Buy British

Sir,

Over the past few months there have been so many letters in your columns denigrating the quality of British cars, that I hope you will find the space to redress the balance.

The cars currently driven by the members of my immediate family, and the faults they have suffered, are:

1971 Rover 3500, 46,000 miles to date. This car was delivered with one defective shock-absorber, and thereafter suffered no faults at all until at 42.000 miles the heater controls ceased to operate, due to a small screw falling out.

1970 MG 1300, replaced two months ago having done 25,000 miles. No faults at all.

1973 Ford Escort 1300 Estate, 16,000 miles. No faults.

1971 Mini 1000, 16,000 miles. No faults.

My own 1972 Triumph GT6 with overdrive 15,000 miles. This car bears little relation to Mr. Carrick-Smith’s, insofar as it is beautifully finished, inside and ont, everything in working order, and while 1 am currently trying to keep to the spirit of the 50-mph. legislation, is returning 30 m.p.g. with no difficulty.

My other vehicle, a 1971 Mini pick-up, 42,000 miles. ‘1’his has suffered from no troubles except one faulty drivc-shaft coupling, which went at 4,000 miles.

The above list is, I feel, a tribute to our British product; there is no reason to suppose we have been particularly lucky; I am sure most people have the same experiences, but they are not the ones who write letters. It is. the few unfortunate people who are unlucky enough to get a “rogue”—and nobody would deny such cars exist—who do write, and who are getting an undeserved bad name for British cars. 12 months out-of-date: my ideal pair: 4.2-litre XJ6 and an Austin-Healey 3000 Mark III.

Marcham William Cumber