The Economical Employment of Commercial Motors. The Economical Employment of Commercial Motors.
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THERE are many temptations to purchase cheap, second-hand vehicles which may encourage those who are not at present using commercial motor vehicles so to do, but it should be remembered by prospective users that the economical employment of these vehicles depends to a great extent upon their condition when purchased. It is far preferable to buy a new machine at a fair price than a cheap second-hand machine which may always prove itself to be a nuisance.
It must not be thought that we are against the purchase of second-hand machines. Many of these are quite sound, and may have been thoroughly renovated, but we advise caution. It is always better for the purchaser, if he is not thoroughly cognizant with en ineering matters, to obtain exp-ert advice.
ondition is, of course, very important, bat there is another point which must be considered and that is as to whether spare parts will be available in the A32 future. We are continually receiving requests for advice from users as to where they can obtain spare parts for machines the makers of which are either not represented in this country or have ceased to manufacture. In a few cases we can assist, but in the majority we have to advise users to have the parts made locally. This, of course, necessitates considerable expenditure, and may increase the cost of running to such an extent as to render the vehicles unprofitable.
Never be persuaded into buying a machine which is not suitable for the work required. If there is a likelihood of an increase in the quantities of goods which may have to be carried, then it is advisable to purchase a vehicle somewhat larger than is required at the moment ; but an oversized vehicle bought as a bargain may easily prove a very dear one, as it is naturally more expensive to run a, large machine than a small one, and the speed of delivery may also be reduced. In the same way, an undersized vehicle is often overloaded, and it then becomes liable to serious breakdowns. A great deal depends upon the driver—far more, in fact, than many owners appreciate. The drivers should be thoroughly coached in the vagaries of the particular vehicles they drive, and the vehicles should be subjected to critical inspection at frequent intervals, with the twofold purpose of finding points where repairs may be necessary, and seeing that the drivers are kept up to scratch. To secure economical running, vehicles must be kept on the road with full loads as much as possible.