MERCEDES-BENZ 107V EXPERIENCES

Sir,

Having, from time to time, read with interest the articles and letters concerning British versus Continental ” family ” cars, I feel that my own experience with a Mercedes-Benz 17oV, of 1948 manufacture, might be of interest.

This car is one of the most popular ” buys ” with servicemen in Germany, selling for about ktoo (mine cost k80). Since 1957 it has covered 45,000 miles from Venice to Inverness with the absolute minimum of trouble, despite little garaging and some pretty hard driving. Cruising speed is 50-55 m.p.h. and consumption as low as 30-33 m.p.g. on long runs (e.g., 29.8 m.p.g. for a 3,000-mile tour of Scotland this summer). Nor is it afraid of hard work—witness 596 miles from Sussex to Aberdeen in 161 hours.

Perhaps the greatest tribute I can pay is with regard to spares facilities. For this 53-year-old, non-export model, I receive spares within five days of ordering, on average, and a telegram for a pulley wheel on a Sunday afternoon this month brought the required article by first post on the Tuesday morning. How does this compare with British manufacturers ?

Bideford. G. R. SIMPSON. •