RE: Citroen BX | Shed of the Week
Discussion
biggbn said:
If it had no power steering it was not comparable in any way to this as this is a hydropneunatically suspended citroen and they all had power everything as far as I recall...?
And yet, as a citroen fan...I agree. That's a few hundred quid of skip car or dog hauler at most
No, some BXs didn't have PAS - all the 1.4 models (though they're piss-light, so if you struggle with that, you'll struggle to pick up your toothbrush), the very earliest 1.6 models (it became an option about 18 months after UK-launch, and standard-fit not long after), and the 1.8D models (badged 17D); They were the worst, because the engine was heavier, but then the car was so slow you didn't need to turn the steering quickly. Everything else had PAS, which gave it a much quicker ratio, too.And yet, as a citroen fan...I agree. That's a few hundred quid of skip car or dog hauler at most
Otherwise, none of the GS/GSA range did (but again, they're very light cars), and the most basic CX's didn't feature the fully-powered steering (DIRAVI) that the majority did - you can tell which ones those are, because they can be parked with the wheels left turned. Oh, and of course the ID19 (base version of the DS), and the Light 15H (very last cars which had a hydropneumatic rear end, more as a testbed than anything).
All LHM-based hydro-Citroens did have fully powered-brakes, though. The later LDS-based systems only do the suspension, though the steering does share the some fluid, but has its own pump. Brakes are completely boggo servo-assisted, just like the other peasant cars.
And yes, that's a ropey BX. I'm slightly partial to a BX, and I wouldn't give half that. The bodyshell (rust-wise) and/or paintwork are the two biggest influences in the value of a BX, IMO. For someone who doesn't care about the look of it, it may well be a good car for them, but the look of it is letting down anything decent about its underpinnings.
Hope it finds a good home, but I suspect it won't (I don't think it'll sell full-stop, for that money).
Blackpuddin said:
It's an upside-down car, the bottom does indeed look better than the top.
That bottom is more important, truth be told, but in terms of resale value most don't see it that way.It's daft really. The bodywork is visible. The stuff underneath can be a hidden minefield.
Kitchski said:
biggbn said:
If it had no power steering it was not comparable in any way to this as this is a hydropneunatically suspended citroen and they all had power everything as far as I recall...?
And yet, as a citroen fan...I agree. That's a few hundred quid of skip car or dog hauler at most
No, some BXs didn't have PAS - all the 1.4 models (though they're piss-light, so if you struggle with that, you'll struggle to pick up your toothbrush), the very earliest 1.6 models (it became an option about 18 months after UK-launch, and standard-fit not long after), and the 1.8D models (badged 17D); They were the worst, because the engine was heavier, but then the car was so slow you didn't need to turn the steering quickly. Everything else had PAS, which gave it a much quicker ratio, too.And yet, as a citroen fan...I agree. That's a few hundred quid of skip car or dog hauler at most
Otherwise, none of the GS/GSA range did (but again, they're very light cars), and the most basic CX's didn't feature the fully-powered steering (DIRAVI) that the majority did - you can tell which ones those are, because they can be parked with the wheels left turned. Oh, and of course the ID19 (base version of the DS), and the Light 15H (very last cars which had a hydropneumatic rear end, more as a testbed than anything).
All LHM-based hydro-Citroens did have fully powered-brakes, though. The later LDS-based systems only do the suspension, though the steering does share the some fluid, but has its own pump. Brakes are completely boggo servo-assisted, just like the other peasant cars.
And yes, that's a ropey BX. I'm slightly partial to a BX, and I wouldn't give half that. The bodyshell (rust-wise) and/or paintwork are the two biggest influences in the value of a BX, IMO. For someone who doesn't care about the look of it, it may well be a good car for them, but the look of it is letting down anything decent about its underpinnings.
Hope it finds a good home, but I suspect it won't (I don't think it'll sell full-stop, for that money).
Kitchski said:
Blackpuddin said:
It's an upside-down car, the bottom does indeed look better than the top.
That bottom is more important, truth be told, but in terms of resale value most don't see it that way.It's daft really. The bodywork is visible. The stuff underneath can be a hidden minefield.
What an awful car, and I love BXs. I had two ph.2 BX 16v models (it wasnt the 'GTI 16v' for virtually all of its production life, and the GTI was nowwhere near 160bhp either) when new and a diesel as a runaround 10yrs later, and it was still superb.
This is a festering turd and it appears to have a Xantia TD engine bodged in, too. I wouldnt touch it with your barge pole.
This is a festering turd and it appears to have a Xantia TD engine bodged in, too. I wouldnt touch it with your barge pole.
Desiderata said:
I had a 1991 tgd with the 1.7 xud turbo intercooler engine. Looking back at the specs I can't believe it only had 90ps, it seemed a rocket ship compared with 1.3 escort it replaced.
