BRITISH-BUILT CARS

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 11 June 1932, Page 7

BRITISH-BUILT CARS

GOOD FOR ANY ROAD

CHEAP TO BUY AND OPERATE.

There was never a time when Great Britain was more sound at heart, or when the manufactures of Great Britain were better, or when they gave the purchaser better value for money, in the motor trade especially, whether one takes the most wonderful and rather expensive type of car like the R.ollsRoyce, or ithe good and yet cheaper type of English product, anything that the buyer can reasonably want can be obtained. 111 former years criticisms may have, been made against British-built ears on tlie ground that they had not enough clearance underneath, a feature which, as a matter of fact, was common to most European cars, and that they were therefore unsuitable for the rough and rutty roads which exist in some of the Dominions. Moderately low clearance is, of course, no disadvantage in countries where roads are good, and such cars are sold in large numbers in Europe. But- long ago British makers realised that a clearance of from 9in to lOin was the minimum that could be used with advantage on a large number of the roads all over the British dominions, and nowadays there is no fear of trouble on this score. LATEST EQUIPMENT.

The spare part difficulty was one which sometimes deterred buyers overseas, as also the delicate character in some eases of the carburettor adjustment, which was only able to vaporise efficiently the higher grades of petrol. But the average British carburettor is now a very adaptable and flexible apparatus for producing a good mixture of gas, and ordinary brands of motorspirit can now be used without trouble. Every British car of note nowadays is fitted with all the accessories which at one "time had to be bought separately, but are now included with the vehicle. As regards gradients in New Zealand, both in the North and South Islands there are roads with long stretches up hill, and occasionally very steep pitches are to be found. But these conditions are not more trying than those which exist in many places not only in Great Britain, but in the Alps, the Pyrenees, and other European mountainous countries. The modern British car surmounts these gradients perfectly, and there is no reason why it should not do so in New Zealand or anywhere else. VALUE IN GEARING. It has been said in comparing British and Continental makes that gear-

changing is more necessary, on British cars than on foreign cars. But if the j buyer or user will only reflect for a i moment he will see that, if a car can surmount practically any gradient on the top gear, it is obviously geared much too low for running on the level, and that at average speed an undue amount of wear and tear cn the moving parts is involved, besides the unnecessary vibration caused in the eu-. gine, and extra petrol consumption. ; Gears are meant to be used, and net to be carried about and never used, and it is better to have a comfortable top gear on which running can be ■ smooth and economical and then to change down to the third or second gear when severe gradients are met. | COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.

As regards British commercial vehicles, they hold to-day, as they have always clone," the first rank among the heavy types. The motor-buses and motor-coaches to be seen running on the roads in England are without doubt the best of their type, both in comfort, efficiency and economy. The motorbus service in London, for instance — the best, form of transport which exists in any city in the whole world — is the admiration and envy of foreigners. Often one hears overseas students of transport declare their determination that on returning they will endeavour to induce their local authorities to scrap their tramways and institute a similar service of free-wheeled vehicles.