Medford mail tribune., April 02, 1961, Image 46

Auto touring used to be an American sport; why not revive it this summer and add new excitement
IN the early days of motoring, it was fun to get
9i behind the wheel and drive someplace, no mat-
' ter where. Touring was an adventurous type of
how-to-do-it sport. Members of the driving set
repaired their own cars- (through necessity as well
as choice) and on a cross-country run would send
a. "pathfinder" ahead to mark the course by palnt
- ing telephone poles or strewing confetti along
" the roadway.
, , Such thrills are lacking now, and in a sense this
is too bad. There ought to be some romance on
the road and with one's car.
The truth is that driving can be a sporting part
of a vacation trip, if you give it half a chance. And
you can reduce your travel costs by knowing some
thing about your car, or at least by taking a little
interest in caring for it and driving it properly.
Automobile operation in dollars and cents totals'
How to Get the Most Fun
Out of ITour Vocation Dollar!
x BETTER VACATIONS
' FOR YOUR MONEY
Where to go, where to stay, where to oat, what to see
here's a bright, Inspiring, Illustrated guido to tho finest voea
Hon your family has ever enjoyed. You'll appreciate tho prac
tical moneysavlng, authoritative, easytouse information on
, hotels, motets, camping, automobllo travel, tools. Hps, souve
nlin, admission prices, rosort spots, placet of Interest, national
forests, and publk vacation lands In every section of Amerka.
Pages of beguiling photos and helpful mapsl Step-bystep
plans for 15 favorite vocation trlpsl All compiled by travel
. editor Michael frome, "Better Vacations for Your Money" offers
. you hours of delightful armchair travel and tho Hme-of-your-llfe
vocation. Satisfaction guaranteed or you may return the
book within 10 days for refund of the low $1.95 purchase price.
TOi FAMILY WUKLY BOOKS
IBS N. Michigan Ave Chicago 1, III.
Enclosed find $1.95 (check or money order) for which please'
send me pottogc-pald "Better Vocations for Your Money" by
Michael Frome, Jf for any reason I am not satisfied, I may
. return tho book within 10 days for full refund.
Name .
AdtVw
City
...Zon.
FrM r Wrl Inlbly
.Stat.
about 20 percent, or slightly more, of your total
- vacation expense, no there is a substantial amount
of money involved. In fact, you may be able to
decrease your gasoline consumption by getting
five more miles "per gallon $10 saved during a
1,000-mile trip, enough for a good dinner or an
extra night's lodging. ' '
. y; ' ')- : ' ' ' '' -H-
. For Batter Fuel Consumption
Avoid these habits:
1. Fast starts and quick stops in traffic.
2. High-speed driving on the open road.
3. Buying expensive, high-grade fuels, un
less recommended in the manual issued
by the manufacturer of your car. Motor
- fuels are so refined the regular grade is
now superior to the best of a few years
-;-v ago. ' - jv
4. Driving with underinflated tires.
Cultivate these habitat
' 1. Ease off on the accelerator when you see
a red light it may change so you do not
have to slop at all. "
2. Hold a safe, normal speed of 60 or 65 at
the most
3. Rely on standard-grade gasoline. Most
cars will do just as well. You may lose ;
a little in pickup, but you reach the desti
nation just as soon.' - v
4. Have tire pressure checked every time
- you buy gasoline. .
Start by takjng care of your car before you set
out for distant parts. A motor tune-up alone will
give you better consumption and smoother driv
ing; new plugs, if they are needed, will pay for
themselves in a few thousand miles. Have your
garage lubricate your car and check brakes, ig
nition system, windshield wipers, steering gear,
lights, and battery. Wheel balance and front-end
alignment are important, too; a wheel out of align
ment wastes, gas, shortens tire life, and reduces
driving safety. If your tires are wearing thin, shop
around and replace them before you leave.
You do not need to change oil every 1,000 or
1,500 miles if your car is equipped with a good fil
ter. An oil change is less necessary in long-distance
touring than in local stop-go driving. One manu
facturer now concedes an oil change every 4,000
miles will be adequate if you have a good filter,
(Excvrptod from tk book. "Bttr
12 Family Wttkly, April 1, mi
except under dusty motoring conditions.
Your car should be in excellent condition for
fast driving anywhere, but especially oh turnpikes
where high speeds can be maintained steadily for
hours. If your car is aging and in questionable
-condition, steer clear of turnpikes. At steady
speeds over 50 miles per hour, radiators boil, en
gines throw rods, steering and. brakes may -fail,
and worn tires blow out.
Note the accompanying table on the leading
causes of breakdown in one year on the New York
Thruway. Many could easily have been avoided.
Costly Motoring MIscum
Ten Leading; Causes of Arrest on
' New York Thruway
1. Speeding . , , 22,638
2. License- violation . 1,814
3. Equipment violation 1,304
(lights, horn, etc.)
4. Registration violation - 1,064
5. Failure to comply with -
trooper's -orders 433
6. Failure to keep right 418
7. U-turn 418
8. Parking . . . 287
9. One-way traffic violation 229
10. Changing lanes unsafely 223
Why Cars Break Down
Out of gasoline 16,178
Flat tire or blowout 14,905
Ignition trouble . 3,062
Water required 2,600
Unable to "start motor 1,625
Fan belt broken - 1,284
Out of oil . , 1,071
Should you travel the turnpike route? There is
no denying that turnpikes are fast and safe roads,
but if you include one or more turnpikes in your
itinerary, do not fail to allow for the toll in your
budget. Incidentally, for 25 cents you can now pur
chase emergency breakdown-service insurance at
toll gates on the New York Thruway and Pennsyl
vania Turnpike (possibly others soon) covering
charges up to $25 and valid for a 48-hour period.
With the advancement of the Interstate Highway
System, free expressways having the same char
acteristics as the toll roads are appearing all
over the country. Familiarize yourself with them.
Vocations for Your Moray," copyright 1960 by Mkho.1 From.;