Citroen BX Estate
Discussion
This is a tale of a Citroen BX that I have jointly owned with Kitchski, for a number of years. This topic has been lifted from another forum, for your enjoyment, Hopefully.
As written by Kitchski, mid 2007.
Not a blog as such, more a story and progress on the best BX, or in fact best car I've ever owned.
Cast back to 2004. In June I'd just picked up my 16v, after a long time coming! The following July I picked up an AX GT project car. Then, in August myself and Si decided that what we needed was a cheap diesel runaround to share, and save ourselves some money on a part time basis....one month on, one off etc.
My parent's house would frequently look like a Citroën dumping ground:
The 16v and the Xantia Activa which myself and Si owned respectively were costing alot to run, it we decided it would be nice to be able to save money, while driving a car we didn't really need to worry about. It didn't matter where we parked it at night, or if it picked up a ding. It was a tool, and tool's are cool!
The beast itself was a 1989 19RD estate with the later type XUD9 engine, non turbo. It had covered 172k miles which at the time we thought was high, but we had no idea just how easily this thing would tackle the miles. The guy we acquired it from FOR FREE! had owned it from new and covered all the miles himself in and around Sheffield. It came with what is probably the sweetest sounding and well maintained XUD lump I've ever heard:
I liked the car so much I treated it to the Speedlines I had (foolishly) removed from my own 16v:
Next, in December '04 I fitted leather to my 16v and as a result my original Monza interior was going spare, and we also rather brutishly fitted some In Car Entertainment with some Alpine speakers that cost 100% more than the car (just assume the car cost a quid!)
For the next year or so the car did indeed provide the transport we had hoped, and also undertook many tasks including:
Getting cars that are supposed to be bomb-proof to start
Bringing an engine, a gearbox, and interior, a cylinder head and some suspension legs back from brum in the boot while achieving 53mpg:
And got me tugged by the fuzz and into all sorts of nitty gritty law issues with this 'trailer':
In winter 2005, Si travelled to France to do a winter season, and the MOT expired on the estate. Fancying a change and a derv that I could call my own (as we shared the estate), I bought a Xantia TD to replace it with....which was rubbish.
In 2006 I MOT'd the estate, having fitted new rear calipers and discs/pads, welding up the A-Pillar so the drivers door didn't fall off when you opened it (in front of lots of people at West Quay). Due to the money I pumped into it, I kept the car until my AX GT was returned to me by a girlfriend I had broken up with....seems the car I'd given her reminded her of me!
Si returned and took full ownership of the estate, paying me for the MOT and some tax. I ran the AX GT around before selling it in order to....can't remember what, think it was a lack of space or some such. By now the estate had had some spankly new alloys that were found in a tip:
The car was also involved in a run-in with a BMW 5-series in Southampton. The BMW came off very badly as he tried to cut across the nearside of my car, on the outer lane of a roundabout! The estate faired pretty well:
Si then went one better and drove the car into the back of a Land Rover Freelander at around 10mph. He bent the front panel, smashed the lights, cracked the bonnet and generally caused a headache for the car. He then went to France and left the car in the barn it now resides, but only for 8months this time.
On his return, we ventured to the barn at 11pm, after a few beers, and armed with a fresh battery. The aim? The estate has NEVER failed to start on the first turn of the key in our ownership. Can it do the same after 8months in the cold??
It did!!
Its not running there, but you get the idea.
Si decided to go and buy something silly for a while, a Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo. Nice to drive, dull as beige. In this time I needed the car and it was lent to me. We returned the car to the road with advisorys on seat belts in the rear, headlamp aim (due to crash) and a side lamp bulb!
In this time, it hit the jackpot, in Portsmouth one night:
It was only later that night I found I'd managed to be driving around with no coolant AND oil (reading on the dipstick). A new dumb record for me!
Then Nat (my girlfriend) and I had planned to go away for New Years to some remote part of Devon/Cornwall. I had lined up the Rover Coupe I had at the time to get us tehre and back, but it K-Series'd on me and I had to call the estate into service once more, now with a VERY tired clutch and release bearing that sounded like a can full of ball bearings with the clutch up (still does!) To put the car into reverse required switching it off, then on again.
