Opinions from Others.
Page 17
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Steel Double-Deckers..
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[12:19j Sir,—I notice the article on " Steel DoubleDeckers " in your issue of 4th inst., which heads one to suppose that a steel bodyof the type described is quite the latest thing in om.nibus construction. have, however, seen a body in use by the PrivateHire Dept., of the L.G.O.0 and built in their own wmks, to, I understand, their own designe,. which contains all the principal points of Mr. Hewer's designs. This body, I understand, was built two years ago.
I do not, write this in depreciation of Mr. Hewer's skill, but merely to show that the design is not. novel. —Yours faithfully, • Puelete SERVICE. Baron's Court.
Petrol 17 m.p.g. Benzoic 27 m.p.g.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1240] Sir,—Referring td question No. 1.236 (A. Cross) in your last issue, the two following compari
sons may give him some idea of the difference obtainable in mileage as between petrol and benzoic, ; both journeys were run on bright days with dry reads. If anything there was more wind on the day we used benzole.
The vehicle was a 10-12 h.p. converted chassis with von body, there was one passenger. and load of about 4 cwt. between Ripon and Leeds, a distance of
P7 miles out and home. We used three gallons of best Shell spirit, and made an average .of 19 miles to the gallon. The same van running on benzole with no alteration to the carburetter ran between Ripon and Cateliffe, near Rotherham, with three passengers and load of about cwt., a distance of 1:35 miles on five gallons of benzole, or an average of 27 miles to the I have given you the names of the towns, so that your correspondent A. Cross can, if he cares, look up the contours of the roads, which, he will find, include a few steep and dangerous hills.--Yours J. H. MrereALFE. Ripon.
Where Can I Deal?
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1241] Sir,—Re your article "Where Shall T Deal? " We, as agents, have tried several times to do business -with commercial-car users, but in almost every case have found that the user could get all his requirements supplied at trade price, therefore, we have for the present, stopped wasting valuable time. Not until the existing methods of the wholesale houses are a,Itered shall we reconsider the matter—Yours faithfully, G. T. TAYLOR.. Westerham.
The Views of a Sunderland Agent.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
rie242.] Sir,—I have read the article entitled " Where
Shall I Deal ? " in your issue of the 7th Angest, and, whilst there is a good deal of troth in it, T cannot help thinking that the legitimate trader, so far as commercial work is• concerned, has many grievances against the manufacturer. This question :raises many p pints., There may be many in the trade, who do nothing for the profit they wish to claim, but there are many, like myself, who have done a great deal of work in the past, 'in connection with commercial vehicles, who have lost money in that endeavour without any sym pathy or consideration from the manufa turers. There is no doubt that. each side has its grievances. I shall ignore all our early treatment from the commercialvehicle manufacturers and only give two instances.
1. was in touch with a very large firm for some years respecting petrol vehicles, and after doing a good deal of foundation-laying and ether work in connection with this firm, I find, lb months later, that another local firm has supplied this firm with the exact vehicles which I had been recommending ; in fact, the firm had adopted all the tines that. I had laid before them, and they placed the order with this other local firm vdio had—so far as we are aware—done nothing, and who had nor any pretensions to be fairly in the motor trade. On making inquiries, I found that this local firm, on the strength 1-)-f these orders, advertised themselves as agents for this particular vehicle, and that. they had supplied the vehicles at practically cost price to get an introduction
on into the commercial business. approached the
firm from whom I had been trying so long to get an order, with respect to another maker's vehicles, as they were going in for some more petrol wagons. Knowing the example this firm had been set, I thought I would not be cut out in offering to supply them with a margin of 2'; per cent. profit left to myself, but judge my astonishment when the principal of the
rin showed me a letter from the motor-vehicle m•anufacturer offering him five per cent. more than I had, which was actually 9', per cent. better terms than the
manufacturers offered me. Further, in face of the fact that I was then in negotiation respecting this vehicle, they even took the trouble to send their principal representative to our town to interview this local film with respect to their order, and calmly ignored all our inquiries and letters, although they knew perfectly well that our inquiries and their visit were for the same order. This is the sort of treatment that has been meted out all along the line on the north-east coast district. How any manufacturer can pose to be treated badly by the agents, in face of many similar cases that. I can quote in this district, is beyond me.
Another case I can quote you of having made all arrangements with regard to fitting a. set of tires on the vehicle of another large local firm. After arranging price and everything with them, I happened to introduce the manager of the tire firm to the responsible party .of this local firm. That finished the transaction so far as I was concerned, as• the next I heard was that this firm had an extra discount. quoted, and that they had handed the order over to the tire firm.
My opinion of the commercial section of the motor trade is that their code of honour must have been copied from the captain of " The Forty Thieves." It is all very well for the manufacturers to assert in defending their policy that the agents want to do nothing but take the profit. I have no doubt that there are such agents, but I also know that. there are others who have put a great amount of ground work in the commercial side of th.e business for a great number of years back, and who have never reaped a penny profit. I think just the reverse, as it has cost them money. I am also convinced that the manufacturers will find agents indispensable in the rear future, as they are bound to realize that the agents on the spot, with their local knowledge and intimate associations with the principles of the big firms, are necessary assets to further this section of the business. There are an add few commercial firms who have, practised this for years and found it very much to their advantage, as their trade to-day will show.
I am sure I express the opinion of other agents, who, like myself, do not unfortunately—although we would much like no to do—represent such firms. Should the manufacturers in the future have sound agents •arid straightforward policies, the new business they .are bound to get is an assured fact. Time alone ca•n verify that conviction, and Ow sooner the commercial trade is purged of the abuses of the illegitimate trading that has, and is being done, the better
it will be for it.—Your faithfully, FRED TURVEY. Holmesid..e Garage, Sunderland.