It is not, however, in the comparison of first cost so much as in that of the cost of maintenance that the small car appeals to the man of moderate means. Generally speaking it may be said that as compared with a full-powered car the small car uses little more than one-third the quantity of petrol per mile travelled, and that its tyres cost only half as much and last twice as long. A gallon of petrol, which will propel a big car 12 or 15 miles, will propel a little Rover or Phœnix from 30 to 40 miles. Here is a statement of the actual cost of running a 6 horse-power Rover for eleven months over nearly 6000 miles of country roads: £ _s._ _d._ Tyre Repairs 2 2 9 Petrol 12 0 0 Oil 18 0 Sundry Repairs 4 12 5 ------------- Total 19 13 2 ============= The car belonged to a doctor who had to make frequent stoppages on the way, so that the consumption of petrol was higher than it would have been with continuous travelling. Nevertheless, the cost of running the car works out at about four-fifths of a penny per mile--less than third-class railway fare for one person. This is, no doubt, an exceptionally low figure. Another user of an exactly similar car has found the cost of running 3400 miles to be as follows: £ _s._ _d._ Tyre Repairs 2 13 0 Petrol 6 19 0 Oil and Grease 2 6 0 Sundry Repairs 1 10 0 Charging Accumulators 18 0 Brushes and Waste 10 0 ------------ Total 14 16 0 ============ --almost exactly a penny a mile. To these figures must, of course, be added the cost of licences, insurance, garaging, and an allowance for the depreciation of the car--that is to say, the difference between its first cost and the price at which it could be resold. In every respect but one the advantages of the small car over its big brother are enormous. Its one drawback is that its accommodation is necessarily smaller. The typical small car is a two-seater; but that is the essence of its economy. Extra seats and extra passengers mean extra weight, and extra weight requires larger engines and more petrol, and entails more wear and tear on tyres, machinery and chassis. It is the weight that runs up the maintenance bill and the prospective purchaser should bear this in mind if he hankers after an extra seat. I may point out, nevertheless, that some of the small cars in the market can be fitted with a detachable rear seat for £6 or £7, and that others have sufficient space for the accommodation of an extra passenger upon the floor. A friend who owns a “two-seater” Sizaire, tells me that it often carries four passengers to the railway station.