It did the trip without fail, including trail by 1 in 4 hills, floods, sheep and Bridport:
Although wearing it's spangley new ZX Avantage wheel trims and wheels with 175 (yes, that's a uber wide 175!) section tyres, the car was looking tired. The front end looked like it had been chinned, there was a hole in the N/S/R quarter half a foot across, the door was dropping again and rust was setting in on the front wings and drivers door. God knows what it's like underneath!
Sadly, Si retired the estate to the barn on the expiry of the MOT and the purchase of his new Xsara VTS, which has since departed.
As written by Kitchski, mid 2007.
Not a blog as such, more a story and progress on the best BX, or in fact best car I've ever owned.
Cast back to 2004. In June I'd just picked up my 16v, after a long time coming! The following July I picked up an AX GT project car. Then, in August myself and Si decided that what we needed was a cheap diesel runaround to share, and save ourselves some money on a part time basis....one month on, one off etc.
My parent's house would frequently look like a Citroën dumping ground:
The 16v and the Xantia Activa which myself and Si owned respectively were costing alot to run, it we decided it would be nice to be able to save money, while driving a car we didn't really need to worry about. It didn't matter where we parked it at night, or if it picked up a ding. It was a tool, and tool's are cool!
The beast itself was a 1989 19RD estate with the later type XUD9 engine, non turbo. It had covered 172k miles which at the time we thought was high, but we had no idea just how easily this thing would tackle the miles. The guy we acquired it from FOR FREE! had owned it from new and covered all the miles himself in and around Sheffield. It came with what is probably the sweetest sounding and well maintained XUD lump I've ever heard:
I liked the car so much I treated it to the Speedlines I had (foolishly) removed from my own 16v:
Next, in December '04 I fitted leather to my 16v and as a result my original Monza interior was going spare, and we also rather brutishly fitted some In Car Entertainment with some Alpine speakers that cost 100% more than the car (just assume the car cost a quid!)
For the next year or so the car did indeed provide the transport we had hoped, and also undertook many tasks including:
Getting cars that are supposed to be bomb-proof to start
Bringing an engine, a gearbox, and interior, a cylinder head and some suspension legs back from brum in the boot while achieving 53mpg:
And got me tugged by the fuzz and into all sorts of nitty gritty law issues with this 'trailer':
In winter 2005, Si travelled to France to do a winter season, and the MOT expired on the estate. Fancying a change and a derv that I could call my own (as we shared the estate), I bought a Xantia TD to replace it with....which was rubbish.
In 2006 I MOT'd the estate, having fitted new rear calipers and discs/pads, welding up the A-Pillar so the drivers door didn't fall off when you opened it (in front of lots of people at West Quay). Due to the money I pumped into it, I kept the car until my AX GT was returned to me by a girlfriend I had broken up with....seems the car I'd given her reminded her of me!
Si returned and took full ownership of the estate, paying me for the MOT and some tax. I ran the AX GT around before selling it in order to....can't remember what, think it was a lack of space or some such. By now the estate had had some spankly new alloys that were found in a tip:
The car was also involved in a run-in with a BMW 5-series in Southampton. The BMW came off very badly as he tried to cut across the nearside of my car, on the outer lane of a roundabout! The estate faired pretty well:
Si then went one better and drove the car into the back of a Land Rover Freelander at around 10mph. He bent the front panel, smashed the lights, cracked the bonnet and generally caused a headache for the car. He then went to France and left the car in the barn it now resides, but only for 8months this time.
On his return, we ventured to the barn at 11pm, after a few beers, and armed with a fresh battery. The aim? The estate has NEVER failed to start on the first turn of the key in our ownership. Can it do the same after 8months in the cold??
It did!!
Its not running there, but you get the idea.
Si decided to go and buy something silly for a while, a Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo. Nice to drive, dull as beige. In this time I needed the car and it was lent to me. We returned the car to the road with advisorys on seat belts in the rear, headlamp aim (due to crash) and a side lamp bulb!
In this time, it hit the jackpot, in Portsmouth one night:
It was only later that night I found I'd managed to be driving around with no coolant AND oil (reading on the dipstick). A new dumb record for me!
Then Nat (my girlfriend) and I had planned to go away for New Years to some remote part of Devon/Cornwall. I had lined up the Rover Coupe I had at the time to get us tehre and back, but it K-Series'd on me and I had to call the estate into service once more, now with a VERY tired clutch and release bearing that sounded like a can full of ball bearings with the clutch up (still does!) To put the car into reverse required switching it off, then on again.
