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56 ILLUSTRATED WORLD
the average driver tours over the averometer, takes your mileages, does some
age run, averages about 15 miles to the figuring and tells you what he may allow
gallon. Your big boat is going some if if the car is all right.
it averages 10. At present price gas What he probably does is this. He
runs from 20 to 27 cents a gallon accord­ figures on the car depreciating at least
ing to geography and greed, an average 30% the first year. That's a conserva­
of 23^ cents, and my gas for the thoutive figure, but never mind. If you
sand miles cost $15.75—yours $23.50. depreciate 30% on a $2,000 car in a
I'll be good and generous with oil, vear and run eight thousand miles in
first, because oil is a heap cheaper than that year, then your depreciation cost is
bearings : second, because it's cheap, any­ $0,075 per mile. Mine is half that, beway.
I'll use about 10 and you about 20 cause of my cheaper car—$0.037.1. As
quarts. Charge—$1.50 for me, $3.00 a matter of sober fact your depreciation
for you.
is greater than mine because the market
Then there's insurance. I am suppos­ for second hand inexpensive cars is
ing you carry it. I can't sleep o' nights greater than the market for second hand
without it. Fire, theft, explosion, per­ big boats—but let that go. For your
sonal liability—/ don't want to stand in thousand mile tour, then, you have paid
court and have the old apple woman $75.00 in depreciation and I but $37.50.
who walked into me and skinned her "Interest on investment?" Why, of
knee, limp across to the witness stand course I'm going to figure it! I have
and have a jury of my peers say, "Oh. one thousand dollars tied up in my boat
he's a rich auto owner—give her a thou­ and in a year that thousand would easily
sand dollars!" Not for me. So I give yield me $60.00 in any one of half a
up about $40 a year and I'll suppose you dozen sound preferred stocks. Your two
lay out $100 a year (the insurance men thousand would yield you $120. But I
rather stick the big car fellows, you am not going to let you off with eight
know).
days' interest. A car doesn't give you
Now, the average car runs about 8.000 days of time, but miles of travel. So I
miles a year. Some of them do their figure that in your tour you ran an
thirty thousand and some their three eighth of your yearly distance and
thousand, but the average fellow—the charge you with an eighth of your total
you and I sort of chap—runs around interest on investment, or $15.00. My
8.000 miles in 365 days. So my insur­ charge is $7.50.
ance cost is Yi cent a mile and yours is Then there's the matter of repairs and
$0,012. For our thousand miles I have adjustments, filling grease cups, repair
paid $5.00 and you $12.50 for insurance. of a puncture, etc.—no one can figure it
We have each of us stabled our car because no two tours are alike. But I
eight nights in a garage and paid $8.00 put it $4.00 for me and $7.00 for you—I
for the privilege. I have squandered am generous, you see, in not doubling
$2.00 in tips for an extra fine wash and up on you all the time.
you $4.00 for the same—sure, you are Now. of course, you want to know
no more generous but you have more why I haven't figured the mileage-cost
and so tip more. How do I know ? Man, of brake-bands, and the mileage cost of
am I not giving you credit for a $2,000 bearings and the mileage-cost of the
car?
grease in the differential and gear box
Then there is depreciation. What ? and the wear on the springs and the
Don't figure depreciation ? Of course leather and the top and the storm cur­
you don't! But it's there just the same. tains and the varnish on the steering
Go into the place you bought your car wheel! Of course, I could. But I
and try to trade it for a new one. Watch haven't, because depreciation takes care
the manager. He goes to the speed­ of those matters fairly. You can add a