1932-03-10 — Page 11

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1932.

THE FREE MOTOR SERVICE.

COLLISION OF INTERESTS.

Its Cost and Where It Falls.

THE

CHINA MAIL.

MOTORISTS THIS IS YOUR PAGE

WORLD'S MOTOR POPULATION.

UNITED STATES FIRST.

Interesting Comparison Of Motorised Nations,

The last es-

highways in the world, not includ-| ing the mileage of city streets. America (North, Central, and (South), with a total area of 15,666,- 668 square miles, had r total mileage of 3,795,156 of auch high- ways, and an area of 4.1 square miles to a mile of road.

Interesting Comparisons. Europe had 2,453,094 miles of road, and an агад of 10,311,084 square miles, the proportion being 4.2 square milos to a mile of road.

difficulties for which the owner is lacks the knowledge to perform for) not altogether to blame.

himself. If he is charged on all The same problems surround the these occasions, or even on many of cheap motor-bicycle. A certain fac- thern, he will conceive a violent dis- tory, which annually sells for more like for the, retailer. Supposing he pedal-cycles than motor-cycles, main- Nourishes in his career and present. tains a separate repair departmently orders a motór-car, he will pro- for each type of vehicle. The pedal- bably display his resentment by cycle repair corner is run by one placing his order with another deal. mian, who is often at liberty to apply er. Consequently the original re- his surplus energy to other work. tailer will perform many of these The motorcycle repair department casual services gratis. To keep his Recent developments in the motor is normally staffed by a foreman, customer in a good temper he will

An interesting comparison of the business have thrown into relief a four wall-paid mechanics, and some drop whatever he is doing and in-degree to which motoring has been rather important matter in which unskilled labour. These men mere-terview him personally. If the the interests of retailer and usermitted for overhaul or repair; after take men off other work, derange has been prepared.

ly strip machines which are sub- customer's needs are urgent he will adopted by the nations of the world collide rather heavily. Motorists stripping the various components the routine

of his workshop, and timate of the total number of motor Australia, New Zealand, and the always welcome any reduction in the are distributed to the appropriate possibly

annoy other clients who vehicles in the world was made at islands of the Pacific ware group- cost of vehicles,

shops in the main factory. It fol have to be kept waiting. At the the end of 1930 by the National ed as having 280,860 miles of read Retailers resent

lows that a good motor-cycle de end of three months the sale of the sach reductions when they cut the mands for more service than a good ultra-cheap motor-cycle may even Automobile Chamber of Commerce to 3,121,715 aquare miles of terri- price of a new motor-car or motor-

show a clear loss to the retailer; in the United States, which showed tory, proportion of 8.2 square cycle to a small sum. To quote ac-

Pedal-Cycle and Motor-Cycle. and he may or may not recoup such that there then were 35,603,000,

miles to a mile of road. Imagine that two men enter a loss later on by selling a more ex-

with Compared tual examples, the retailer dislikes, provincial cycle and motor agency. pensive vehicle

the national to his customer. made up of 29,766,985 cars, 327,517

wealth of the various countries, the £100 car. If he sells a 40-h.p. Each carries a cheque book. One of Consequently the sale of cheap cars, motor buses, 5,508,674 motor trucks, Great Britain has a per capita figure vehicle at £3,000 he has only to them signs a cheque for a first-class and more especially of cheap motor-the proportion to the world's popu- of £560-1,427,826 motor vehicles, please a single client, and the actual pedal-cycle of the luxurious type, cycles, is hampered by the verylation being one motor vehicle (ex-and eight automobiles to every mile vehicle will be no perfectly designed G. B. in the Manchester Guardian to push either type of vehicle with cluding motor cycles) to 56.1 per-ure £500 26,658,450 motor vehicles of roads. The United States figures and beautifully made that the cus- The other signs a cheque for an real energy.

