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MOTOR CAR SALESMEN
Comments And Criticisms
Each year for longer shan r ear recail I have from time to time received letters from readers commenting upon the inability of salesmen in motor agents' showrooms to provide information of a technical character concern- ing the cars they are expected to sell Some of my motoring acquaintances have given volce, to similar criticism, writes a corres- pondent,
I have gained the impression-.. though I cannot confirm it-that these criticisms have bech In- creasingly numerous of late years. Be that as it may, my correspond- ents, and friends have nöt lafre- quently compared the salesmen of motor agents with the attend- motor at the stands of ants manufacturers at the Olympla and Scottish shows, who have à reputation-those at Olympla, at all events of being more familjar with the latest fashions in men's clothing than with the details of the cars around which they stand with an air of boredom!.
For the moment I am not in- tending to suggest whether or no I agree with criticisms of, the kind mentioned, but to give fur- ther details of the indictment as set forth by the critics. The lat- ter. I may say, are almost invar- tably motorists with experience of cars extending over a number of years.
These people contend that the average motor salesman is quite incapable of replying intelligently or informatively to questions that are quite naturally and properly asked by any experienced owner-` driver when he is inspecting a new car with a view to purchase.
Technical Factors
One of my correspondents sald that two salemen, on different oc- casions when he inquired whe- ther the brakes of a car he was Inspecting had self-energising shoes, gave him such a look of as might, perhaps, amazement
have been expected if he had - quired as to the tensile strength of the rear axle drive-shafts.
In
one case, I was told, the salesman confessed to ignorance on the point, while in the other instance. the reply had no bearing at all upon the question.
While I hesitate to put up a motor defence of wholehearted car salesmen--for I have myself came across some examples who did not seem to know anything about cars that could not be.pick- ed up by a raw novice in a few weeks driving experience-I con- sider that the critics are unfair in labelling alike all or even a large percentage of these men." As my own experience shows, there are some who are both uninform- ed and uninformative, and it may e that some motor agents hold the same opinion as that I heard expressed by an American mowr manufacturer whom I met a year or two back in London-viz., that a good salesman can sell anything for private use from a box of pins. to a motor car or a houseful of furniture, and that the less he knows about the technicalities of the goods he has for sale the greater the likelihood of his secur- ing orders.
Lè ime give an instance of what I have in mind. A few inunthe ago I was at a certain factory iri the English Midlands where a re- nowned make of car is: mant- factured. I was there to see a rew model and it was being : shown and its features explained to me by quite an important tech- nical oficial,
..
When I was about to finish my inspection I felt very unimpress-. ed; it seemed to me to be a very "ordinary" car, with nothing of special appeal to the "owner- driver. But just then another,
the staf technical member of came along, and within five min- utes he had made me relatively'. enthusiastic about the new model, He had no more practical or tech- nical knowledge than the other man but he had the ability, which the other man lacked, of realising what would appeal to me as the self-appointed representative of a multitude of owner-drivers form- Ing the potential buyers of this type of car.
I have often found that neither the undiluted technicians of a factory nor the representatives or the sales department are "those best able to arouse the greatest in- terest in new models; rather are the official of the service depart ment better able to do so, for these men are closer in contact with owner-drivers.
Practical Information Actually, it is not "technical" information that the experienced motorist seeks and sometimes falls to obtain from the er Lales- man; it is information of a prac- tical character. The majority of potential car-buyers admittedly have more direct interest in seat- ing and luggage accommodation. riding comfort, ease of entry and exit to and from the seats, colour options, petro consumption, tax rating, and equipment
But while the salesman must naturally be able to talk about such matters Informatively and intel- ligently, he ought also to be able to reply with equal facility - qucations regarding mechanical"
details W
Moreover, he ought to be able to interest the non-technical per- son in the features of design that offer advantages to the novice and; the expert driver alike; I have in mind such features as automatic and dual-automatic ignition con- ̈ trol, thermostatic water tempera- ture control, pre-selective gears' as opposed to synchromesh or a free-wheel, or vice-versa, hydrau- Itc and mechanical brakes and caster and non castër steering.