It did the trip without fail, including trail by 1 in 4 hills, floods, sheep and Bridport:
Although wearing it's spangley new ZX Avantage wheel trims and wheels with 175 (yes, that's a uber wide 175!) section tyres, the car was looking tired. The front end looked like it had been chinned, there was a hole in the N/S/R quarter half a foot across, the door was dropping again and rust was setting in on the front wings and drivers door. God knows what it's like underneath!
Sadly, Si retired the estate to the barn on the expiry of the MOT and the purchase of his new Xsara VTS, which has since departed.
As above, lifted from another forum, and written by Kitchski in 2009
Fast forward to 2009!!!
We're in recession, I've moved jobs again. Si is now thin and owns an Alfa 156 GTA, for which I hate him.
I'm expecting twins and have moved into my own place with my girlfriend. I am in fact due to move into my second place!
The estate still lays dormant in the barn , untouched for over 2 years. NO one has even walked near the barn, let alone seen the car.
However....I take the decision to sell my leather interior from my 16v, leaving it looking like this:
Now seeing as I was commuting in the valver at this time, this wasn't an ideal driving layout. I needed my Monza back, and in turn needed to source the estate an interior. I woke the man-flu ridden Si and declared we needed to go the barn. If I'm honest, I was more excited about seeing the car again than getting my interior back!
This is what we were greeted with:
Now my camera phone's camera is average at best, so the extent of the decay isn't as apparent as it was in real life. The whole car was green, we'd hacked down a plant that was growing in the N/S of it and bits of the rusty roof of the barn had landed on the car.
I was worried for the interior, but the estate had kept it well for me:
Si refused to take bets on whether it would start first time, as he believed it would, with a fresh battery of course.
We fitted the battery from my girlfriend's Saxo. We tried turning it over. It laughed at us! All we got was a click.
I replaced the Saxo's battery, still warm! Luckily the battery had just enough to restart the Saxo.
We removed the lorry sized battery from Si' Alfa, and used a wheel barrow to cart it across a field to the barn.
It didn't quite fit in the battery tray, but we got round it.
It clicked the first time.
Second time it turned over and over and over, sounding like it had air in the fuel. I reluctantly started priming it with the push button on the filter. I didn't want to do this, as I knew if the seal underneath was brittle I could cause more problems than by not touching it! We expelled the air and tried again.
Third time lucky....it fired up! Didn't even puff any smoke out!
About 1min later the suspension started to lift itself off the ground.
We wondered if the handbrake would be seized, or whether the clutch would disengage.
It did! The estate pulled itself out of the barn with minimal fuss, trampling the remains of the bush that had tried to claim it.
We drove the estate across the field to the waiting Saxo and removed the interior. The rest of the car was untouched inside. I was expecting dead mice, rot, mould...anything! But it was exactly as left....must be the climate in West Wellow!
We returned the estate to the barn, having realised we'd been doing all this with zero coolant again, but the estate made no fuss at all.
Since this day a month ago, it has sat waiting for some attention. Another interior is not far away now and will soon be fitted.
Si still owns the car, but I know he'd probably gladly give it back, as it's occupying space in his dad's barn, who's hardly the most open minded or understanding when it comes to old cars, although he must understand sentimental value as he kept the old 740 above!
If I get the space to keep it, I'll gladly take it back. But for now the plan is to one day restore the beast. New 1/4 panel, and full respray. New clutch and cambelt.....and thats it! No repairs or overhauls underneath....the car will still drive round with little or no coolant and sticky struts. Only it'll look like it just left the showroom!
Fast forward to 2009!!!
We're in recession, I've moved jobs again. Si is now thin and owns an Alfa 156 GTA, for which I hate him.
I'm expecting twins and have moved into my own place with my girlfriend. I am in fact due to move into my second place!
The estate still lays dormant in the barn , untouched for over 2 years. NO one has even walked near the barn, let alone seen the car.
However....I take the decision to sell my leather interior from my 16v, leaving it looking like this:
Now seeing as I was commuting in the valver at this time, this wasn't an ideal driving layout. I needed my Monza back, and in turn needed to source the estate an interior. I woke the man-flu ridden Si and declared we needed to go the barn. If I'm honest, I was more excited about seeing the car again than getting my interior back!
