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·OCT OBER 19TH, 1907, THE AUTOCAR B 3ournal pubhsbeb in tbe interests of tbe mecbantcall~ propelleb roab carriage. EDITED BY H. WALTER STANER. No. 626. VoL. XIX. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 TH, 1907 . [PRICE 3D. THE A UTOCAR. (Published Weekly.) Registered as a n ~w!="p11per fo r transmission in the United Kingd•~ Entered as second-class matter in the New Yo1k (N.Y. ) Post Office. EDITORIAL OFFICE : COVENTRY. PUBLISHING OFFICES : 20, TUDOR STREET, LONDON, E.C., ENGLAND. CONTENTS. NOTES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • BY MOTOR CAR TO THE SOUTH POLE (ILLUSTRATED\ USEFUL HINTS AND TtPS . . . . RACING AT. BROOKLANDS (ILLUSTRATED) . . THE WEIGHT OF SO~IE ACCESSORIES A TRIP ON THE 40 H.P. DENNIS • • ON THE RoAo. Bv OwEN JoHN . . . . A Goon SHOCK ABSORBER (ILLUSTRATED) • . MOTORING IN THE MALAY STATES • • AN EARLY MOTOR CAR (ILLUSTRATED) . . MOTORING IN CAPE COLONY (ILLUSTRATED) CoNTlNF.NTAL NOTES AND NEWS . . • . • • . . UNIVERSALLY-JOINTED Co:-JNECTING Rons (ILLUSTRATED) • • THE NATURE OF LUBRICATION (ILLUSTRATED) . • THE SIDDELEY MODELS .. LIGHT PISTONS {ILLUSTRATED) THE WEIGEL CAR ADJOURNED . . . • OvERLOADING--THE DE DtoN SPARKING PLUG RACES, RECOP0S, HILL-CLIMBS, AND TRIALS CORRESPONDENCE . . . • • . . • • . LADIES AS MOTOR CAR DRIVERS-THE OLYMPIA Snow CoMBINATI0N GOGGLES-AN EFFECTIVE ROADSIDE REPAIR . . A DRIVE ON THE NEW 30 H .P. SIX·CYLINDER NAPIER .• THE LAW AS TO GIVING INFORMATION . • • • A WELL-DESIGNED CARBURETTER (ILLUSTRATED) FLASHES,, , , , • • , HORSE AND TRAM ACCIDENTS • • A Us&FUL CONNECTOR (ILLUSTRATED) ALL SPEEDS DIRECT (ILLUSTRATED) AMERICAN NOTES • • CLUB DOINGS-REVIEWS • • SOME QUERIES AND REPLIES PA.G t . . 587 . . 588 589 590-592 593·594 , . 594 · , 595 596-597 , , 597 598-599 , , 599 6oo-6o2 . , 602 603-604 . • 605 606-606 . . 6o7 • . 608 .. 608 609- 613 .• 614 614 . , 615 • • 615 . . 616 618-620 . ' 621 '. 621 6,1 . • 622 '' 623 . . 624 "THE AUTOCAR" SUBSCRIPTION RA TES : British Isles, 16s. Abroad (thin paper edition) , 22s. Sd . pe r an num. Notes. 1908 Car Prices. At the present time we find there is a widespread impression amongst automobilists that the prices of all cars next yea·r will be greatly reduced. As we have said before, the motor year may, at any rate so far as new cars and new prices are concerned, be said to date from the Olympia Show each autumn, and the impression is rapidly growing that before the opening of the show some most startling announcements will be made. It is well, therefore, to state plainly that the impression is a wrong one. We do not say that no firms will lower their prices, because some have always done this, and we suppose always will do so at every show, but there are no indications whatever of a general lowering of prices. There is a tendency every year to give better value fo r money, and a very healthy ten- dency, too, but it is no more marked in the case of next year's cars than usual. We can speak w_ith confidence, because we are now compiling our List of Cars for I 908 as announced last week, and we have already received forms filled in by a large proportion of the manufacturers. Up to the present time none of them show any striking reduction in prices. In fact, many show no reduction at all, as we could prove if we were at liberty to divulge the 1908 prices, but as the figures have been given us in confidence for the time being we cannot quote them without committing a breach of faith. This firmness is particularly notable with small and medium-powered cars-that is, cars between 6 h.p. and 25 h.p. Speaking broadly, almost all the reductions have been made in the larger and more expensive types of cars, though here again these reductions are very far from being universal, and all that can be said at the moment is that there is a tendency to reduce the price in certain instances among the really high-powered and costly cars . In the vast majority of instances the JJractice will be to maintain prices but to improve the specification. For instance, cars which have hitherto had three speeds may have an indirect fourth at only a nominal figure extra, or two versions of practically sister models may be made, one considerably more powerful than the other, the main difference being in the engine . Both will have similar chassis, and the extra price for the larger engine will be in most cases extremely reasonable. The successful and up-to-date modeis do not show reductions in prices, but the old unsold models and the more or less unsuccessful types are the ones which appear to have been cheapened, though even in these cases it cannot be said that any striking drops have come to light except in the case of the very large and powerful cars. It would appear, therefore, that those who are deluding themselves with the idea that they will be able to buy really good up-todate cars very much cheaper next year have no grounds for their assumption. This will certainly come as good news to a large number of owners, some of whom have been, not without reason, greatly disturbed in their minds by the rumours which have gained currency, and which, if true, would materially depreciate the value of their cars. In fact, this is one of the things which the owner should bear in mind. Any private owner of a motor car who finds the value of his nearly new car greatly reduced at any time by a tremendous reduction in the manufacturer's prices should very carefully avoid that manufacturer in future, because it will mean that any car which he buys from him may suddenly be greatly depreciated in value. Not only so, but he may safely assume in the majority of instances that unless absolutely fancy prices have been ruling for the car in question a reduction in price means a reduction in quality. It stands to reason, as a manufacturer is in business to make a profit, that unless his pro.fits have been huge he can only make a conspicuous reduction in his prices by cutting the quality of his cars.

