WHAT IT COSTS TO OWN AN AUTOMOBILE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 837, 10 May 1910, Page 4

WHAT IT COSTS TO OWN AN AUTOMOBILE.

The fuel consumption of the cheap little runabouts is wonderfully small. In an official test at the New York automobile carnival a year ago, the record established was 42.6 to a gallon of gasoline, though another car actually scored 46 miles per gallon, but lost the record by deviating from the prescribed course.

A gallon of gasoline costs anywhere from twenty-five cents, when bought at a roadside garage, down to twelve cents, when purchased by the barrel. While the average driver under average conditions will hardly do more than half as well, he should be thankful to be able to travel at a cost of a quarter of a cent, to half a cent, per mile for fuel. A heavy car that runs nine miles per gallon of gasoline is doing well. As tor actual available power the purchaser ot an SBSO five-pas-senger touring car, with its twenty horse-power engine, gets exactly as much as he could get in a $2,000 car with a thirty horsepower engine. The cheaper car weighs only twelve hundred pounds. Assuming the weight of the passengers to be six hundred pounds, the total dead and live load is eighteen hundred pounds, or ninety pounds per horse power. The present year marks the real beginning of the era of the low-priced car, which, as the dealers understand the term, is one that calls for less than two thousand dollars.

Precisely how much less depends upon the individual purchaser, his bank account, and the service required of the car. The average selling price of the two hundred thousand cars to be built in 19x0 will be $1,200, though there is every indication that the cars selling below that will be in considerable demand.

If a two-passenger car for ordinary use is wanted, a runabout that will fill the bill can be had for $550. For $l3O more a better car can be bought, while one still better, with a seat in the rumble for a third passenger can be had for $ 750. For SBSO a touring car seating five may be had which will fully meet the requirements of the average man, if he is a reasonable person.—C. F. Carter, in January Outing.