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).
From Melbourne discussing a customer complaint about being overcharged for a replacement top spring leaf on a Chassis GF 17.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 106\1\ scan0153 | |
| Date | 5th February 1929 | |
| X5410 Pt.2/EAP/5-2-29 MELBOURNE. - 5th February, 1929 BY/Derby c.Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}/Derby c.Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Derby c.Wks./London. Following my memo, Pt.4/EAP/30-1-29, re top spring leaves of front springs of 20 h.p. Chassis - I now wish to report further, that the owner of Chassis GF 17 (portions of the broken front spring of which I recently forwarded for your inspection) is complaining about having so soon after fitting a new top leaf to have to pay for a second one. In this particular instance, the customer was charged the sum of £5:8:10 for this spring leaf, the selling price having been arrived at by All British Motors in a manner contrary to that allowed in their contract with us, - that is to say, they charged 12/- too much, arriving at their price as follows :- English Retail Price ... ... £3: 7: 0 Less 15% discount ... ... 10: 0 Giving ... ... ... 2:17: 0 Plus 10% Landing Charges ... 5: 8 Amounting in all to ... 3: 2: 8 Plus 40% Duty ... ... 1: 4: 2 Amounting to ... ... 4: 6:10 Plus 25% profit ... ... 1: 2: 0 ========= Making a total of: ... ... £5: 8:10 ========= as against £4:16:10, the correct price shown in my memo above referred to. This customer is extremely puzzled as to why he should have to pay this price for a new top leaf, when locally made ones, apparently similar, can be purchased for 27/6, and I shall be glad to hear from you as to whether I may pass a credit to this customer for the cost of one new top leaf. Although this Chassis is now out of its guarantee period, I think it would be good policy to meet this case of complaint. When I last inspected the car on August 3rd, 1928, the mileage covered was 10,000, - I estimate that the mileage to date is 22,000. My chief reason for suggesting meeting this claim is that there is no doubt that we are getting far too many complaints of a similar nature, and I think we should do our utmost to prevent an impression getting abroad that our springs are unsatisfactory. Pt. | ||