All these and various other mat- ters are of direct interest to the car buyer, while the points-for and against four and six cylinders and the relationship-or lack of it-between cubic capacity and tax rating, for example, are sub- jects concerning which informa- en, imparted to the prospective buyer, may not merely influence orders but may actually assist the buyer to decide as to the model. that will suit his purpose best.
ON THE ROAD
I have driven silent cars and I have driven cars of high speed, and vivid acceleration; until last week-end I did not know that a car of such performance as the Bentley could be so uncannily quiet and effortless all the time writes a correspondent."
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 1935.
MOTOR JOTTINGS
THE MOTOR CAR HORN
As A Safety
Device
A correspondent in a London dally writes:-
CARS OF TO-DAY
Hillman Minx
It run at about 1,000 to 1.500 ram- that is, fast enough to The Hilman. Minx de luxe sa- loon attracts at sight by its neat-
ness and improves on acquain- tance by its performance. For its runnlag, design, and equipment It is inexpensive to buy, and in its latest form has been improved.
About a year ago the transport manager of a large Birmingham concern carried out a test the results of which are of special Interest in view of the renewed motoring controversy.
The four-seated six-alde-win- The The average time for the jour-dow body gives comfort. ney between Birmingham and
"front seats are adjustable. Each the London depot was known to
door has a full-width silp pocket; in Ee be just three hours.
two useful cupboards are in the structed his drivers to make the
dash. The rear door has wells. trip for a week without touching
but they are not deep and alope their hooters The average time.
up towards the front. The roof was increased by only 15 minutes,
slides and a visor is attached to and the manager, who accom-
the fixed part in front. There panied one driver, said, he had
are dual electric wipers, the front never" experienced a less fatigu-
windows have draughtless ven- ing journey. Whether the driver
tilating sections, and there are agreed is not on record.
ventilators in the sides of the scuttle. The front doors are hing- ed forward, but toe-room is rather- cut down. The driver can get to his seat from the nearside. En- trance behind is rather restricted by the backs of the front seats unless, the seats are slid forward. At the back of the car is the spare painted large hub wire wheel; be- bind it a folding grid. The petrol filler is brought outside the out- swept back panel on the nearside. Tools are under the bonnet. I do not care about the screw bonnet fastener.
It seems to me that the pp- position to 24 hours' Blience zones” is in danger of overstating its case. If the Minister of Trans-
port proposed to declare the horn or any form of hooter legal and forbid fts being fitted to motor vehicles, that would indeed be "criminal folly." But as long as I have a born no law or regula- tion or order or proclamation or anything else the Minister can "invoke will stop me "using it to
•prevent an accident.
Unnecessary Hooting
There is far too much unneces- sary horn-blowing, though much less in Central London than the anti-noise people allege. Let Mr. Hore-Bellsha make a nation-wide appeal for more discrimination In the use of the horn or in- stitute a silence week." which when tried on the Continent usually has lasting effects. local Or, u
authorities get troublesome, let them have their silence zones, with the proviso, implied, or stated, that in real- emergency the horm might' and should be used. The modified han will be respected; an abso- lute ban will Hke the cyclists' re- flectors regulation, be honoured mainly in the breach. The police cannos possibly enforce it.
S
Analyses of Accidents
"Better late than never" is the comment appropriate to the "dis- covery" by the Medical Research Council that certain people. not- ably certain motor drivers, are "accident-prone."
In July, 1932. The Daily Tele- “graph,":"first among the ley-Press recorded the results achieved by accident analysis among large bodies of t.ansport drivers, such as employees of 'bus and tram the United companies, first in States and later in Paris, and the fact therein revealed that 19 out of 20 drivers are reasonably careful, skilful and accident-free, that or put in another way,
total about one-quarter of the number of drivets are responsible for three-quarters of the total number of accidents.
