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Re: Lucas and "the reputation"

To: Peter van der Linden <pvdl@afu.com>
Subject: Re: Lucas and "the reputation"
From: Bill <wbmcleod@cox.net>
Date: Tue, 01 Jul 2003 18:57:53 -0700
How many other electric companies have parts that are still going after 
40 or 50 years?  Yes, Lucas has certainly had some losers, but I have 
found that most of the electical problems in the early cars were 
slightly corroded connections, which is not unusual after all that 
time.  I do enjoy the jokes, tho....(  Lucas light switch.... dim and off. )
Thanks
Bill McLeod
Slightly Classics
Tucson, AZ

Peter van der Linden wrote:

> I am writing a story for my local car club magazine, and I would 
> really like to get some feedback/ideas on my topic from fellow 
> sufferers.  The subject of the article is "Lucas Electrics".
>
> As everyone knows, Lucas has had a reputation among owners of Brit 
> cars for 30 or more years (i.e. at least all the time I have been a 
> British car owner).  Lucas is said to be renowned for their lack of 
> quality, which leads to stranded drivers, and many, many jokes (e.g. 
> Lucas is the prince of darkness, the British drink warm beer because 
> Lucas provides the refrigeration, Lucas didn't invent the short 
> circuit, but they patented it, etc).
>
> I want to take a close look at Lucas quality.
> The questions that I could use ideas/suggestions on are:
> 1. is the Lucas reputation justified or not?
> 2. if it is justified, why does a second rate company continue being 
> second rate for year after year?  Is it really as simple as "because 
> they can"?
> 3. Why wasn't Lucas driven out of the auto-electrics business years 
> ago?  Is it as simple as "there will always be a market for goods 
> built down to a cost"?   Why are their products so poor?
>
> Lucas war stories are most welcome, too.
>
>    Peter

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