British Leyland service
Page 56
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I was roost interested to read the letter (CM May 16) regarding the fears, both real and imaginary, of your correspondent on the service of British Leyland, and the smooth reply of Lord Stokes.
There is another aspect of British Leyland service which is causing me, and I am sure many others, a great deal of concern.
As a small operator, I am unable to afford the luxury of a spare vehicle, so servicing and repairs have to be done at night or at holiday times. Servicing is predictable, so it does not cause too much upset, but
repairs and planned major jobs can cause domestic upheavals, unless your wife has the patience of Job.
I have operated Albions 'or a number of years, mainly because I consider them the best for the job, but also because there is an Albion depot near to me, which means that I do not have to tie up capital in a workshop full of spares, which are available 10 minutes away.
Under British Leyland. this depot is no longer open on a Sunday or at holiday times for spares service, so that unless a truck is taken off the road, and so reducing its desirability as a make, it means that any job planned for a weekend or holiday period becomes a nightmare. Take for instance a clutch replacement—I now have to think carefully. I could in the past take the gearbox out on the Saturday, decide what parts were needed, and on the Sunday morning collect them, refit, and have the truck ready for work first thing on Monday.
Now, have to make a list of all parts that could conceivably be needed, collect them on Friday, and on the Monday return the surplus parts, which could include a pressure plate and flywheel, which I could not justify holding as stock, and then I get charged 10 per cent of their value for handling.
Oh. for the days when a customer was considered) ROBERT L. BAILEY, Charlton cum Hardy, Manchester.