B.M.C. SERVICE

B.M.C. SERVICE

Sir;

It muet come as a slight consolation to a .multitude of Motoring nonentities such as myself CO read that even David Scott-Moncrieff’s experience with the B.M.C. Spares Service is just .another long chapter of non-availability and ” couldn’t care less,” and such utter lack Of interest in their customers’ motoring welfare is not only directed towards the ” bread-and-butter” nietorist. This is Inv own experience with a Morris Minor :—

(1) Door-handle return spring—ordered 31 years ago and still waiting.

(2) Bonnet-fastener positioning-plate—ordered 14 months. ago and still waiting.

(3) After experiencing internal trouble with a. side-valve model’s gearbox after a coniderable mileage. I caused inquiries to be made as to the availability of a reconditioned box from the works. Reply : none obtainable, and no hope could be held out of One being obtainable for ” some months to come.” Trouble fortunately found to be in races only. and even these had to be obtained other than from a B.M.C. d i I ribmor’s stock, which was exhausted.

(4) Requiring urgently a side-valve model crown-wheel and pinion After four years’ use, the works could not produce one single pair or say when they might be expected to. Blanks Were drawn on inquiry at a number of principal 11.M.C. dealers in the East Midlands, until a good samaritan suggested getting in taueli with the Paragon Motor Company. at Hull. I telephoned these good people late one afternoon, explained my plight; and was told straight away (though I was an utter stranger to them) that they .could and would supply, and would put the required parts on a passenger train the following morning. They were as good as their word : the parts were in my possession less than 36 hours after my telephone call, and the car was actually built up and running before their bill arrived ! This has been my one bright spot in ten years’ post-war experience of Morris and B.M.C. service, and I only regret that it has not been passible for me to do other business with a firm which has such an inspiringly old-feshioned idea of Service. In fairness to the many

other B.M.C. dealers who have contacted from tititt to time. however, I cannot help feeling that their state of what appeared CO be hopeless apathy had only followed years of vainly attempting to get responses from what must be quite one of the worst collections Of service departments ever to exist within the motor industry. If experiences like my own can occur within ISO miles of the factory, 1 do not wonder that B.M.C. overseas. sales figures are on the decline only that they have ever managed to .8011:any cars outside Britain at all.

Thank goodness I can do most of the pleasure motoring I can afford in a 1934 car which, on the rare occasions when anything needs replacing, can have its spares found at a. wrecking depot or, if new ones are essential, can rely on sources other than the makers (now part. of B.M.C.) to supply them.

From what has appeared from time to time in the columns of MOTOR SPORT, it dots not, seem likely that the lofty ones responsible for the conduct of B.M.C. affairs will ever demean themselves by stooping to consider the welfare of their small customers, or those people’s collective goodwill. but if they do not make an effort to do so I fear that short-time and lath:teed staffs will be more than just evidence of a credit-squeeze. I am, Yours, etc.,

Lincoln. N. H. Fowt.E.a. * *