WHY PAY PURCHASE TAX?
WHY PAY PURCHASE TAX?
Sir, There hardly appears an issue of MOTOR SpokT which does not feature one or more letters from readers expressing various
degrees of disgust at one or other of the modern ears.
To a motorist of the pre-war school this is hardly surprising. We were educated to recognise sound design, materials and workmanship. What puzzles me is why anyone pretending to even a smattering of the aforementioned knowledge ever buys a modern car! One can understand Auntie 1,Io (`’ We’ll have a Wolseley, John …, they make such good underwear . . .”) writing a cheque or, more popularly, signing a H.P. commitment, for some modern tinware dignified by a defunct engineering title, but what of the so-called cognoscenti who, even after exanthiing such products, still pay out good money for them ?
Is it to be in the fashion ? There can hardly be any other valid reason when it is possible to purchase pre-war Bentleys and Rolls-Royces in first-class mechanical condition for less, very often, than half the cost of a new ” tin can.” Anyone who can 40 sums on his fingers can work out the running costs setting, above all, the main item,. comparable depreciation figures against each other. There are highly reputable firms who offer many such excellent vehicles for sale and who are, moreover, prepared to become the guides, counsellors and friends of all their customers.
Is it that people are afraid to own these cars for fear they may be thought ostentatious . . . or too prosperous ? I am prepared to state from personal experience (and I have owned far too many modern cars .. . worse luck!) that under any circumstance within my knowledge these cars cannot be bettered. They’re safe. they’re fast, they wear out more slowly than any others., the depreciation is practically nil, they handle like silk and, apart from the largest models, give a petrol consumption varying front 18 to 25 m.p.g. on commercial grade fuel. In short, the motorist who appreciates both engineering and
motoring cannot fail to make them the obvious choice. Why . it’s not even necessary to garage them! If ordinary precautions are taken they start first pop under any conditions and the coachwork can’t rust.
Best of all, they rid their owners of the nagging thought. that he might have done better by buying some other make. There is no better make.
Ea Rochefoticauld (I think it was), on his deathbed, confessed to the attendant priest that his only regret lay in not having committed (through fear or ignorance) all the delightful sins he might have committed!
I’m personally glad to say that, in a motoring sense (and it took me many years to see the light), I’m one up on the gentleman in question. I did take the plunge. I did acquire a real motor car. I’ve now found out for certain what I always more or less suspected. It’s the poor man’s car par excellence!
Go on. Treat yourself to a decent ride. Whilst there’s still time!
On re-reading this it looks as if I were a dealer in Rolls and Bentleys! I have no connection with the ” trade.” I didn’t even buy my car front anyone who specialises in this make. But I advise all my friends to do just that .. . for obvious reasons. ” BENTLEY — ADE 315.” (Name and address supplied.—ED4