Various Hints.

Progress, Volume VI, Issue 9, 1 July 1911, Page 720

Various Hints.

(Our Californian Correspondent.) Los Angeles, May 20. Buying a Car. A man came into my store the other day and asked me how manufacturers of automobiles classified them according to price. Ibis man wanted to know why it was not just as well for him to buy a car costing from £250 to £3OO as to buy one costing from £350 to £4OO, according to the equipment of the car. I suppose a lot of people ask themselves this same question. It must be puzzling to a man who is just preparing to buy a ear to determine just why he should pay £4O or £6O more for one car than another. Here are a few of the reasons. Certain Standards in Mind. Every person who starts out to buy a motor car should.) have in mind certain standards by . .which to judge a car. Briefly, these are: Simplicity of design, good looks, ease of control, comfort for

both driver and passenger, proper proportion of weight to size and tires, and the factors of safety, which arewheels, frame, brakes and steering connections. Now the reason for buying a car costing from £350 to £4OO rather than one costing from £250 to £3OO is that the cheaper car cannot have the good manufacture, materials, and the good finish of the higherpriced car. The cheaper has what is known as second-grade leather and secondgrade hair in the upholstering. The bodies of cheaper cars are often “dipped” rather than painted. The work on the body cannot be as good. The same highgrade materials and workmanship cannot go into the cheaper car that go into the car costing from £350 to £4OO.

Care Necessary in Washing Cars. Washing a car is not a great stunt, provided one knows how and has the proper equipment to do it, for outside of the added complication of the greasy chassis, the art of washing a car represents the wisdom of ages as handed down to us by the coaehmaker, the coachman and the livery stable-keeper. Now the main requisites in washing a car, especially a new one, are plenty of water, long hose, pail, some good chamois skins and a soft sponge. Mud should be washed off every night when the car comes into the garage, with cold -water freely supplied from the hose. Be sure and let the water soak in well before sponging or wiping it off. The water, of course, must be cold. Nor is it necessary to use soap every time a car is washed, but if need must, a castile or other fine toilet soap is best. Do not let the soap-suds dry on the varnish. After the car has been . well washed with running water it should be rubbed down with 'a clean chamois skin. The chamois should be rinsed and wrung out and made into a smooth pad so that it will take up any water left on the car from the hose or sponge.

It is always well, too, to have two sets of sponges and chamois skins, and two pails, so that the set that is used on the greasy chassis will not come in contact with the finely finished surface of the body of the car. Sometimes, however, after the car has been washed it may look a little greasy. The remedy then is to take a piece of cheesecloth and rub it off.

Do not use any so-called furniture polishes and renovators. They do more harm than good. The best thing to use is the coaehmakers ’ and pianomakers remedy, plenty of cold water and clean chamois skins. The cold water will harden and brighten up the finish and the chamois will do the polishing. Care of Tires. The average motorist has learned by experience to take proper care of the mechanism of his car, but he, too, often neglects his tires. Ordinary care accorded spare envelopes and tubes is good insurance, and will save the motorist , much trouble and money.

A few suggestions at this time regarding the proper care of tires may benefit the reader.

Never carry spare tubes unprotected in the tool-box; they will inevitably come in contact with sharp tools and greasy substances, resulting in their serious injury. It is a well-known fact that oils and grease are deadly enemies to rubber.

Exposure Injures Rubber. Exposure to strong light and varying degrees of temperature is also very injurious to rubber, robbing it of its elasticity and making it brittle. All of these •dangers are overcome by the use of waterproof bags made especially for carrying spare, inner tubes. These are supplied by all accessory dealers. . Motorists sometimes carry spare tubes in the original card boxes. The jolting of the car in motion causes the tubes to chafe against the sides of the boxes, eventually weakening or even wearing away the rubber. Unless the tubes are to be stored in the garage, they should always be taken from the original boxes and placed in tube bags.