Bentley service

Sir,

Having read two criticisms from your readers recently regarding Bentley service, I feel bound to relate my own experiences of excellent service.

My Bentley is a 1950 Mark VI which I have used for about three years. On a short visit to Bournemouth last July some carefully hidden welding which the previous owner had carried out on two sections of the exhaust system failed, and caused unusual, and possibly illegal, noise from the engine. It should be emphasised that the local Bournemouth dealer was completely unknown to me. Here is the sequence of events.

2 p.m., Wednesday—Telephoned dealer explaining trouble.
2:30 p.m. —Car picked up by dealer from hotel garage.
6 p.m.—Dealer telephoned me at hotel to say that is new parts would be required, including exhaust manifold and one silencer. Some items were in stock, remainder to be collected from London (130 miles away) on Thursday.
6 p.m., Thursday—Telephone call from dealer—all part’s obtained. Car to be ready Friday afternoon.
3 p.m., Friday—Car delivered with repairs completed.

I did not mind paying the bill (£87) because, as your correspondents say, it is known that parts for these cars are expensive (incidentally, the labour charge included in the bill was £22 only), and I consider this to be top class service, in keeping with the quality of this 20-year-old car.

The Maidstone R.-R. dealer obtained new headlamp rims and reflector assemblies in four days.

A new front carpet (a perfect match to the original) was obtained from a London dealer in one week exactly, including rail transport time.

In the case of all three dealers mentioned the factory-trained personnel behaved as men in charge of thoroughbreds should.

Maybe it was just my luck.

Strood.
Ronald W. Stacey