THIS YEAR'S NEW CAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 231, 30 September 1930, Page 16

THIS YEAR'S NEW CAR.

TOURING, SALOON, OR SUNSHINE? CARE NEEDED IN PURCHASING(By "AUTOSCRIBE.") (All Eights Reserved.) Reading advertisements for used cars which have done but a few hundred to a few thousand wiles brings home forcibly tile fact that many people buy cars without giving sufficient time in considering exactly what they want, and thus get machines that do not give them the type of service they expect. Between now and the end of the year several thousand new cars will go out to proud owners in the Dominion. In normal years close on 7000 care arc sold during the last four months of the yeai - , but it is hardly to be expected that sales will be as great this year. Irrespective of the number sold, however, the fact remains that by the end of the sunimei an appreciable number of the people whe bought those ears will be dissatisfied and will be trading them in for-other model* or other makes, and thus adding considerably to their motoring expenses. Where money is no object such extravagance does not matter greatly, but as most cai buyers have to keep the cars for some years, whether they arc satisfied with it or not, it pays to dally long before making the final decision. Size, Weight and Horse-power. The lirst decision to be made is as to size and make, and this will depend on the purpose to which the car is being put

and the purse of the buyer. It is safe to predict that there will be certain definite trends this year, partly because of the much-stressed need for economy, and partly on account of the steadily improving roads. It seems certain, for instance, that the remarkable popularity of the "baby" size cars will continue, and probably increase, and that the proportion of sales of lower-priced cars will be greater than in previous years. At one stage during the last few years there seemed a definite trend to the six-cylindered car, but the present year's figzures show that this is not now the case. Broadly speaking, care are divided off into price classes, and those within (say) the £250- £300 class are comparable. Some, of coiirse, offer much better value than others, while servicing facilities are a point that should not be overlooked. ! The ability to secure spare parts and satisfactory service when far away from the home town are two things the value of which cannot be overestimated. The first thing to decide, to my mind, is the exact amount you are prepared to spend. If that amount is small, it may well be worth while going into the question as to whether a really good secondhand car might not. be better 'value and give you more satisfactory service than a cheap new car. Having once decided that you can spend no more than £200 or £300 or' £400, as -the case may be, I think - you. should L stick to your' idea through thick and thin. Pick out all the cars in that price class and make your selection from them,'and don't be induced to spend £100 or more above the price you can really afford. There's no point in having an expensive car you are almost afraid to use. - . . Cash or Ti'ne Payment? Once again the length of the purse comes into it, for if you have the cash •available it is always very much cheaper to pay. cash. Credit, is bought and sold just the same as anything else, and when you have an overdraft the bank charges you from 6 to 7 per cent. Credit for motor car buying is dearer because there is a greater element of risk about the transaction, and although it may not look as if you are paying a high percentage, credit buying of ; cars necessitates fairly substantial interest. However, if you can well afford to pay the necessary instalments out of income, you will be able to have the use of car much sooner than if you saved up the needed cash, and you will bo amongst the great majority, who feel that it is better to buy on time payment than wait until enough cash is saved up—if ever. Time payment becomes r.n evil only when it induces people who cannot afford to have cars, to buy them. It has a, great many advantages, and has. given satisfaction to thousands of buyer 3 for years.

I mentioned earlier that I thouglit the first point to be decided was the amount you were prepared to spend on a car. At first sight you would think that was what everyone would do, hut I have found from inquiries I have made myself that this is not so. People who would ordinarily buy a, car at from £230 to £300 will often buy a £400 car on time payment. They forget that it is never sound to spend more than can absolutely be afforded, and that they would have been better off with the £300 car, and the extra money later. The Body Type. Where most buyers fall down, though, ie in the type of car they select, and it is here that the greatest judgment is needed, so that you will be certain of securing the car that will give you the best possible service. There are now three types from which you can choose, the ordinary closed car, the closed car with "sunshine" top,' and the tourer or open car. The numbers of these sold have been steadily decreasing, and it is a well-recognised fact that they are harder to sell when second-hand than are closed care. The dearer they were in the first place, the greater the depreciation. There is, however, one exception to the rule about tourers, and that is in the case of "baby" cars. Here they are quite popular, and do not chow the same ratio of depreciation. A motoring friend who owns a "baby" tourer, and who goes camping a lot, says that the baby saloons are hard to pack, but that with the tourer it is easy to throw back the hood, pack in the luggage, and put the hood up again. The "sunshine" saloon is a:i English idea, duo probably to the fact that sunshine is precious in England and that the motorist wants to get all he can. It has all the advantage's of the closed car, but, as a portion or all of the top is easily removable, it has also the advantages of the open car. Only a

limited number of cars can be obtained with the "sunshine" hood, but the numbers are increasing, and it certainly looks as if it is going to be an increasingly popular feature as the years go by. A car that combines the advantages of both closed and open models is certainly a desirable type. The Closed Car. Unless there is a definite reason why you want an open car, it is good advice to suggest the purchase of a closed car. These comprise by far the greatest number of cars sold in New Zealand to-day, and they have steadily increased in popularity year by year. Their resale value is almost invariably higher than that of an open car, and, while they may be a bit stuffy in the hottest of summer weather, they are ideal for the wintry conditions that make open car travelling so unpleasant. If you are keen on camping and have the idea of using the car to sleep in when touring, it' is often possible to have the seats altered for very little, and make the front seat fit back to the rear seat, forming a useful bed. These are the things that., want deciding at the time of purchase, for it is always easier and cheaper to have them done then than later. If more people thought out these ideas before purchasing, there would be fewer "snips" for those who are prepared to buy a car that has done only a few thousand miles.