacity Lorries is So Great that Second-hand Examples of All Hinds are Being Sought Eagerly.
In spite of the rapidity with whieh chassis types have been superseded in our industry, there Has never been anything in the nature of an excess of suitable second-hand models on offer for sale. Even at that critical period when the whole of the L.G.O.C.'s very big fieet was scheduled as obsolete, and the many heavier models of its chassis were relegated to second-grade rank, there was not any insuperable difficulty in absorbing what were, at any rate, the best of those ex-bus chassis. It was at one time freely prophesied that the throwing of such a large number of superseded machines on to the market, would very seriously affect new sales. Such an upheaval naturally had its effect, but it was one which very quickly regulated itself.
Second-hand Market Never Overstocked.
The small-advertisement columns of this journal have, for some years, acted horn month to month as a useful indication of the state. of the secondhand market in commercial vehicles, and although, naturally, the numbers on offer have gradually and steadily increased, even until quite recently there has been tio very great number or suitable machines on offer by owners. Of the better types, and of models with good histories, there has always been a scarcity, and, indeed, in• the -ease of certain wellknown .makes, it has. been for a long while almost impossible to purchase second-hand examples, Old Touring-car Chassis.
Second-hand trading continuously offers great inducements to those who regard it as possible successfully to convert obsolete and superseded touring-car chassis for business purposes, and, of course, there has been nolack of offers from owners of such machines. The purchaser of a commercial vehicle, however, is, as a rule, far-seeing in such matters, and he does not readily jump at any and every bargain of this kind, possibly because, as a rule, he is a trader in some other way, and a business man to boot, and more than likely because he has some firsthand knowledge of disappointments which have overtaken unwary owners who have enthusiastically, and with little precaution, acquired Unsuitable touring cars and fitted them with bodies of utility type. The fact that genuine commercial vehicles have never been offered in very great nuniberS is, of course, direct evidence of their satisfactory service, and of the fact that their original owners have found them indispensable. The better the model, the more has this' applied.
. The Need Tor Expert Inspection.
Circumstances have now arisen, however, which are well known to most of our readers, and which have entirelja.:Medified the market conditions. It is impossible to purchase, at short notice, the products of 16 or more famous British factories ; others in this country are more than busy with orders from allied Governments. Not every one can wait, even if he cared to for other reasons, for the delivery of an American-built "truck" A great many of the usersof. this country have Tlfair arrived at that stage when, having taken into their business organization one or more-commercial-motor vehicles, they find it extremely hard to " make good" in some other way while 'deprived of this portion of their business machinery, even if only temporarily. Something must be acquired to take the place of the impressed machine, and this has led to the creation of
" certain liveliness" in the second-hand market. This journal has, for a number of years. held at the disposal of its friends the services of a number of in e8 spectiag engineers of undoubted integrity and capacity, all of them men whose judgment can be relied upon as not being biased in any way whatever. As a consequence, those who have thought fit to take advantage of these services, have been enabled to secure entirely unprejudiced reports as to the condition and value of second-hand models.
Our Own Inspection and Trial Department.
We have never regarded this department as a profit-earning one, and have made it our practice only to charge such fees as will form proper remuneration_ for the time expended by these skilled assistants and . associates of ours. That such facilities have been found invaluable in the past our own books adequately prove.
Now that the demand for second-hand vehicles is so much. keeper than it has been for years past, owing to the circumstances we have mentioned, we are receiving daily an increasing number of requests for the services of our inspecting engineers, and we would, therefore, request that any of our readers who desire to take advantage of the precaution, by having any machine they contemplate purchasing properly "vetted" by a competent man, should make application for his services to the Editor of this journal in ample time to secure appointments.
A Warning Note to Purchasers.
We would conclude with a note of serious warning, if it be still needed, to those who are inclined to be tempted by exceptionally low prices that are quoted from time to time for models which are lightheartedly scheduled as commercial-vehicle chassis. It is not to be expected that the user is acquainted with the peculiarities of construction, or individual and detailed failures that have characterized the hundred.s of models to which this industry has given birth during the past ten years. Any approximation to standard was impossible in the earlier stages of development. Would-be purchasers of second-hand models are warned not to neglect the precaution which we suggest. Our own organization exists to help in such cases solely. There are, of course, independent inspecting engineers who.will,,just as usefully, serve the purposes we have in mind, and we are happy to recommend such men as alternatives, should it be desired. It is immaterial to us whose services are secured, so long as we are satisfied that users are not risking disappointment and oftentimee very considerable financial loss by acquiring out-of-date models, of whose defects and history they know little. There are often excellent bargains to be picked up in the second-hand market, but there are many bad ones to be avoided. Iii order to assist in respect of preliminary inquiries as to suitability of type, quite apart from condition of individual machines, we are always happy to answer promptly and, of course, gratuitously any inquiries which may be addressed to us with respect to second-hand offers. In all such cases, the fullest possible particulars both of the. machine and the services which it to effect with it should be set out for our information. We shall continue to spare no pains to insure that, owing to the present curtailment of new vehicle supplies, a crop of unhappy experience.s shall not accumulate as the resell of the acquisition of old machines. of .which the shortcomings P‘-e, of course: not necessarily advertised by the would-he seller. It is necessary for an exnert to aseerfain that, either free, his own knowledge or by careful and informed inquiry. We exist, in part, to protect.