The San Francisco call. [volume], October 11, 1910, Page 9, Image 9

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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It's Our Answer to the "Bargain Day" and ''Automobiles at H Also
We Give Herein Some Facts About the Present Automobile Sjfa
Jis Jilways,We Make It Openly— Take the Public Into Our Confidence: qnd y Having Nothing Ourselves to Conceal, Tell Some
Things Some Other Makers tVoitld Prefer to Have Left Unsaid.
IF THIS NEWS COMES AS A SURPRISE TO YOU as a prospective
buyer of an automobile, what do you suppose will be its effect on the
trade — on competition? Nothing so sensational has happened ,in .this
industry since the first announcement, just two years ago, of the $1,250
price of E-M-F "3O' r — a price which, for a car of that size and power and
quality at that time, was little less than revolutionary.
BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER let us say this advertisement is directed
to businessmen — men who are in the market for an automobile and who
are looking for the best possible value for their money. The possession
of the wherewithal to buy an automobile" is the best evidence of the busi-
ness acumen and thrift of such men. We assume that you^who read this
are versed in sound business methods — that 3*ou have met and overcome
crises in your own affairs— met competition of all kinds, fair and unfair —
intelligent and the reverse.
SO WE ARE GOING TO TELL YOU frankly the reasons which have led
up to and the reasons why it is advisable, as well as possible, for us- to
reduce the price of this sterling product $250 from the former price. Much
said herein may be open to misinterpretation — every frank statement is.
But as we have said, we are not interested in the few super-critical folk
who may read this. We expect it will be received with disfavor by
those whom it hits hardest — our rivals; but just so long as- it meets the
approval of men who know and men who want to know the true situation
—if, it: short, it serves as a guide to you to buy right— we are satisfied.
SOME FOLKS WOULDN'T think this good advertising at all. One who
read the original draft asked, "Aren't you advertising other concerns too
much?" We admitted that might be so — but they, are welcome to any
crumbs of publicity, such as it is, they can pick from this. Another said,
"Why expose inside affairs— what business is it of the public's?"
NOW WE NEVER COULD FATHOM the philosophy of the ostrich— nor
see the sense of treating as trade secrets, matters that we/c patent to the
whole world. You fool nobody but yourself. Besides, it's bad . advertis-
ing, for it is palpably evasive. The reason E-M-F advertising has always
been effective was because it was always frank and appealed to reason.
IT IS A MATTER OF COMMON GOSSIP that you can buy many of the
best known makes of cars at prices ranging down to half the list price.
(In this regard it is only fair to say that "list price," with many manu-
-afacrurers, has-been a meaningless term — it represented-merely^the maxi;
mum price the} 1 ; hopedtp get for their product. E-M-F "30" has been one
of the few cars that could not be bought anywhere at less than list price
— »plus freight charges fromiDetroit to destination.)
SUCH PRACTICES MISLEAD the average buyer. He is mystified. When
price cutting begins he wonders where it will end. And when cars of
such well known makes are offered at half (list) price, he naturally won-
ders if it is 'not the same with all. One -effect has been to bring up the
question, "Has the demand for automobiles fallen off?" The answer is
THERE IS NO LACK OR DEMAND for automobiles. The motor car has
become and always will remain a necessity in modern life. There never
will be a falling off in demand because the factories that will continue in
business after the storm of the next few months has subsided will be
unable to more than supply the steady demand for good motor cars at
right prices. Digest that last sentence — it means much not only to -the
trade, but to you as a possible buyer. It is a bad thing to buy an auto-
mobile from a concern that may not be in existence a few weeks or
months hence. .* \u0084\u25a0; -<:
BUT THERE IS A LACK OF DEMAND for obsolete models.. There has
been for some months. For cars .with noisy, power consuming, trouble
making planetary transmissions, there is no demand among the knowing.
Cars with overhead valves and other obsolete features have been a drug
on the market for some time. It is a truism that cars that can be bought
at half price are twice too dear — and that term applies to obsolete models
of any make. Better buy a second-hand car of modern design than such
an one.
