" Second-hand " Pitfalls.
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Advice to Those Who Cannot Afford to Purchase New Machines.
Never, perhaps, on any previous occasion has it appeared to us to be so necessary to offer a few womis of advice, at any rate to those of our readers who are contemplating the making of purchases during the coming Show-time, as in this present issue. We have taken, as " those who run may read " will see, considevable pains EID to mould and classify the contents of this issue as to enable would-be purchasers of commercial motors to make the best use of their time should they decide to pay a visit to the great Show at Olympia, and to enable them with facility to make the choice they wish amongst the great variety of exhibits which will be staged.
What Constitutes a Bargain?
There is always the temptation with a very great number of people to snatch at a bargain, and It is sad to relate that many who are thus in search of cheap experience do not realize what really constitutes a bargain. Very often many of us have learnt that the most expensive is the cheapest in the end, and this is on occasion true of the commercial-motor vehicle as much as of many domestic requirements.
Sudden Obsolescence.
This great industry in which we are all more or less interested has progressed at such a marvellous rate that the sudden obsolescence which has overtaken many well-meant models has been almost tragic. Experience during the past few years, whether it be in regard to passenger conveyance or goods transport, has been of a very harsh kind, but it has, nevertheless, resulted in the rapid elimination of numberless faulty or unsuitable details. This is no reflection on the designers of the early chassis, but it is indeed evidence of extreme rapidity of advance. The result of all this is that, with unforeseen swiftness, there Las been placed on the market. a large number of chassis that were quickly rendered obsolete de facto.
Doubtful Parentage and Shady Record.
Such rapid loss of caste will never, we take leave to suggest, occur again in this industry. Models will become obsolete, but after a much more reasonable interval, and it is likely that proper absorption of second-hand machines, at any rate of the better makes, will offer little difficulty. The present state of affairs is that there are on offer a great many second-hand machines of doubtful parentage and equally uncertain record, and it is in regard to this generally that we would, on this present occasion, when so many of us have our minds set on the acquisition of machines more or less as an experiment, give space to hold a few words of warning. There are second-hand machines worth the buying, it must be understood.
With regard to the pleasure ear, long since discarded by its joy-riding owner, we have no use for any such type masquerading serenely as an industrial vehicle and provided with a body a great deal smarter than the chassis on which it rests. We think very few keen business men, with their eye on the ultimate possibilities of motor haulage in all its many branches, will consider for a moment the pur-. chase of these .eminently unsuitable models, and, therefore, we will waste no more time in respect of them.
There are on offer, however, many superseded 'models with which much experimental work may be done, and, providing a man cannot rise to the purchase of an expensive new machine, sooner than that he should abandon all attempt to ascertain for himself the economical possibilities which will follow such n8 enterprise, we would acquiesce in his buying a suit able second-hand machine, of which the history is ascertainable and not too black, and of which the condition is we will say, from fair to medium. That many a whole-hearted user of modern industrial vehicles has made his first experiments with a secondhand machine we know for a fact, and in tins respect a superseded model may do good work. If it be not selected carefully and " vetted" without fear or favour, however, it may turn many a diligent inquirer after information Into a confirmed anti-industrial motorist.
Get Expert Advice.
In all casee of the purchase of second-hand machines, we strongly recommend the retention of the services of some trustworthy independent engineer of experience. His moderate fees are invariably well earned, and not infrequently does the laying out of such money save the would-be purchasesmany hundreds in cash and hours of anxiety and worry afterwards.
There must be the greatest of care shown in the selection of a suitable load-carrying model. It is no use purchasing a second-hand omnibus chassis to run about with 10 cwt. to 15 cwt. loads, neither must any man in. his senses expect a chassis which has in its previous useful life been employed for transporting a 30-cwt load of grocer's stores as a maximum to tackle the haulage of, shall we say, six tons of load and, in addition, to run on steel tires. Such absurdities need no further comment. They are sometimes found in real life, but not for long.
The Duties of an Inspector.
There must be some true business discretion shown in the matter of choice of model capacity. With regard to the make of machine, this is perhaps best left in the hands of the expert. He it is who should know those machines of which the previous history would hold out no promise of further successful operation. His other duties should comprise the careful examination of every detail on the chassis and the presentation of a. report as to their condition. He should also be asked to advise as to the amount it would be wiss to expend in order to have the machine put into fair running order. He should be asked to say if, in his opinion, for the work intended, it were wiser to employ a chain-driven or a gear-driven model, and to make suggestions as to the suitability of length of wheelbase, sizes of wheels, track and other overall dimensions.
The Spare-Fart Bogey.
Lastly we would add a word or two with regard to the difficulty of obtaining spare parts for ninny of these old chassis. This should be the question which should be taken up very carefully indeed by a buyer with those who have such machines for sale. Obsolete models. are not often afforded the backing of storebins full of spare parts. Patterns have been dsstroyed or lost, and drawings have long since disappeared in many cases. The importance of being able to secure at reasonable prices ordinary replaceinents is paramount to the would-be purchaser of the second-hand machine.
If the,se precautions and others which will suggest themselves on the same lines be taken by the man who cannot reasonably be expected to afford the purchase of a modern high-grade commercial model. whether it be for the carrying of one or five tons of net load, there is no final reason why he should not be encouraged to experiment with a suitably "vetted " and suitably overhauled second-hand machine of known make.