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·OCT OBER 19TH, 1907,

THE AUTOCAR B 3ournal pubhsbeb in tbe interests of tbe mecbantcall~ propelleb roab carriage.

EDITED BY H. WALTER STANER.

No. 626. VoL. XIX. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 TH, 1907 .

[PRICE 3D.

THE A UTOCAR.

(Published Weekly.)

Registered as a n ~w!="p11per fo r transmission in the United Kingd•~

Entered as second-class matter in the New Yo1k (N.Y. ) Post Office.

EDITORIAL OFFICE :

COVENTRY.

PUBLISHING OFFICES :

20, TUDOR STREET, LONDON, E.C., ENGLAND.

CONTENTS.

NOTES • • • • • • • •

• • • • • •

BY MOTOR CAR TO THE SOUTH POLE (ILLUSTRATED\ USEFUL HINTS AND TtPS . . . . RACING AT. BROOKLANDS (ILLUSTRATED) . . THE WEIGHT OF SO~IE ACCESSORIES A TRIP ON THE 40 H.P. DENNIS • • ON THE RoAo. Bv OwEN JoHN . . . . A Goon SHOCK ABSORBER (ILLUSTRATED) • . MOTORING IN THE MALAY STATES • • AN EARLY MOTOR CAR (ILLUSTRATED) . . MOTORING IN CAPE COLONY (ILLUSTRATED) CoNTlNF.NTAL NOTES AND NEWS . . • . • • . . UNIVERSALLY-JOINTED Co:-JNECTING Rons (ILLUSTRATED) • • THE NATURE OF LUBRICATION (ILLUSTRATED) . • THE SIDDELEY MODELS .. LIGHT PISTONS {ILLUSTRATED) THE WEIGEL CAR ADJOURNED . . . • OvERLOADING--THE DE DtoN SPARKING PLUG RACES, RECOP0S, HILL-CLIMBS, AND TRIALS CORRESPONDENCE . . . • • . . • • . LADIES AS MOTOR CAR DRIVERS-THE OLYMPIA Snow CoMBINATI0N GOGGLES-AN EFFECTIVE ROADSIDE REPAIR . . A DRIVE ON THE NEW 30 H .P. SIX·CYLINDER NAPIER .• THE LAW AS TO GIVING INFORMATION . • • • A WELL-DESIGNED CARBURETTER (ILLUSTRATED) FLASHES,, , , , • • , HORSE AND TRAM ACCIDENTS • • A Us&FUL CONNECTOR (ILLUSTRATED) ALL SPEEDS DIRECT (ILLUSTRATED) AMERICAN NOTES • • CLUB DOINGS-REVIEWS • • SOME QUERIES AND REPLIES

