The cost of Roycing

Sir,

I have long envied Rixon Bucknall in having both the money and the time to build so attractive a car to his own designs. But those of us who must be content with less should not have our choice biased by his somewhat misleading figures. At the worst a complete exchange engine for a 6-cylinder Rolls-Royce costs £310, plus fitting, and this sum should be spread over five or eight years according to the mileage. In other words, if you start with a second-hand car and have the engine immediately exchanged, your maintenance costs for the next five years should not be more than £60 p.a., and in my experience this will be more than re-couped by modest depreciation.

LAURENCE POMEROY.
London, W.1.