The Obvious. Deduction
Insurance sources then assured me
that American experience our inconsistent with was not
of own. Of the policy-holders one of the biggest syndicates at Ave Lloyd's four out of every qualify for the "no-claim" bonus The Institute of Industrial Pay chology has frequently testified to the same eonclusions, and to my own knowledge at least one high official of the Transport Ministry has held these views for
The first reaction on taking over in a London street was, surprise, that the car should be so utterly simple to control, "dead silent on second and third as on top, and willing to glide along among the heavy traffic as sedately as a Rolls-years past, Royce,
I am not in "big bustness" and never have been, and I make no claim to knowing anything about what is termed the art of sales- manship. But it seems to me that the ideal salesman should know every thing the potential buyer may want to know about the goods the one has to sell and the other may buy. This does not mean that the salesman should bewilder the non-technical buyer by reeling off technical details un- asked, but that he should not be compelled by lack of knowledge to make the technically minded buyer scornful of his capabilities
Out on the open road the Arst and
doubtful concerning the ac-impression is a light disappoint- curacy of his replies to questions ment, until one notes the spec that are answered with seeming dometer reading. There is "sports intelligence and with assurance. performance all right, but with none of its ustál, I would once Ability to Arouse Interest
have said inevitable, accompantin- ents. To move along the road at those speeds with no feeling or hint or breathless haste, but with. instead, the assurance of complete. mastery is exhilarating as it is unusual
I have not, however, set pen to paper with the object of "lectur lng" on salesmanship in general, but to discuss my correspondents' criticisms of motor salesmen If the latter deserve to be criticised as a body it is not so much on a count of their lack knowledge or their inability to provide technical Information by reference literature issued by the car mann facturer, if necessary as by réa son of the inability of some of them to use their knowledge or available Information to good and proper effect.
to
There has just been added to the Bentley a new system of dri- ver-controlled shock-absorber ad- Jstment designed to cope with the varying demands of varying loads and speeds, Spring! such a car must always be promise, apparently at top speed the Bentley could not have been better.
of
com-
2
Fan And Generator
The engine has a simple form of damper on the top of the head at the back; on the front part of the head the combined fan and gen- erator are driven by a V rubber belt. "Forward, on the nearside, are the Aller, which has à breather pipe, the mechanical petrol pump. the ol diprod, the co, and the starter; and, on the dash, the junction boxes for the lights and the fuses and cutout. The water The engine circulates naturally. has side valves, and a three-bear- thermostatic ing crank-shaft; voltage control regulates the rate of charging the battery and pre-" vents over-loading. On the off- side, above the head, are the ver- tleally driven maké-and-break and distributor. The carburettor can be got at; the large air clean- er and silencer is effective. Oll drainage can be done with the Jack handle from the nearside. The gearbox Aller is under car- pets and a screwed tin. cover: The clutch is a single dry plate.
Fear-Forward Speeds
The gearbox contains four, for- ward speeds and synchromesh for all four; the lay shaft is carried on roller bearings. Engine, clutch, and gearbox are held together at three points by "cushioned power". which provides flexibility with rubber. The propeller-shaft has needle roller bearings for the unl versal joints. The hall-floating back axle contains spiral bevel drive. The springs, front and back, are long and fat and half elliptical, and work with double- acting hydraulle shock absorbers; a short leaf. at the bottom in each case helps to stiffen the action when the car carries a full load. The system is called "vari-load springs," no doubt they lessen any tendency to roll or away on cor- ners. Steering is by worm and nut, and right or left hand steer- ing is optional. The four brakes worked. by cables and by pedal or centrally placed hand lever, are duo-servo or self-energizing.
On The Road
The engine is full of life, never Perhaps they will now get more attention from the Minister and lazy even under the most trying conditions, smooth, and quiet. It his advisers, and the very obvious deduction will be drawn that it is
does not feel big, but there is both futile and unfair to go on ample power and speed, and 40 miles an hour on the level ap- piting restrictions and pains and penalties on all motorists indispears to be no effort to the en- criminately, making the many suffer for the faults of the few.
