From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Customer complaint letter from 'Rocksavage' detailing six specific vehicle faults and poor engine performance.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\1\ Scan013 | |
| Date | 20th April 1920 | |
| C O P Y R/EBN 12 Kensington Palace Gdns W.2. 20th April 1920. Messrs Rolls-Royce Ltd., Conduit Street. W.1. Dear Sirs, As arranged yesterday with Mr. Northey, I will send my car down to Derby, driven by my chauffeur, Thursday or Friday next. I think you have all particulars from your agency at Nice of what is required to be done to the car viz:- (1) High pressure washer at tank. (2) Dynamo very noisy (3) Cut out very noisy (4) Bonnet very noisy (5) Brakes not severe enough (6) Steering still slightly wobbly, I should prefer it slightly heavier. As regards speed, I had not been able to test it properly for speed owing to the bad roads, but it was understood, when I confirmed my order for a new speed model Rolls, that it would do 75 miles per hour, I consider this essential on a speed model car as my old chassis, which was not a speed model, would do 72 miles per hour. So, please, before letting me have it back, tune it up so that it will do this speed. In motoring back from the South of France, I did about 300 miles the first day, but on starting the second day, she was missing badly on the magneto. At the end of that days drive, about 200 miles, my chauffeur had a few hours inwhich to go through the engine. He reports that he found the make and break very dirty and powdery, and also the distributor powdery and likewise dirty. This was the cause of the engine running badly. Do you not think that the car ought to run at least 600 miles, without any attention except greasing and filling up? It looks to me as if the material of the aforementioned parts is at fault. Yours faithfully, (SGD) Rocksavage. | ||