Letters.(Letter to the editor)

Driving vacations

I just returned from a two-week European vacation to get my new Volvo in Sweden. Volvo's program (Oct. 25 Buyers Guide, "Taking Over, Over There'') beats the others. Not only an 8 percent discount on the car's base price, but running specials on option packages and European travel packages. We bought a V50, and the premium package ($2,195) was free . Insurance provided by Volvo covered all of Europe and we could have stayed for up to six months before the value-added tax kicked in. Nothing beats the thrill of driving your own car down the autobahn at 130 mph (or more). Then you can take it to "The Ring'' and really give it a good test drive.

Ron Stone, Amarillo, Texas

My wife and I picked up a 911 at the Porsche factory in May. The navigation system with a European CD was priceless. It made for a relaxed trip with no in-car tension over directions. The nav took us directly to our hotel in downtown Paris. If you're thinking European delivery, something I highly recommend, a navigation system is a must.

Phil Shelton, Yuba City, Calif.

My wife and I have tried overseas delivery twice and we're 0 for 2. Once was with a small British manufacturer and once with a large German company. The result was the same: They both took our money in advance, knowing they could not deliver as promised. In the case of the British company it was because it had run afoul of U.S. Customs and had temporarily suspended exports. It turned out that the factory had rejected the order, but that message never reached us. The German organization had set up a delivery date that coincided with its annual summer vacation shutdown. The British company ...