THE GUARANTEE PERIOD.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19772, 9 November 1929, Page 11

THE GUARANTEE PERIOD.

TIME OR DISTANCE ? The suggestion has been made by an Englishman that the guarantee period of a motor-car should be given on a distance basis rather than on a time basis, bis main reason being that some people use their cars much more than OlhrTa. ■'ln these days," he writes, "when many private cars arc used by travellers and by professional men who cover extensive mileages, while others are bought by women drivers whose mileages sometimes do not exceed fifty per month, very wide differences obviously exist in the distances traversed during the guarantee period."' He quotes the case of a car *hat has had very little use during the tirst few months of its lifetime, and goes on to say that clearly its owner will not have the slightest chance of discovering errors in workmanship or faults in material during the months that the guarantee is in force. On the other hand, many a busy traveller covering a large area will run seven or eight thousand miles in the first six months' usage.

"Even in pre-war days,'' concludes the writer, "it struck me that a mileage basis of guarantee was fairer than a time basis, and in these days, when every car is fitted with a speedometer as standard equipment, it would be a simple matter to send it out of the factory with both ends of the driving cable sealed. The reading of the meter would then furnish the manufacturer with all the necessary evidence as to the distance covered. - '