MOTOR FIRM TRICKED.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5353, 19 November 1928, Page 1

MOTOR FIRM TRICKED.

HUNDRED MILE TEST DRIVE.

An amAzing story comes from Dud ley, EnglWl, of how a trickster was feasted by a famous firm of mtwr-car manufacturers, how he offered “ahy price” for a car that had been built for, a Euuropean king, and! then “bought” :a second-hand car, finally vanishing, and leaving his bills unpaid.

A man of stately whose “wealth” evidently impressed, persuaded) a Dudley garage proprietor to drive him to the Midland town where the worldrfamous car is made. They were to stay the night, and the cast, whatever it might be, was to be paid by the visitor.

At the best hotel in the town an elaborate supper was prepared, where, on| the pretence that “the girl in the office” could not change a £lO note, £2 was borrowed frjopn the owner, of the taxi. Next morning coffee was ordered for two, and a beautiful electric torch was given to “my Dudley engineer.”

They went by tram —the car had io be left at the hotejl as a security, so as not to arouse suspicion—to the works, where “our mutual” was royally received by the manager. The visitor was shown, over the works, every part of the par was demonstrated, but “unfortunately,” the company had only one car to his liking,. and that had' been especially made for the foreign monarch. Offers of “any price” for this did not move the management, and finally, following tejlephnoe calls, it was stated that at their London s'how-rooms the company would have a car tb his liking.

More feasting took place—not at “our friend’s” expense—and then the company sent a luxurious c;a,r to take the party to London. With much ceremony, they wer.e provided for at a West End hotel,, whejre, having stayed the night,' they were taken in the car to the showrooms.

Elaborate demonstrations, however, failed to convincp the “gentleman” that the company had the suitable car. It was suggested that as he wanted immediate delivery he might be willing to look at a’ second-hand car at a firm where bodies were; built. With an air of injured d'eferenee, the customer, was driven to this establishment. He was slhojwn the car, expressed a depire fqr a demonstration, arjd, having been taken a hundred L mile trip, said, he was delighted 1 . The price, £1668, was agreed upon, .the; “purchaser” remarking that “she was a lovely thing,” but he wanted extras, including a silver eagle as a mascot. Returning to his hotel to settle the deal at-once, hq regretted that his solicitor would not he available for an hour or two, and: again he presided at a popular table. Subsequently he was drivejn to his solicitors, left the, car to enter some offices, and from that moment was not seen again.

The man had 'enjoyed a series of runs, had been feastejl royally, and had left withoiut paying hotel bills. Two qhauffeuis had been left stranded, to make a disconsolate journey back of more a hundred miles, the flrm had not sojd a car, and no services had: beejn paid for. The Dudley garage proprietor has his beautiful electric, torch, and the authorities, who have been in|formed, have a keen eyq for a ; suspicious character.