Auto Gossip

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33626, 30 August 1974, Page 4

Auto Gossip

by

A.J.P.

And now a tale to 1 please all those who get ' tired of hearing about ' how unreliable are; today’s British cars in - comparison with their Continential counterparts. ; A British magazine, in; its recent 24,000-mile test t of a 903 c.c. Continental import has reported, with remarkably restrained, comment: gearbox failure,! clutch failure, lubrication! failure (leading to bearing, failure), bad brake trouble, wheelbearing failures, and speedometer cable failures. Plus totally inadequate and could’nt-care-less service from the British agents for the 1 ' marque. You can strike a "dud”!’ with any make, of course. \' Some people are just ' unlucky, of course. And ' the report did not empha- ' sise such other minor - faults as windows which. ■ regularly broke their n glued-on catches, wheels • which came loose, dashboard trim which crumbled away, engine flatspots, and so on. But if I were a private owner who had paid good money for such a mechanical disaster on wheels, and who had worn out gearbox, clutch, wheels, brakes and engine i in 24,000 miles, I would] be so upset it would be' incredible. In the circumstances, the magazine article which said that the car in' question “is a competitive' car that does some things better than its rivals,, 1 other things worse,” and expressed merely “dis- i appointment over the. lack of durability,” can! only be described as quite 1 extraordinarily charitable. That the car came from one of Europe’s biggest, manufacturers is surely I all the more reason why] so many serious faults! should be roundly de-; plored.

British car-makers, take heart!