Correspondence.
Page 22
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The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects comnected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be on one side of the paper only, and type-written by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for the views expressed is accepted.
A Reduction in Price of Tires.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—We have noticed a paragraph in last week's issue of your journal concerning a reduction in the price of motor omnibus tires, and, while we admit it is possible to make a slight reduction in price, at the same time we do not think it possible to bring the price down to the figure nnticipated by you. Of course, it is always possible to obtain a second or third-rate article at a cut price, and no doubt this will be done by seine firms, but goods of the very best quality, such as motor-omnibus companies require, cannot be sold at this figure.Your faithfully,
THE PETER UNION TYRE Co. R. Bock-FAR:Fur.
6, Upper Saint Martin's Lane, W.C.
.18th February, 19°8.
Esti:aates of Running Costs for Commercial Motor Vehicles.
The Editor, `g THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—In the joint interests of commercial motor vehicle manufacturers, and all that large circle of "probable buyers" who are considering the experiment of motor traction in their business, and who therefore eagerly scan every catalogue they can for figures in connection with " costs," I desire to draw attention to the absurd " theoretical " estimates of running expenses given by some manufacturers and agents. The compilers of certain statistics in catalogues
that have been recently brought under my notice, appeared to be under the delusion that some business men buy commercial motor vehicles for the sole purpose of loading them up to their maximum limit, and then sending them out to run as many miles per day as possible. The calculations being based on practically fixed standing charges, it is only necessary to force up the miles run under a full load in order to force down the cost per ton-mile. The gentlemen in question had taken full advantage of this simple process, but did not think it necessary (or desirable) to point out that, if the vehicle had to return empty the same distance as it went outward with full load, the cost per ton-mile would be practically doubled.
In other instances which have been brought under my notice, the cost of tires upon lorries for two-ton loads has been put at too low a figure. I should like to be able to buy tires for such lorries which will cost considerably less than lid. per mile, and I wish any readers who have got appreciably lower than that figure would inform me how it is done, and from whom the tires were purchased.
I feel that a strong endeavour should be made on the part of the trade to give only fair and average figures, even if only for the fact that rosy statements or inaccurate costs will always come home to roost. Personally, I should not care to have to face a customer whose running costs had come out at about double the figures upon which I induced him to buy. This, however, is only the personal clement ; a far more important factor to the trade generally is the " once bitten twice shy '' man for he is invariably a good conversationalist.
Unfortunately, over-zealous salesmen of pleasure cars have already made many people say that "All men (in the motor trade) are --," and it behoves manufacturers and agents to see that the same is not said in connection with the commercial motor vehicle trade. There is no need for over statement or misrepresentation of any sort ; the claims, the absolutely, bare honest claims of the commercial motor vehicle are undeniable and are quite sufficient.
The publishing of stupid " alleged statistics " can, and will, only bring the manufacturers into the ridicule of friends, and ill-odour with their customers.—Yours " UNVARNISHED."
Demonstration Difficulties in the U.S.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—Touching on the use of worm gear, I should like to draw the attention of your readers to a record of a recent performance of a worm-driven wagon in the United States, if I may venture to trespass on your valuable space to a sufficient extent. The demonstration to which I am about to allude was enacted under the most trying conditions, and affords a good example of the difficulties to be faced by those who attempt trial trips in the States. It was carried Out with a 20h.p., 3ocwt., Mitchell, petrol lorry, which ran from Racine, Wisconsin, to New York, a distance of 1,168 miles. This was accomplished at an out-of-pocket cost of ,4:,7 37s. 8d., or ,o6746d. per mile, the items being as follows : 8d. 132 gallons of petrol ...5 55 132 gallons of petrol ...5 55
16 gallons of lubricating oil ... 8s. 10 lb. of grease ... 4s. ad.
ad.
Total... 7 17s. 8d.
I do not contend for a moment that a regular service could be run at such a small cost over such a distance, as wages, repairs, storage, etc., would figure in the subsequent table of costs, but the above results are interesting. The lorry was taken from the stock of the Mitchell Motor Car Company, of Racine, Wisconsin, and was in no particular way prepared for the hardships it was about to encounter. It was loaded with an overload to the extent of so per cent., and dispatched with a driver and observer in very heavy weather. When travelling through New York State, the driver was informed that it had been raining continuously for 21 days, and numerous pleasure cars were encountered laid up by the roadside owing to the fearful condition of the highways, which in places were so bad that planks were requisitioned for the machine to run on, while the mud reached the hubs in many places. In Toledo, and from there on to New York, the greater part of the road was under repair, so that numerous detours were made down ill-paved and difficult byways. After the trial the usual performance was gone through of dismantling the machine, and examining the parts, which I am informed were in good condition. Many people in this country regard American commercial vehicles as freaks, and I think it may be of general interest to bring this performance to their notice, as it goes to prove that, although the electric truck is a great favourite in the States, really good and serviceable petrol vehicles are being produced, especially by the makers in question, whose lorry ran for the whole distance with an average of 8.848 miles to the gallon of fuel, and 73 miles to the gallon of lubricating oil.—Yours faithfully,
" A.E.A.M.T."