Minor triumph

sir – My father left his 1966 Morris Minor to my daughter, as she had always loved it. When living in London she happily drove it around and people waved and peeped at her.

Then she and her husband moved to Switzerland. She considered selling, but couldn’t bear to be parted from it, so had it shipped to Zurich.

She now drives around Küsnacht near Zurich in it, much to my grandchildren’s embarrassment, although her friends love having a lift in it.

She has found local garages more than helpful when necessary, even though they have never had to deal with one before.

Judy Woolley

Borrowash, Derbyshire

sir – I accept Neale Edwards’s argument (Letters, February 24) as to the virtue of continuing to run old cars. However, the fact remains that the latest models are infinitely safer.

The design to crumple upon impact (especially should one hit a pedestrian), anti-skid brakes, superior lighting and anti-roll bars have all contributed to the annual proportional decrease in fatal accidents.

The immeasurable improvement in comfort and the inclusion of driving aids mean driving is less stressful. It is rare that heated seats, fold-back mirrors, rear-view cameras and Satnavs can be retrofitted to older cars.

Roger Stainton

Buntingford, Hertfordshire

sir – Old cars are rarely stolen but new cars are stolen by the thousands. As they all have computers in them, why can’t the manufacturers implant a pin number so the car cannot start even if it has been unlocked or opened? One seems to have a pin number for nearly everything these days anyway; six numbers and two letters should sort it.

Geoffrey Saunders

Cardiff

sir – Forty years ago, when I worked for a Volvo car dealership, I went to a Volvo factory in Sweden and met the CEO, who asked me why my countrymen replaced their cars so frequently, as Volvo made theirs to last. Not that he was complaining.

Geoff Benge

Little Baddow, Essex