(according to another authority, tomer is unlikely to give him any identical sum in return for one of Incidentally it is noteworthy that

The most heavily motorised na- which probably gives later figures the new "Snowden" miniature on the Continent these reluctances trouble at all. But if A similar motor-cycles. The repairer takes find no substantial parallel. The tion was, of course, the United than those previously quoted), and

8.8 to every mile. turnover of £3,000 is obtained by an approximately equal commission small Continental retaller worke States. In that country there were selling thirty small cars the retailer on both sales, but he does not reap much harder than his British coun- 22,951,847 cars, 95,400 motor bases, £300, her motors number 1,296,167, France's per capita wealth is must bandle thirty different custom-a similar profit on the two deals. terpart. He pays his mechanics

As a good business man he It is perfectly possible that he will lower wages, and his other overhead and 3,476,532 motor trucks, making an average of 3.2 per mile of roads; must go out of his way to grapple not see the buyer of the pedal-cycle charges are usually in similar pro- a total of 26,523,779 motor vehicles, vehicles, and three per mile: Italy's Germany's £200-642,500 motor each of them to his heart with links for a couple of years; and when portion. On the other hand my in or one to evry 4.6 persone. Bri- £160-293,215 motor vehicles, and of steel. Some of them will cer that customer returns he will pro-formation is that in Continental tain was credited with 971,986 cars, 2.5 per mile; and Australia's 2500 tainly be difficult to please. Few bably

return only to buy a new countries the retailers are less

ers.

pedal-cycls.

priced at fifteen guineas, writes pardonable reluctance of the retailer

Jons.

of them will be expert, and a cer- tyre, and will gladly pay a small rigidly organised, and a good many 44,115 motor buses, and 292,171 521,064 motor vehicles on June 80 Jast, and 1.5 to overy mile of roads. tain percentage, in addition to prov- extra fee to have it fitted. But the of the miniature motor-bicycles are motor trucks, a total of 1,308,272 ing very exacting, will treat their buyer of the motorcycle will be per-sold by "dabblers"-ie, private in-motor vehicles, or one to every 27 to road mileage is in Hawail, with The greatest percentage of cars machines badly and take offence if petually on the agent's doorstep, dividuals and traders in other lines their blunders cost them money, sometimes just to seek information of business, who pocket a small com-persons, and Australia to 442,151 45,044 vehicles to 1,717 toiles of road, or about 50,106 vehicles, aver- Moreover, the actual vehicles, not on some little point which is bother-mission on the sale, but offer no cars and 124,869 trucks (this protaging 25 to a mile; Siam, 7,550 cars, being in the same class as a £3,000 ing him, but more often to order real service facilities.

ably including motor buses), a total 11.6 per mile; and the Canary ear, are likely to occasion little some little adjustment which he (Continued at foot of next column.) of 567,020 motor vehicles, or one to Islands, 5,790 vehicles, or 20.8 to

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The same authority shows that there were at the time the report was compiled 7,947,000 miles of

Penalty of the System,

It is clearly undesirable that the marketing of cheaper utilities should be obstructed; and the pro- blem is entirely due to the custom of expecting a certain amount of free service from the retailer. If he could pocket his percentage on the sale of a £100 car or a £20 motor-bicycle, and charge a reason. able fee for all future attentions to the customer, the difficulty would be met. It is all a matter of atmos- phere and of standardising sound customas. At one time this free ser- vice included the collecting of the car at the factory and its delivery free of charge to the buyer. To-day the trade has managed to eliminate this bad custom, and a delivery fee is charged to every customer. (In |actual fact, extortion is not wholly unknown in this item. A neighbour of mine was charged £3 for the delivery of his new car a few weeks ago, and the actual cost consisted of two gallons of petrol, a 145. rail- way ticket, and six hours of the driver's time).

Similarly the remedy for the cancellation of retail commissions by excessive free service resta wholly in trade hands. The strong- er retailers have already acted, They will do nothing for nothing, and not too much for pay. But the country abounds in short-sighted dealers, who cut their own throats in the endeavour to steal business. If a customer approaches them · In search of an exchange deal, they will allow him £10 more for: his old car than it is worth, which is tantamount to sharing their com misalon with him, or selling him a new car at £10 below Hat price. Human nature being what it is the private owner searches for such men, and prefers to deal with them The same dealer will briba" This cilents by giving them free service which costs him pounds. But in the long run be not only im- | poverishes himself and robs his brother retailers but actually weakens the Industry. It is be cause of such men that the cheap. car was so alow in" arriving"and the che motor-bicycle 8 Calling 90

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