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In a recent CM you carried a thought-provoking advertisement for Land-Rovers headed 'Is there an alternative?'" I cannot help, albeit reluctantly, but reply, "Yes, there certainly is!"
My company specified a number of diesel Land-Rovers for use as patrol vehicles in the Kowloon Cross-Harbour Tunnel.
At the end of four years and 80/ 90,000 miles and after considerable downtime and consequent expenditure, we had to dispose of the seven vehicles as we were at risk in being unable to discharge our statuory requirement to provide an efficient emergency service.
A whole history of transmission problems and cylinderhead and crankshaft failures were chronicled. Recurring price escalations, the inevitable industrial disputes allegedly delaying delivery of spares led us inevitably to look for an alternative.
Since May 1977 we have operated seven Toyota diesel Land-Cruisers on the same work, if anything more onerous due to an annual 20 per cent traffic increase bringing on more breakdowns, incidents, etc. To date they have just completed 40,000 miles, which in a 1.6mile length of roadway is in itself quite an achievement, and in no way have these vehicles given any cause for anxiety.
The only downtime to date has been the regular servicing at 3,000-mile intervals and in recent weeks, evidence of clutch wear, which considering the vehicles at times are used to push out from the tunnel heavy goods vehicles and laden double-decker buses is no mean feat.
So, in reply to the advertiser: "There is an alternative and we have comprehensive records to prove it!'
A, McFARLIN, Tunnel Manager, The Cross-Harbour Tunnel Co Ltd, Kowloon.