This is what we were greeted with:
Now my camera phone's camera is average at best, so the extent of the decay isn't as apparent as it was in real life. The whole car was green, we'd hacked down a plant that was growing in the N/S of it and bits of the rusty roof of the barn had landed on the car.
I was worried for the interior, but the estate had kept it well for me:
Si refused to take bets on whether it would start first time, as he believed it would, with a fresh battery of course.
We fitted the battery from my girlfriend's Saxo. We tried turning it over. It laughed at us! All we got was a click.
I replaced the Saxo's battery, still warm! Luckily the battery had just enough to restart the Saxo.
We removed the lorry sized battery from Si' Alfa, and used a wheel barrow to cart it across a field to the barn.
It didn't quite fit in the battery tray, but we got round it.
It clicked the first time.
Second time it turned over and over and over, sounding like it had air in the fuel. I reluctantly started priming it with the push button on the filter. I didn't want to do this, as I knew if the seal underneath was brittle I could cause more problems than by not touching it! We expelled the air and tried again.
Third time lucky....it fired up! Didn't even puff any smoke out!
About 1min later the suspension started to lift itself off the ground.
We wondered if the handbrake would be seized, or whether the clutch would disengage.
It did! The estate pulled itself out of the barn with minimal fuss, trampling the remains of the bush that had tried to claim it.
We drove the estate across the field to the waiting Saxo and removed the interior. The rest of the car was untouched inside. I was expecting dead mice, rot, mould...anything! But it was exactly as left....must be the climate in West Wellow!
We returned the estate to the barn, having realised we'd been doing all this with zero coolant again, but the estate made no fuss at all.
Since this day a month ago, it has sat waiting for some attention. Another interior is not far away now and will soon be fitted.
Si still owns the car, but I know he'd probably gladly give it back, as it's occupying space in his dad's barn, who's hardly the most open minded or understanding when it comes to old cars, although he must understand sentimental value as he kept the old 740 above!
If I get the space to keep it, I'll gladly take it back. But for now the plan is to one day restore the beast. New 1/4 panel, and full respray. New clutch and cambelt.....and thats it! No repairs or overhauls underneath....the car will still drive round with little or no coolant and sticky struts. Only it'll look like it just left the showroom!
August 2010, written by me.
Since the last post (2009), the estate has remained sat in the barn until today. Kitchski and I ventured to the barn, with the purpose of fitting an interior that I had sourced.
We were greeted by this
Nevermind. Kitch had the task of climbing into the boot of the car with the aim of driving it out (I am clever you see, and wore shorts)
As he spent ages trying to kill a wasp inside the car I fitted the battery from the Alfa, topped up the water, and stood back. This was "The Estate" and it was bound to start first time......Kitch turned the key, and we were stunned by the sound of a sticky starter motor.....it did not start. Never fear, we tried again, and were overjoyed at the sound of her starting up. The suspension was set to high, and we drove the car out of the barn, weeds attached.
Once out of the barn we let it run for a bit, whilst adding more water, and taking a quick look at the bodywork. We then bolted in the drivers seat, and drove it down the field to the house to take a proper look.
Seems the barn had done a fair job in looking after "The Estate" and only a small amount of tin worm has been able to eat its bodywork. Currently it looks like after an initial inspection I need two wings, one quater panel and a slam panel.
We quickly brushed off the dust and other crap that had settled on the car, and fitted a very fetching and comfy tweed interior.
After a quick tidy inside the car, it returned to the barn until I can find these parts, and somewhere to work on the car. Kitch had the pleasure of driving it back down to the barn
All in all a good day, and I am very please it started first time (almost) and it was a pleasure driving it. I had forgotten how spacious and smooth the BX is!
So this is were this amazing car currently is. One day I hope to get it back on the road, but when we shall have to see.
Since the last post (2009), the estate has remained sat in the barn until today. Kitchski and I ventured to the barn, with the purpose of fitting an interior that I had sourced.
