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).
Car performance issues in American conditions, customer dissatisfaction, and suggested modifications.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\F\February1921\ Scan14 | |
| Date | 10th December 1920 | |
| -4- 6. Excessive wear on engine parts. 7. Poor consumption. I believe that when we obtain the same standard of carburation under American conditions as we obtain in England ninety per cent of the troubles they have here will disappear. The proportion of dissatisfied owners here is much higher than we ever hear of in England. Since I have been here I have heard of two owners who wish to dispose of their new cars because of their not giving satisfaction. This, of course, is the most convincing proof that the car will need certain modifications in order to give the service expected of it. I should say quite a number of Rolls-Royce owners accept that an English Rolls-Royce car is not suitable under Winter conditions here and lay up the car during the Winter. Now that Rolls-Royce cars are being put up in America, for the price they pay for them the customers have the right to expect equal or better service under all conditions than they would obtain from an American car. I suggest that the following modifications are desirable to the Rolls-Royce car to suit conditions in America:- 1. We must modify the induction pipe so that it will give good distribution for the quality of petrol used. 2. Primer cock must be fitted so it can be operated from the instrument board. Even if the car is only left standing for half-an-hour it is always necessary to prime before the engine will start. 3. All cars, whether fitted with thermostats or not, should have shutters fixed to the front of the radiator. They can buy a very neat and satisfactory arrangement here. They have tested one on the trials cars and find it very satisfactory. 4. I have also been convinced of the necessity of having a thermometer fitted even with a thermostat. During one run we were very concerned about the radiator freezing up, although one-third of it was blanked off. Two days later we went southward and climbing mountain we actually boiled the water and had to stop by the side of the road to fill up. Contd. | ||