SECOND-HAND CAR.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19153, 9 November 1927, Page 8

SECOND-HAND CAR.

POINTS TO WATCH. HINTS FOR PURCHASER. One of the greatest problem; o: motor-car traders to-day is the disposal or second-hand curs, which they arc !i:orc..often thai: not obhged to * 4 lr;i -.1 oin '" to rfi'■ >:- sales or their i:ew prijdiictions. While tins state of a flairs is most unfortunate from the viewpoint oi the lYaders th'Mnselvcs. th-; old axiom concerning the ill-wind that blows no'nodv any good can s'ill be observer i,rrr-, and to the man of limited means who wishes to own a car, the congestion of tiie se'-ond-hand car market .•an often be made to tit in with his own requirements very suitably. A Difficult Procedure. Buying a second-hand car is a difficult business in many ways, and it would be almost impossible to lay down definite rules by which the buyer should judge the car offered. It is a far more difficult procedure to buy a second-hand car than a new one, for the simple reason that all new cars ruu smoothly and well, and it is only a question of buying the right type of vehicle; tlv.t which is suited to the pocket, and the work required of itIn dealing with second-hand cars the buyer is more liable to be persuaded into buying "a car which is not a suitable type, either too heavy or too light, or too old, or an "orphan." etc., merely because it happens to be a "terrific bargain," and for this reason it usually pays to err on the side of extreme care before finally deciding.

Buy from a Firm. Presuming that the intending purchaser is a novice, ;is a rule it pays to buy the car from a firm of good repute, as against private sellers. This at first may sound contrary to the usual advice given, but in the experience of the writer, at any rate, the buyer of a second-hand car from a good firm will receive a certain amount of attention from that firm afterwards, even if only through the possibility of selling him a new car at a slightly later date. In the case of the private seller, once the deal is over, he promptly forgets all about it.

Eepainted C.irs. It is sometimes imagined that the second-hand car which has been repainted and, to use a trade expression, "dolled up," is in reality a crock, and for this reason should be eyed with suspicion. It would obviously be absurd to judge a car merely by the condition of its paint work, but the fact that an agent has endeavoured to make the car look attractive by no means indicates that the essential parts are worn out or in bad condition. The motor trader is not a fool, and he realises that it pays better to put a car into proper running order before selling it than to "botch it up" and have endless trouble with a dissatisfied customer afterwards. The writer has known one or two prospective sec-ond-hand car buyers turn away from a really good proposition simply because some so-called "motoring expert" had advised them never to buy a used car which looked "showy." As previously mentioned, it must not be assumed that all second-hand cars which have been furbished up are in good mechanical condition; far from it, but as a general rule, a reputable firm of motor traders will not waste money on repainting, fitting a new hood, and generally "smartening up" a chassis which is almost worthless. General Points.

For those who do not know a great deal about a car there are a few points to be observed when they are buying one second-hand. The first is to satisfy themselves, if possible, that the car has been properly looked after by its previous owner. This can be done by examining all visible moving parts of the chassis to make sure that they have been properly oiled and greased. If they have not, there will be traces of rust and the various greasers will show obvious signs of having been neglected. The condition of the various nuts and bolts about the car which need tightening from time to time will provide a clue with regard to the capabilities of the owner. If the edges of the nuts are all burred over, they provide a clear indication of the fact that the man who has had charge of the car has not tackled maintenance work in a painstaking manner. While the speedometer reading should be noted, it- must not be regarded as providing accurate information concerning the mileage which the car has covered. This is more accurately determined in the case of a fairly new car by the condition of the tyres, whilst the state of the control pedals | will also furnish a clue concerning the j amount of use which the car has had. ! In the case of an older model, these points will, however, have little bearing on the case. The condition of the starter teeth on the fly-wheel, the amount of brake adjustment which remains to be taken up and the backlash present in the steering are also good points to be noted. Suspicion should fall on any peculiar or pronounced noise from the engine or any working parts.

The Road Test. When the car is taken on the road it is quite a useful plan to get the driver to drive it along slowly, watching, meantime, from the footpath to make sure that all the wheels revolve truly. A back wheel which wobbles is a. sure indication either that one of the axle shafts is bent or that the wheel is out of truth. If the spare wheel is fitted and this, in turn, wobbles, then it may be depended upon that it is an axle shaft which is at fault. In making a test run in the car, insist upon it being driven slowly in top gear. The manner in which the car accelerates from about five miles per hour in top will furnish useful information in connexion with the condition of the engine and the transmission. If it pulls away quite steadily there is nothing much wrong, but if there is pronounced snatching and - .jerking, possibly accompanied by rumbling noises from beneath the floorboard?, then it is certain that an overhaul will be necessary before very long. The great thing for buyers of secondhand cars to remember is that it is essential to be -able to discriminate between defects which are easily remedied and those which would involve a fairly heavy repair bill. It is for that reason that the services of an experienced and unbiased friend are so desir- j able when the choice is being made, j It is always a good plan, when buy- j ing a second-hand car, to ascertain as ' much as possible concerning its past history. A car which has had only one previous owner is-pretty certain to be in better condition than one which has I been through many hands.