August 1972

How to pick a car dealer

Whether you're in the market for a new Lincoln or a used Studebaker, the deal you get will only be as good as the dealer you pick. But how do you tell the good dealers from the charlatans? If there were a simple answer, there wouldn't be any charlatans left. But there are obvious signs of dealer dependability-- or the lack of it.

GIVE YOUR BATTERY A CHARGE

Your car battery is vulnerable when neglected. Fortunately, it's readily accessible and can be kept in good shape with minimum expertise and effort.

How to be Savvy about Sleeping bags

You'll spend a little more than a third of your next camping vacation in the sack. Whether you get a good night's sleep or spend eight hours tossing and turning, shivering, or sweating depends on the quality of your sleeping bag.

Good news!

An electrostatic precipitator doesn't have to look like a cumbersome piece of industrial equipment. Covered with a genuine walnut veneer, this sleek model makes such a great end table that no one would ever suspect it's anything else.

How can you get insurance against crime?

If you live in an urban, high-crime area, chances are it's become more difficult to get adequate burglary and robbery insurance. In fact, many homeowners and businessmen in such places have found such coverage virtually unobtainable.

PROOF: You can cut costs and still build the house you want

One New England woman recently decided to beat the high-cost housing game by custom-planning her own home. The house at right shows how well she succeeded.

Can you fight special tax assessments?

Most special assessment taxes are levied for neighborhood improvements that are genuinely necessary, such as street pavings, sidewalks, storm and sanitary sewers, and so on. The people whose property benefits directly from these improvements are the ones who pay for them; the homeowner's cost can vary from a few dollars to several thousand. Some assessments, however, may be for "improvements" that add little real value to your immediate neighborhood, such as street-widening projects designed to benefit "through" traffic.

One man's love affair with an old house

This essay was written by Otto Friedrich, noted writer and former managing editor of the Saturday Evening Post. It is the first in a series of occasional features that express a uniquely personal view of home or family. Readers are invited to submit manuscripts for consideration in this series.

What you should know about getting a tan

Whether you tan easily or only burn trying, you can profit from learning a little about the popular sport of sun-worshiping-- what makes us tan, how to get the best tan, what to watch out for.

THE AMERICAN COUNTRY LOOK

What are the best ways to rent a car?

That depends on what kind of car you need, what choices are available, where you're picking up the car, where you're driving it, and where you're dropping it off. Before you sign your name to a rental agreement, it's advisable to call around to compare costs, insurance coverage, special plans and packages.

How to order material from the magazine

You can order any of the kits or plans shown by completing the coupon printed below. These Better Homes and Gardens Kits are satisfaction-guaranteed.

Where the past lives on: A guide to America's restored villages

In a few quiet corners of our turbulent land, communities that are living pages from the nation's family scrapbook invite Americans to step magically backward through time and reestablish touch with where we came from. History isn't boring here but tangible and vibrant. Authentic sights and sounds evoke memories from our national childhood. A trip to such a place is like revisiting your hometown after a long and eventful absence.

Are you spinning your wheels by rotating tires?

According to tire makers, tire rotation every 5,000 miles is as natural as changing socks every 24 hours. Yet many car fleet operators and knowledgeable owners say scheduled tire rotation is totally impractical. Obviously, someone's wrong.

GARDENING IN AUGUST

Though gardening in August may not have the appeal of gardening in April, don't let the heat get you down. Now is the time to: trim and edge lawns, cut back petunias, and divide iris.

Shopping editor's choice

Discover the fun and convenience of shopping by mail! You can order with complete confidence any of the items shown: each company will refund your money if you're not delighted.

The man next door

A protest meeting against plans to air-condition our schools was abruptly called off last week. It seems the cooling system at city hall wasn't working.