Economical Motoring.

Progress, Volume I, Issue 10, 1 August 1906, Page 281

Economical Motoring.

REMARKABLY LOW , 'RUNNING EXPENSES OF A io-12-H.P. " ARGYLL."

About a year ago, says The Sketch, of May 16th, 1906, Argylls London, Limited, which is the independent company formed to take over the retailing of Argyll cars in London and a certain distance

the 5,000 miles necessary to qualify for the prize and certificate, and that these will be able to show figures as satisfactory as those here quoted. At the risk of a suggestion that I am dwelling at too great a length upon one subject, I shall venture to give the items making up this total amount of us, 3d. Expenditure: petrol, 310 gallons, £11 7s. 2d. ; engine oil, 13 gallons, £2 1 os. ; machine oil, 10s. ; grease and paraffin, 4s, 3d. ; paste, dusters and waste, 13s. 9d. ; renewals, 4 sparking plugs, 6 valve springs, 1 fan belt, 2 ball races, £2 9s. iod. ; repairs and adjustments, £6 1 6s. 6d. ; sundries, 19s. 9d. ; total, us. 3d. Other amounts given, which clearly cannot be put to running charges, are tyre, one inner tube (not used) £1 14s. ; sundries, oil-can, is. 6d. ; 1 spoke brush, 2s. 6d. ; hose for garage, £1 ; 1 second-hand accumulator, 10s. No figures are set down for charging accumulators, as they were charged from the firm's electric light installation.

round, were, in the person of their chairman and managing director, Mr. Eustace H. Watson, seized of an idea — to wit, to offer a prize of five pounds and a certificate to any paid driver of an Argyll car who had driven his car five thousand miles at a minimum cost for fuel, repairs, etc. The first claim has been made by W W. Parks, a driver m the employ of Messrs. McDowall, Stevens and Co., who ran a 10-12 horse-power two-cylinder Argyll car for the conveyance of their travellers in and about London. The figures as detailed hereafter, show a total expenditure of us. 3d. so far as actual running costs go. This works out at i.i Bid per mile, while the petrol consumption is at the rate of 16.74 miles per gallon. The major portion of this tour of 5,000 miles odd has been covered over London streets, which, as is well known to all who drive much in the congested thoroughfares of our overgrown city, cause much waste of fuel by the frequent starting, stopping and declutching they necessitate. Under such circumstances it cannot be gainsaid that the figures are very creditable, not only to the driver but to the car. This will be readily admitted when I point out that the maximum amount allowed for expenditure by Argylls London to any driver applying for the premium is Mi. Watson informs me that there are a number of drivers in charge of both two and four cylinder Argylls who are almost on the point of completing