No more B.M.C. touring kits

Sir,
Last month I called at my usual B.M.C. main agent to obtain an overseas touring kit for my Sprite, only to be told that these kits are no longer available for B.M.C. cars. As an alternative, agents had been sent a list of spare parts which the customer was either advised to purchase or else come to a private “sale or return” agreement with the individual main agent.

Since the list comprised sufficient items to involve 1 1/2-2 hours’ work in assembling the kit from the shelves, it follows that no main agent (I tried three) was willing to enter into a “sale or return” agreement and was only willing to sell the individual items.

A telephone call to B.M.C. at Shepherds Bush was anything but helpful but I did elicit the information that touring kits were withdrawn owing to lack of “popular demand.” Subsequently, I found that the lack of popular demand was that of the main agents because they were short of shelf space. At this point in the conversation I explained my dilemma and asked for an agent to be found who would hire me a kit. Alas, the only agents mentioned were those I had already contacted and who had declined to help.

I feel this is yet another instance in which a useful service to the customer has been withdrawn and frankly neither B.M.C. nor their main agents seem to care that a great deal of difficulty and inconvenience may ensue. No one could say that B.M.C. service stations are plentiful on the Continent.

M.P. Walsh.
Surbiton.