"Reducing Cylinder WeaŸ
these
gipe or to the car. For a unit of this class the balance helped by the flexible mounting and the quietness are praiseworthy. Speed and power are given freely, und No recent subject: In notes has evoked so much corres-acceleration is excellent even on pondence as that of cylindertop under: fair, load. With the wear and the new teaching of very light steering and-all-syn- the tecmisiana in regard to war chromesh change speed, by which ming up. In règesting again their advice to shorten the warming- -up period as much as possible, I should. I think, point out that racing the engine when dead cold. is going to the other
Never let 11 de
really hots When
make
avitate the ammo side shor
it
straight through changes can be made up or down throughout the forward range, confidence and ease are afforded the driver. The
steering is not entirly firm. For instance, I could feel the braking through it as the brakes were not quite balanced or adjusted equal- ly, but the good lock and the fin- ger-light action went far to make up any deficiency in this respect. The clutch is light and worked property. The standing start on third against, the gradient was well undertaken. The change speed lever is central and to hand; it is sprung against reverse and the position is outside those of the forward gears. The gears can be easily and noiselessly engaged and without double-clutching. The brakes, but for the irregular- ity mentioned, were effective, both ways by hand and by foot. The car, for its wheelbase, travels fair- ly smoothly and has stability. The controls are accessible: the dri ver has a reasonable view, though pertaps the pillars are rather thick. The handle of the brake lever might be improved, but it is only for holding the car" station- ary, applying the same lots of brakes as the pedal. The car gets to 50 quite soon and will keep up About 60 55 against the collar. miles an hour is within its com- pass. On second and third 27 and imp.h, can be done;, even at these rates noise is not excessive. The test figures speak for them- selves. On the stretch, where the gradient is against the car and the distance short and where on the day of the trial the breeze was adverse, the 15 miles an hour was increased to 51, the rates on the 1 in 22 Dashwood Hill were 30 and 40, and with a standing start on third at the bottom of the old hill the top was passed at 24. The road was sticky.
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MOTOR NOTES FROM GREAT BRITAIN
London's Latest Firm Float
London's fire fighting equip ment is renowned for its efficiency all the world over and therefore any new developments in this connection are watched with more than ordinary interes
..
B.
A fire float incorporating number of outstanding; features" has just been bullt for the Lon- don County Council and was launched the other day at the yard of J. Samuel White & Co," The Massey" "Shaw. at Cowes
as it has been named, has been designed to pass under al Thames bridges at any state of the tide and will be able to operate both in shallow waters and narrow 'cana'a' Although 78 It. In leugh. the draught is only 3ft 9 in
With a view-to reducing the with when travelling at full speed, tests were carried out at the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington and there have certainly achieved their purpose. for the new vessel creates the The absolute minimum. Wash. ficat is one of the most power- ful in Europe and can throw a 31- in let of water to a height of 250- ft: The propelling machinery con- 'sists of two Gleniffer Diesel en-
gines, arranges
coupling through outches to the turbine fire pumps; the fail speed of the new craft is about 12 knots.."
for
籍
A STREAMLINED FIRE ENGINE
The London Fire Brigade has just taken delivery of its first streamlined
motor all-enclosed pump in which the fire-men are entirely protected against; the weather when travelling to
.. i fire.
This new Denala machine.com- bines a 600-gallon fire pump, a 40 ft. extension ladder, book ladders. oxygen breathing · ap- paratus and quick-laying hose appliance, and marks a big step forward in design. After all, bé- cause at a dreman may get wet through at a fire, that is no reason
why he should not be acorded all possible protection from the weather on his way to it; indeed, his emciency is undoubtedly en hanced by such protectión.
A STURDY VETERAN The acottich city of Dundee recently disposed of a 1914 model Leyland first engine, having ac- quired a modern machine of During Its long similar make. period of service the veteran at- tended literally hundreds of fres in the surrounding district and as a final effort, dealt hergieally with a forest fire near Perth, where. It pumped water COD tinuously for 91 hours. *Its useful life, however, is by по means ended. for the new
owners intend to employ the machine for pumping water on Cruit farms during "dry seasons.
USES OF THE FLYING. BOAT
A Flying-Boat has been ordered
for "by Imperial Airways
the Bermuda-New York' section of the Atlantic airway.
»
It will probably also be useful as a proto-type for the Singapore- Australia route. The special mix- sion now at Sydney is discussing the use of flying-boat for this route.“
Unsympathetic
A young ensign in the Naval war: College in Those United States was given fifteen days' leave on the de- ession of his honeymoon. On the ere of the fifteenth day he wired his Commanding Oficer, 'It'a won- derful here. Request ten days, ex- tension of leave," to which the C.O. replied, "It's wonderful anywhere. Return to ship”.
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