STILL THAT DOESN'T ALONE EXPLAIN the panicky condition that
exists at this moment. This (September and October) has always been,
with us, the best selling season of the year. Weather and roads are ideal
and everything invites to out of doors. Besides, the prosperous farmers
who have always taken the larger part of our output, are just now reaping
bumper harvests and realizing in gold for them. ; Why such price-cutting
IT IS A NATURAL QUESTION— no one who is not familiar with the in-
• side workings of things could answer it— and few of those who couM
would dare, for the3 r are fearful of hurting their own business. It doesn't
touch us, however, and we think it will clarify the atmosphere the sooner
to let in some light and ventilation.
•'.\u25a0>\u25a0 \u25a0 \u25a0 \u25a0
PROMOTION AND INFLATION is the answer in a word. Every good
thing is imitated. Every business has its parasites. Every industry^is
plagued by promoters — adventurers. The more prosperous the business,
ihe more does it invite the activities of such men. The automobile busi-
ness has been no exception. The public, as usual, was misled for a time,
but every intelligent man inside the lines knew — and waited for the in-
evitable. ,We did — and we were r eady for it, as this ad proves. 7 :
f NOTE— This ad is the first of a series of four that will be
published in' the next few days. No. 2 will be on the subject of
Manufacturers* Guarantees and what they amount to. We'll, let
the light in on some things inithat ad, too. The third will "not
be for general consumption — addressed to dealers only. We
believe in talking to them openly— of course, you, may read.it
if you choose. Perhaps, on second thoughts, you'd better.
There s a Line That Will Create a Sensation lii^Auto^
THE SAN FRANCISCO GALIi; TUESDAY OCTOBER IX , \u25a01910.
And Guaranteed for One Year Absolutely
THEY BECAME ENTANGLED in the" meshes of their own manipulations.
As a, result they, are now trying frantically to raise th^ wind-^-to get
money in any way just so long as it comes '-.quickly 'so as/to stave off in-
. solvency for )fet a little longer.^ One expedient adopted in this extremity
is the "Bargain Day" and half (list) price sales you 'have seen; advertised.
If they had paid more attention to making good automobiles and. selling
them legitimately, instead of treating the autombbilef industry as a game
to be played for big stakes, all would; have been diflferent.
NOW OF COURSE YOU EXPECT us.to say that all this- does not; touch
the E-M-F product at all. That would be -the usual— the ostrich way.
But we never do the usual— that is not how big successes are achieved.
Besides, you know better. You know that when thousands of automobiles,
of anykind, are thrown on the market at ha,lf (list) price' it naturally
affects -a concern with an output as large as/ours. y Every car sold is one
less prospect for vs — and the fact that people who buy these so called
"bargains" will later find they have paid more than the market price for
lemons— to use the vernacular— does not help matters atthis time.
IT DOES AFFECT US; and, since we saw it coming. and had time to trim
our sails to take advantage of the gple, we decided it was a good time to
meet steel '^with steel— and seta price' standard that will endure for a long
time to, come. For, observe, this is no temporary expedient.. It is perma-
nent. We made it rock bottom \u25a0at a stroke so there could be no doubt
about that. . A
NATURALLY, THE QUESTION/ARISES in your mind: If the E-M-F
Company can reduce the price of E-M-F "30" one-fifth— from' $1*250 to
$1,000 — was there not an exorbitant profit on that car previously I Our
4. answer is, there was not. We will tell you, why:
IN MARCH, 1908, at the first/meeting of the share holders of the E-M-F
Company, General Manager Flanders, after describing .the type of car
the company proposed to "manufacture, said: \
VVAS EVER PROPHECY FULFILLED more completely than that one ?
Was ever a business forecast more accurate? .Was ever a worthier
ambition realized? \ ' . ' "\u25a0' • v
REMEMBER, THAT WAS IN 1908—April, to be exact. So the plan which
we announce; in^this^ad" to ; place E-M-F "30" in the hands buyers,
backed not alone by its great reputation— there are over 16,000 in use to-
- day and every owner boosting— but backed also by a full year's guarantee
at $1,000, was laid with the very foundation of the company— at its^ first
\u25a0_ meeting. '•""'-"-'„ ' - '\u25a0\u25a0- ; ' O '\u25a0 \u25a0 ' .--V^ \
-M-F COMPANYj Automobile Manufacturers. Detroit, Mich.
NEW YORK, N. Y. /
CHIC AGO;i ILL. v ~
PHILADELPHIA, PA!
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.
BOSTON/MASS.
FLANDERS* FORECAST
"Our strength is in quantity production. We have the talent,
the capital, and we will have the factory facilities. We can man-
ufacture more automobiles of a better quality at a lower cost
thn any other concern now in existence, I verily believe.
