(In response to Scott Anthony's article "American Car Makers Failed Us,") I have an electric car called a 2002 Volkswagen Golf Hatchback.

While not intended to be so powered, it became apparent, after having it towed several times to the local dealer for inspection, repair and battery replacement, something was seriously wrong.

Provided a solar panel battery charger by the company (supposedly to se un Seattle sunshine and/or my garage), I was told to drive at least 30 miles per week-with gas at $3.50 per gallon-to keep the battery properly charged.

Explaining I had never experienced such problems with my 1965 Mustang nor the 1974 Vega I had driven until purchasing the Volkswagen, I was told this was how all cars function now. The more I researched the matter, the more I heard the same story being fed to others-particularly seniors requiring wheels for primary transportation and necessities.

With the Mayor (Greg Nickels) attempting to get us out of our cars, why are automobile manufacturers and dealers telling us we should drive more, whether we want to, need to or can afford to?

Advised that the many amenities installed in newer vehicles drain batteries while not even being used, I requested that some of those in my car be disconnected. Told this could not be done, I decided to take my problems to a company that would not profit from my erroneous purchase of such a catastrophe.

Directed to Jacobson Marine, I was provided a battery charger modified to plug into the car's cigarette lighter and an electrical outlet in the garage. The ability of the car to function is now dependent upon the use of the charger, a 12-foot extension cord and an electrical outlet to which it is connected after being driven.

This is why-among other things-I call it an electric car.

With a move inevitable sometime in the future, parking space with accessible electricity may be neither affordable nor available. At that point in time, my quandary will be what to do with this four-wheeled carcass-unload it one some other unsuspecting victim, or deposit in the front office of the local Volkswagen dealership.

Joan Dahlgren Reid

Ballard