NEW VEHICLES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26619, 15 November 1947, Page 6

NEW VEHICLES

LIMITED SUPPLIES SMALL BRITISH CARS AVAILABLE PROBLEM FOR DEALERS Although a few of the smaller British makes of cars can now be purchased after a relatively short delay—in fact, it is occasionally possible to take immediate delivery—heavier cars, particularly American or Canadian brands, are still merely objects of wistful interest to the majority of would-be purchasers. With the tightening up of dollar purchasing, it seems likely that the thin trickle of new American cars will be even further reduced. As it is, the cars reaching the market have been virtually restricted. to two relatively low-priced makes, with a handful of cars from the American medium-priced field. According to Wellington reports, all cars from the American upper-price bracket have been bought on arrival by the Government. This includes the purchase of 66 new Chryslers, and questions have been asked in the House concerning the further purchase of 12 new Buicks. It is also stated that some 40 new Dodges have arrived in Wellington, but are being held up by the Government as they are all American-built. It is expected in Wellington that these will eventually be added to the Government's substantial fleet. According to Government figures, about 3000 vehicles are owned by Government departments or are used by Government servants on a repayment basis. There have, however, been allegations that this figure would be more correct if nearly doubled. In other words, it has been suggested that one in every four motor vehicles in New Zealand is owned or operated by the Government. Transport ]®ool Ex-servicemen with transport experience in the army are at a loss to understand the Government system with regard to vehicles. They point out that, with transport pools established in the main centres, the need for at least one third of the present vehicles would disappear. Instead of, say, 12 cars going to Oamaru from Dunedin in one day,' each with one passenger, a car pool would send forward three cars fully loaded. A certain number of cars have been made available through the Rehabilitation Department for ex-servicemen who are regarded as essential users, but this has far from satisfied the demand. Rehabilitation officers admit that although they are prepared to back up an, ex-serviceman’s application made through normal trade channels, their letter of recommendation is worth virtually nothing. Several motor dealers have made a genuine attempt to institute a priority system, selling their vehicles to the applicants they consider have the greatest need. But this has not been the policy of all dealers, and anyone investigating the position comes up against cases such as the sale of three new cars to one family, in no way for essential purposes, within a matter of weeks. While such cystomers may have waited considerable periods on the dealers’ lists, it can hardly be regarded as the implementation of a priority or rationing system. Cash and Contacts " Cash and the right contacts are the two essentials in getting a new car to-day and the cash part is not so important, as everyone seems to have it,” one person connected with the trade told the Daily Times. “We have tried to run a priority system and I think that we have succeeded,' but I know that some other firms have not followed the same policy.” Dealers, of course, point out that a business cannot be run on sentiment — the future must be considered, and customers of long standing are entitled to prior consideration. Firms maintaining .fleets of cars are customers of importance, and , already some dealers have supplied new vehicles to such firms and entered into agreements to replace the vehicles when they have covered 30,000 miles. At least such a policy permits a certain number of recent model used cars to come on to the market in time. - Dealers’ Dilemma

“ Sometimes I wish that all new cars had been allocated by the Government on a priority system, the way tyres were allocated,” remarked one salesman. “It would have been a system open to abuse, but" at least it would have prevented members of the trade from a good deal of public unpleasantness. If we tell somebody that we simply have not got the cars to supply them for another six months or .more, they immediately suspect that we are black-marketing, looking for bribes, or catering only for our friends. “ If there have been cases of supplying personal friends before unknown customers, there is certainly nothing unlawful in such action. The stock is the dealers’ to sell as they consider fit, and as long as the demand exceeds the supply, there will be a percentage of disgruntled would-be customers who will make all sorts of accusations, and, at the same time, there will probably be a certain amount of the human element creeping in on the dealers’ side. It is just unfortunate that there are not enough new cars to satisfy everybody. We want to have the cars to sell just as much as people want to be able to buy them.”