PA.G t . . 587 . . 588

589 590-592 593·594 , . 594 · , 595 596-597 , , 597 598-599 , , 599 6oo-6o2 . , 602 603-604 . • 605 606-606 . . 6o7

• . 608 .. 608 609- 613 .• 614

614 . , 615

• • 615 . . 616 618-620 . ' 621 '. 621

6,1 . • 622 '' 623 . . 624

"THE AUTOCAR" SUBSCRIPTION RA TES : British Isles, 16s. Abroad (thin paper edition) , 22s. Sd . pe r an num.

Notes. 1908 Car Prices. At the present time we find there is a widespread impression amongst automobilists that the prices of all cars next yea·r will be greatly reduced. As we have said before, the motor year may, at any rate so far as new cars and new prices are concerned, be said to date from the Olympia Show each autumn, and the impression is rapidly growing that before the opening of the show some most startling announcements will be made. It is well, therefore, to state plainly that the impression is a wrong one. We do not say that no firms will lower their prices, because some have always done this, and we suppose always will do so at every show, but there are no indications whatever of a general lowering of prices. There is a tendency every year to give better value fo r money, and a very healthy ten-

dency, too, but it is no more marked in the case of next year's cars than usual. We can speak w_ith confidence, because we are now compiling our List of Cars for I 908 as announced last week, and we have already received forms filled in by a large proportion of the manufacturers. Up to the present time none of them show any striking reduction in prices. In fact, many show no reduction at all, as we could prove if we were at liberty to divulge the 1908 prices, but as the figures have been given us in confidence for the time being we cannot quote them without committing a breach of faith. This firmness is particularly notable with small and medium-powered cars-that is, cars between 6 h.p. and 25 h.p.

Speaking broadly, almost all the reductions have been made in the larger and more expensive types of cars, though here again these reductions are very far from being universal, and all that can be said at the moment is that there is a tendency to reduce the price in certain instances among the really high-powered and costly cars . In the vast majority of instances the JJractice will be to maintain prices but to improve the specification. For instance, cars which have hitherto had three speeds may have an indirect fourth at only a nominal figure extra, or two versions of practically sister models may be made, one considerably more powerful than the other, the main difference being in the engine . Both will have similar chassis, and the extra price for the larger engine will be in most cases extremely reasonable. The successful and up-to-date modeis do not show reductions in prices, but the old unsold models and the more or less unsuccessful types are the ones which appear to have been cheapened, though even in these cases it cannot be said that any striking drops have come to light except in the case of the very large and powerful cars. It would appear, therefore, that those who are deluding themselves with the idea that they will be able to buy really good up-todate cars very much cheaper next year have no grounds for their assumption.

This will certainly come as good news to a large number of owners, some of whom have been, not without reason, greatly disturbed in their minds by the rumours which have gained currency, and which, if true, would materially depreciate the value of their cars. In fact, this is one of the things which the owner should bear in mind. Any private owner of a motor car who finds the value of his nearly new car greatly reduced at any time by a tremendous reduction in the manufacturer's prices should very carefully avoid that manufacturer in future, because it will mean that any car which he buys from him may suddenly be greatly depreciated in value. Not only so, but he may safely assume in the majority of instances that unless absolutely fancy prices have been ruling for the car in question a reduction in price means a reduction in quality. It stands to reason, as a manufacturer is in business to make a profit, that unless his pro.fits have been huge he can only make a conspicuous reduction in his prices by cutting the quality of his cars.

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