I loved it and it set some of my personal records/achievements which I'm still impressed with 30 years on.
Furthest distance on a single tank (720 miles and still going when I chickened out and refueled).
Fastest average speed for a days driving (550 miles in exactly 5 and a half hours coming home from the South of France so 100mph average).
Biggest load of beer and wine brought home from a hypermarche ( I don't have the exact quantity but it filled the back half of the car with the seats folded down from floor to roof and was close to half a ton. It didn't affect the brakes or suspension but I had to put 50 psi in the tyres).
Towed my 10' Ifor Williams trailer with two pallets of bricks better than my 110 Defender I also had at the time, did motorway speeds on b-roads fully loaded.
Ran on diesel/ vegetable oil mix at differing ratios according to the season (25% oil in winter, 75% oil mix summer, and around 50% when the weather was average)
Chugged about in the snowy and icy Highlands when all around the lifestyle 4x4s were grinding to a halt.
It didn't make financial sense to keep it after it'd passed 200,000 miles, it was worth less than a tank of fuel by then, but I wish I'd kept it. Maybe I'll see if I can find one at banger money before they become modern classics.
Good post !I loved it and it set some of my personal records/achievements which I'm still impressed with 30 years on.
Furthest distance on a single tank (720 miles and still going when I chickened out and refueled).
Fastest average speed for a days driving (550 miles in exactly 5 and a half hours coming home from the South of France so 100mph average).
Biggest load of beer and wine brought home from a hypermarche ( I don't have the exact quantity but it filled the back half of the car with the seats folded down from floor to roof and was close to half a ton. It didn't affect the brakes or suspension but I had to put 50 psi in the tyres).
Towed my 10' Ifor Williams trailer with two pallets of bricks better than my 110 Defender I also had at the time, did motorway speeds on b-roads fully loaded.
Ran on diesel/ vegetable oil mix at differing ratios according to the season (25% oil in winter, 75% oil mix summer, and around 50% when the weather was average)
Chugged about in the snowy and icy Highlands when all around the lifestyle 4x4s were grinding to a halt.
It didn't make financial sense to keep it after it'd passed 200,000 miles, it was worth less than a tank of fuel by then, but I wish I'd kept it. Maybe I'll see if I can find one at banger money before they become modern classics.
My J reg one, ( J943 PRE ) was the same 1.7 model.turbo model.
biggbn said:
Blackpuddin said:
Some like that ratty look of course. I used to see an amazing old Bristol around Wiltshire that had been cosmetically 'let go' quite deliberately. Apparently it was perfectly sound underneath. The owner was just eccentric.
Old Bristol suit that look!Kitchski said:
No, some BXs didn't have PAS - all the 1.4 models (though they're piss-light, so if you struggle with that, you'll struggle to pick up your toothbrush), the very earliest 1.6 models (it became an option about 18 months after UK-launch, and standard-fit not long after), and the 1.8D models (badged 17D); They were the worst, because the engine was heavier, but then the car was so slow you didn't need to turn the steering quickly. Everything else had PAS, which gave it a much quicker ratio, too.
Otherwise, none of the GS/GSA range did (but again, they're very light cars), and the most basic CX's didn't feature the fully-powered steering (DIRAVI) that the majority did - you can tell which ones those are, because they can be parked with the wheels left turned. Oh, and of course the ID19 (base version of the DS), and the Light 15H (very last cars which had a hydropneumatic rear end, more as a testbed than anything).
All LHM-based hydro-Citroens did have fully powered-brakes, though. The later LDS-based systems only do the suspension, though the steering does share the some fluid, but has its own pump. Brakes are completely boggo servo-assisted, just like the other peasant cars.
And yes, that's a ropey BX. I'm slightly partial to a BX, and I wouldn't give half that. The bodyshell (rust-wise) and/or paintwork are the two biggest influences in the value of a BX, IMO. For someone who doesn't care about the look of it, it may well be a good car for them, but the look of it is letting down anything decent about its underpinnings.
Hope it finds a good home, but I suspect it won't (I don't think it'll sell full-stop, for that money).
I never said it was a BX, hers was a old ZX and can assure it was the heaviest (abnormal) steering thing I've driven having owned or driven a fair number of different cars.Otherwise, none of the GS/GSA range did (but again, they're very light cars), and the most basic CX's didn't feature the fully-powered steering (DIRAVI) that the majority did - you can tell which ones those are, because they can be parked with the wheels left turned. Oh, and of course the ID19 (base version of the DS), and the Light 15H (very last cars which had a hydropneumatic rear end, more as a testbed than anything).
All LHM-based hydro-Citroens did have fully powered-brakes, though. The later LDS-based systems only do the suspension, though the steering does share the some fluid, but has its own pump. Brakes are completely boggo servo-assisted, just like the other peasant cars.