We were greeted by this
Nevermind. Kitch had the task of climbing into the boot of the car with the aim of driving it out (I am clever you see, and wore shorts)
As he spent ages trying to kill a wasp inside the car I fitted the battery from the Alfa, topped up the water, and stood back. This was "The Estate" and it was bound to start first time......Kitch turned the key, and we were stunned by the sound of a sticky starter motor.....it did not start. Never fear, we tried again, and were overjoyed at the sound of her starting up. The suspension was set to high, and we drove the car out of the barn, weeds attached.
Once out of the barn we let it run for a bit, whilst adding more water, and taking a quick look at the bodywork. We then bolted in the drivers seat, and drove it down the field to the house to take a proper look.
Seems the barn had done a fair job in looking after "The Estate" and only a small amount of tin worm has been able to eat its bodywork. Currently it looks like after an initial inspection I need two wings, one quater panel and a slam panel.
We quickly brushed off the dust and other crap that had settled on the car, and fitted a very fetching and comfy tweed interior.
After a quick tidy inside the car, it returned to the barn until I can find these parts, and somewhere to work on the car. Kitch had the pleasure of driving it back down to the barn
All in all a good day, and I am very please it started first time (almost) and it was a pleasure driving it. I had forgotten how spacious and smooth the BX is!
So this is were this amazing car currently is. One day I hope to get it back on the road, but when we shall have to see.
not being horrible but ive never found a french heap this interesting!I am stunned that it hasnt dissolved but I do have a slight soft spot for Citroen as we have a '38 Traction Avant. My Dad did at one point own a BX 16 TRS and an XM (horrible car fault wise) and I always remember the strange location of the indicators which were on the edge of the dash binnacle. Anyway good job on keeping her alive and well. I would put soem coolant in their just to stop any corrosion and then hopefully you can see 250k and beyond!!
Thanks for the kind messages, I kinda expected a host of "why the hell have you got that" comments.
The bx is a cracking car, that can be picked up for peanuts now, and is excellent for a spot of bangernomics. Roomy, comfy, and best of all, cheap and easy to keep on the road. The suspension is fairly simple, and as all things, if its looked after then won't cause a problem. Obviously they are getting on now tho, so finding a good one could be tricky. There is a very friendly owners club who would help you find a good one if you were serious.
RE the saxo. That belongs to Kitchski, and his better half. It started as a vtr, but had a vts conversion. There was a thread on it somewhere on here if your interested.
The bx is a cracking car, that can be picked up for peanuts now, and is excellent for a spot of bangernomics. Roomy, comfy, and best of all, cheap and easy to keep on the road. The suspension is fairly simple, and as all things, if its looked after then won't cause a problem. Obviously they are getting on now tho, so finding a good one could be tricky. There is a very friendly owners club who would help you find a good one if you were serious.
RE the saxo. That belongs to Kitchski, and his better half. It started as a vtr, but had a vts conversion. There was a thread on it somewhere on here if your interested.
Edited by S10 GTA on Sunday 21st November 11:51
Had a white BX hatch, not sure if it was a F or G reg, it had done a fair few miles, but had been looked after. It was the turbo diesel, 1700cc DTR? it went okay for the time and was good on fuel. I always thought it would fall apart as it felt quite flimsy, but had no problems and it held together. I has to change the radiator and two front spheres. Both easy jobs. In fact there was a bloke in south Manchester who refurbished the spheres, they were cheaper than shock absorbers and so easy to change.
My first car was a "D" reg 1.7 diesel, with the speedo that was a drum with the numbers on that rotated behind a fixed needle, and the indicators on a rocker switch.
My parents had it from new and eventually let me drive it when i passed my test, It had electric windows but no power steering!
Useful items I used to keep in the boot:
complete change of clothes
Duvet
Sleeping bag
bottle of vodka
cricket kit
Dinner jacket
can of easy start.
I was prepared for anything in those days!
it also had a vomit stain on the outside that i couldn't clean off.
I remember driving it down dirt tracks and across fields at 70mph.
Oh to be young again!
My parents had it from new and eventually let me drive it when i passed my test, It had electric windows but no power steering!
Useful items I used to keep in the boot:
complete change of clothes
Duvet
Sleeping bag
bottle of vodka
cricket kit
Dinner jacket
can of easy start.
I was prepared for anything in those days!
it also had a vomit stain on the outside that i couldn't clean off.
I remember driving it down dirt tracks and across fields at 70mph.
Oh to be young again!
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