Hark a Herald owner's tale

Sir,

When both inner axle shafts broke in quick succession on my Triumph Herald (new in December. 1959,—present mileage: 26,000) I complained to Standard-Triumph. After a fairly lengthy correspondence they eventually informed me that:—

“. . . the inner axle shafts at present fitted to your vehicle are of the 1200 specification. This has occurred due to the normal progress and development and not because there was an inherent fault with this component on your particular model.”

They could give no satisfactory explanation for the number of faults my car had developed during the three years of its life so far. You may be interested in the list, which excludes fairly normal replacements of battery, tyres, brake shoes, wiper blades and lamps:

• Rain leaking into car.

• Heater fan faulty.

• Radiator unwelded at top.

• Windscreen-wiper motor faulty.

• Faulty courtesy light switch.

• New near-side half-shaft and needle bearing.

• New exhaust pipe hanger (three times).

• New exhaust pipe.

• New dip-switch.

• Faulty door locks.

• Broken exhaust valve on engine—renewal and decarbonisation.

• New throttle cable.

• New radiator hose.

• New differential bearings.

• New light switch on front panel.

• Chassis joint unwelded.

• Oil leaks from sump and timing case.

• New off-side inner axle shaft.

• New near-side inner axle shaft.

• Cracked chassis.

• Faulty off-side door lock (second time).

I have always had the car carefully serviced (by the Distributor from whom I bought it) in strict accordance with the maker’s instructions. Standard-Triumph’s comment is:—

“We do not consider 26,000 miles to be the normal life of these complaints enumerated in your earlier correspondence, but there are many conditions which can contribute to premature failure of these components over which we as manufacturers have no control.”

I think any comment from me would be superfluous.

Worcester Park. S. J. LAREDO