Comparing Foreign and U.S. Autos

As a firm believer in justice, I cannot help but take issue with the reasons given in Daniel Koblosh’s letter (Jan. 1) on why one should buy a foreign rather than a domestic car.

In 1965, I purchased a Dodge Dart GT. Disregarding the scheduled and expected maintenance, only one condition required correction and that under warranty. I sold that car in 1984 and purchased a foreign car, a Volvo. While that good old Dodge is still cruising around in my neighborhood, that foreign jewel had the following defects during the first 44,200 miles of ownership:

The brake system malfunctioned; the alternator failed; the brake master cylinder failed; one of the four automatic door locks failed; one of the two mufflers became punctured, requiring replacement; the air mass meter, an expensive computer, malfunctioned; a wiring defect caused the oil pressure sensor to give a misleading signal; the overdrive on signal went on due to wiring failure; an automatic, front window switch failed; the air mass meter finally broke down completely and, to top it all off, the automatic transmission disintegrated.

The only good news is that the salesman is still in perfect operating condition.

RUDOLF STEINER

Los Angeles