"Cars of the, type I have described (E-M-F "30" five passen-.
ger touring car,rfulty equipped) now 'Command prices ranging
j from ,$1,500, $1,600, $1,750 and $2,000. " I believe these prices, are
too high—the value; is not. there. That is our opportunity.
"Manufacturing, in large quantities, we can buy "materials to
the best advantage/,' .Having the cas .hto pay and take our dis-
counts, we can underbuy other makers. Most of them are merely
assemblers payingintermediate profits to parts makers. -We shall
manufacture every' part of our cars— cast our own cylinders, forge
and stamp and heat-treaty our own steel, make our own, bodies
and every ottierj/part. In this way we can reduce the cost of
manufacturing s'6 as; to be able -to sell a better car than those I
have cited for labour $1 ,300. - •
"Then if, as I firmly believe, the quality of the car, backed by
the reputation of our organization, will so appeal to .buyers as to
create its own^inarket, the selling cost will be so low, we ought
to be able to cut off another fifty dollars and place the car on the
market at $I^so. If we can do that the demand will be greater
than we can' possible supply. .
"So much for the coming season. But we must build for the
future. We /here believe in the permanency of the automobile
business— -else we wouldbe foolish. to invest so heavily in perma-
nent factories. We must begin now to plan for. that future.
E-M-F "30" has been designed with that idea uppermost. We
have embodied those features that will • meet the needs of the
greatest number and endure longest. From year to year we shall
improve wherever passible, but make no radical changes. 'What-
ever other models we may from time to time see fit to bring out,
they y/ill be merely to fill out the line. E-M-F\ "30" shall remain
our standard—our permanent model.
'/The public has been saying prices of automobiles must come
down. And while the public says many things without deep
thought, "and while this is said without f a knowledge of the cost of
making automobiles, the public is right, and eventually we hope
to be able to realize that prophecy. But we shall not do it by
tnaking a cheap car in die sense that cheapness means poor qual-
ity. That would be fatal. L " ;
"Once we have built and paid for our factories and equip-
ment, standarized our product and perfected it to the degree that
will make but few replacements necessary to' keep our 'guarantee:
good; when we have developed a car that we can guarantee for a
year absolutely; by that time our. customers will be many, and
they will all, if properly treated, be our salesmen— then I believe
we can produce this same car in its highly perfected state and sell
it for NOT FAR ABOVE $1,000! >•\u25a0"-
ATLANTA; GA. \u25a0
SACRAMENTO; CAi^
OMAHA, NEB. .
PITTSBURGH PA:
CLEVELAND,'^ OHIO.
E-M-*- BRANCHES:
COLUMBUS, OHIO.
LOS ANGELES,- CAL.
BOISE^IDAHO.
MEMPHIS,' TENN.
ST. LOUIS, MO.
SOUTH BENDrIND.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND.
LOUISVILLE^ KY. "
SYRACUSE, N. Y.
WE.. HAVE SAID;WE SAW IT COMING.- We did— and were ready-for
it. One man's embarrassment is often another's opportunity, you 'know.
ThlS is OUrS. - . : . " :;--.-!= ..-'-•
WHY DID WEJNOT DO IT BEFORE?— ihafs another natural question.
Glad you asked it. Answer is: During |the first two years this company
nad to expend large sums on factory buildings and the installation of
machinery, tools, jigs and other equipment. Good business rules dictated
that, that cost must; be absorbed by the output of those years. Trie.p rice.
$1,250, was the lowest possible under those conditions, and, you'll _ recall,
other makers predicted our speedy downfall, so narrow — so dangerously
narrow— did they consider our margin of profit at that price.
TODAY WE HAVE $7,000,000 INVESTED in plants for making E-M-F
"30" and Flanders "20" cars. We have practically unlimited financial re-
sources — and everybody knows they are not furnished by our creditors.
Our problem now is not to pay for those plants — they are all paid for —
- ' but to keep them running economically — which is to say, to full capacity
the year-around. Our capacity is, as you know, 80 E-M-F "30" and 125
Flanders "20"' cars every working day.
