USED CAR SALES.

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 34, 10 February 1937, Page 9 (Supplement)

USED CAR SALES.

Automobile merchants are rapidly realising tho need for more thorough appearance reconditioning for used cars. For a number of yearn, when profit margins were greater and used car buyers loss critical, many dealers gavo a reasonable amount of attention to me-

chanical work, but were inclined to minimise the importance of "eye appeal.’' Even to-day, as wo drive along a highway crowded with used cars, the general appearance of many leaves much lo bo desired.

As more people realise tho importance of used car appearance reconditioning better methods are bound to result. Necessity is still the mother of invention a result of to-day's keen competition among dealers and Ibo values offered tin low priced now cars, many progressive dealers have given attention to improving their used car methods. We sometimes think that we have made tremendous strides in this particular phase of tho business during tho past several years, and no doubt wo have. However, we can judge how far wo still have to go by noting tho progress made in other lines of business which also have the problem of disposing of used merchandise. Anyone who has ever looked at socalled “ro-built" typewriters cannot fail to bo iin prosed by the general excellence of tho methods employed by that industry. It is actually difficult to tell them from now. Purchasers oxperi once general satisfaction with these machines und dealers get a good price too. This is one industry that lias learned tho knack of building back into their older models that newness, "uso ability" and "eye appeal" which are so important. With the increuso in now car sales volume, brought about by the improvement in economic conditions, most dealers have been confronted with thi problem of processing and handling many more used cars than in former yonrH. This, aggravated by inadequate facilities and insufficiently trained personnel, Ims caused congestion : n the reconditioning procedure. Too olton also, this has resulted in a lack of attention to details and a general lowering of tho quality of work. With these space and personnel problems, it has froquent ly been necessary to merchandise sed cars at heavy losses in order to maintain a proper turnover. Obviously, declining profit margins are making it. moro necessary to process theso used cars at lower cost. Outstanding dealer* aro recognising this, nnd a much improved acceptance of the need for bettor reconditioning lias been evident irj recent months.