FIGURE IT OUT FOR YOURSELF. Suppose we receive an average net
profit of fifty dollars per car on such an output— pretty fair day's pay,
isn't it? And you wouldn't mind paying that much "rakeoff" to have the
skill and experience of such an organization in the car you buy — and its
YOU SEE, IT'S VERY SIMPLE when you strip it of all mystery and get
down to. brass tacks. The lower price will, we. are confident, more than
double the demand — places this car within the reach of thousands who
would otherwise have_ to be content with a planetary transmission abom-
ination or do without— or pay more than they feel they ought to pay for
the car they want. Having the demand, we shall run* our plants the year
around. The "overhead" or fixed charges will be distributed over the
large number of cars, making it a small item on each. Most important of
all, we can keep our'splendid organization intact.
WE EMPLOY 12,500 MEN. These and their families depend on this com-
pany for their livelihood. They are the pick of the trade — most of them
have been with us from the first. Every man is an expert in his line, be
that line of great or littlevimportance. That's what makes it possible
for us to make. a better car than others— one we can guarantee for a
year. - .
.•-\u25a0\u25a0- \u0084..-. . \u25a0\u25a0 , \u25a0 - - •\u25a0- ',-•.., \u25a0 \u25a0 •\u25a0-•-.
OTHERS ARE RETRENCHING JUST NOW. That's our opportunity.
We shall double up— the demand is there and always will continue. We
haven't the slightest doubt about that. So you see our opportunity is also
yours — for the factors that make it possible and the confidence that
actuates us in putting tfie. price. of this car at such an undreamed of
figure, also makes it possible for youio own the best 30 horsepower fam-
ily touring car ever made at the price you have always said a first class
automobile should be bought for.
UNTIL VERY RECENTLY this move was impossible— much as we would
have liked to do it— for you'll remember we had it in mind from the very
first. Last season when, we bought materials and equipment for the 1910
model, prices were inflated beyond all reason. The promoters wcreat
their zenith at that time. Legitimate makers found themselves bidding
for supplies against concerns we all knew could not stay in the business
more than a year or two. Prices of tires arid all other items went soaring.
So we had to aNyait 'the. return 'of normal conditions — and that is what we
now have. Some timid folk think it is a slump.- It isn't — -just water find-
ing its level,. th'at's all. • : : .';....
TODAY WE CAN BUY materials at their intrinsic; value. Paying the cash,
our wants get first attention. This, and the other factors we have de-
scribed above, make it possible to realize our fondest ambition and give
you a car at-a price and of a quality that can hot be equaled by any other
concern on earth. -N" •
LET US IMPRESS THIS FACT UPON YOU: There is no change in the
191 1 model. We could find no point to improve — there wasn't a weak
spot in the 1910 model. E-M-F "30" is today recognized as the standard
American car. It has set the styles and the pace for nearly three years.
We believe it will do so for at least three years more.
THERE NEVER WAS A BETTER MOTOR MADE. Never a better chas-
sis throughout. .. It's equipped with a Splitdorf magneto that never fails
~ nor varies in efficiency. It is designed for hard work — to be driven not
v^by, expert chauffeurs," but by owners. \ It has proven the most economical
car to maintain that ever was* made. Eighteen thousand owners will add
to what' we have said— ask .them.
IF E-M-F "30" WAS AN UNKNOWN CAR— a new and untried product—
{it would be different.. This "ad" would not then be such a thunderbolt
to the trade. But it is the best knowncar in America today. It is in its
third year in the present form. Never was a greater record of service and
of satisfaction.
THE YEAR'S GUARANTEE which we announced some time ago — on-the
1910 model— goes with the 1911 model also and at the $1,000 price. And
-if you read that guarantee you'll find it is unequivocal — it means just
what it says— we guarantee E-M-F "30"' for one year absolutely.
PRICE OF FIiANDERS "20," 1911 Model, is also adjusted to the new con-
ditions. It is now $700 for Roadster and Runabout types; Tourabout,
$725. We haven't said much about this car in this "ad" — -wasn't room.
We will in another, though. Watch for it— it will be enlightening.
WASHINGTON,. D. C.
MILWAUKEE, WIS.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
FARGO; N/D^r
r remont at Mission bt
San Francisco
PORTLAND, ORE.
SEATTLE, WASH. \u25a0„;
KANSAS CITY, MO.
SAN ANTONIO, TEX.
DALLAS, TEX.
9
OKLAHOMA CITY. OKL.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.
SPOKANE, WASH.
DENVER. COLO;