And yes, that's a ropey BX. I'm slightly partial to a BX, and I wouldn't give half that. The bodyshell (rust-wise) and/or paintwork are the two biggest influences in the value of a BX, IMO. For someone who doesn't care about the look of it, it may well be a good car for them, but the look of it is letting down anything decent about its underpinnings.
Hope it finds a good home, but I suspect it won't (I don't think it'll sell full-stop, for that money).
When we hooked up it was replaced pretty quickly so I never really looked into it,
perhaps she was mistaken and perhaps it was instead a faultypowered steering car instead as I never bothered to investigate as it was simply replaced -
she got a Fiat Punto (bit of a downgrade but cheap to buy and light to steer) then my old 2002 Fabia which was solid as a tank.
IIRC the VED got pretty ridiculous was part motivation to get rid of it.
daytonavrs said:
I never said it was a BX...
You seem to have misunderstood the discussion, or clicked the wrong quote to reply to.- You said your wife had an old Citroen with unassisted steering that was terribly heavy.
- Biggbn said that if her car didn't have power steering, it can't have had hydropneumatic suspension either, and thus was a very different type of car to drive and to own, and so not terribly relevant to discussion of the BX in the article.
- Kitchski corrected Biggbn's assertion that all hydropneumatic Citroens had PAS, giving examples of some that don't. He wasn't referring to your post abut your wife's car, just the general point about hydropneumatic suspension implying power steering.
Incidentally I had a 306 (same platform as ZX) and the PAS belt snapped, which made the steering very heavy - although I'm still not sure it was any worse than my mate's Clio diesel, which never had PAS in the first place.
samoht said:
You seem to have misunderstood the discussion, or clicked the wrong quote to reply to.
- You said your wife had an old Citroen with unassisted steering that was terribly heavy.
- Biggbn said that if her car didn't have power steering, it can't have had hydropneumatic suspension either, and thus was a very different type of car to drive and to own, and so not terribly relevant to discussion of the BX in the article.
- Kitchski corrected Biggbn's assertion that all hydropneumatic Citroens had PAS, giving examples of some that don't. He wasn't referring to your post abut your wife's car, just the general point about hydropneumatic suspension implying power steering.
Incidentally I had a 306 (same platform as ZX) and the PAS belt snapped, which made the steering very heavy - although I'm still not sure it was any worse than my mate's Clio diesel, which never had PAS in the first place.
Cause and effect, all assumed I was talking about the same car as in the post. I just said "an old Citroen" so assumptions kicked in ?- You said your wife had an old Citroen with unassisted steering that was terribly heavy.
- Biggbn said that if her car didn't have power steering, it can't have had hydropneumatic suspension either, and thus was a very different type of car to drive and to own, and so not terribly relevant to discussion of the BX in the article.
- Kitchski corrected Biggbn's assertion that all hydropneumatic Citroens had PAS, giving examples of some that don't. He wasn't referring to your post abut your wife's car, just the general point about hydropneumatic suspension implying power steering.
Incidentally I had a 306 (same platform as ZX) and the PAS belt snapped, which made the steering very heavy - although I'm still not sure it was any worse than my mate's Clio diesel, which never had PAS in the first place.
I didn't reply incorrectly to the wrote quote that actually came AFTER/ in reply to what I said, just setting the facts straight that were assumed after I posted that it was not a BX.
Also confirming that quite possibly she was incorrect about the steering and misunderstood the car and in hindsight maybe it was broken. All I know is its the heaviest steering car I've ever driven ( not for long though)
I can't help for others assumptions. So if it was a Posche 911 thread and then said "she had an old Porsche once" and you assumed 911 I'd be in the wrong there too......
944 Man said:
The ZX was good but conventional in every respect. Coil springs.
Mostly conventional, but it did have some sort of passive rear wheel steering, and one of the last Citroens to have the cool single wiper look! 
(favoured by Citroen, FIAT, Merc and Jag mostly during this period)daytonavrs said:
Cause and effect, all assumed I was talking about the same car as in the post. I just said "an old Citroen" so assumptions kicked in ?
I didn't reply incorrectly to the wrote quote that actually came AFTER/ in reply to what I said, just setting the facts straight that were assumed after I posted that it was not a BX.
Also confirming that quite possibly she was incorrect about the steering and misunderstood the car and in hindsight maybe it was broken. All I know is its the heaviest steering car I've ever driven ( not for long though)
I can't help for others assumptions. So if it was a Posche 911 thread and then said "she had an old Porsche once" and you assumed 911 I'd be in the wrong there too......
I wasn't replying to you, I was replying to the fella who suggested (with good logic) that all hydro-Citroens (which are the cars we're discussing) had PAS (or fully powered-steering, if you get a really cool one). I just gave him some nerdy info on the off-chance that he or others found it interesting.I didn't reply incorrectly to the wrote quote that actually came AFTER/ in reply to what I said, just setting the facts straight that were assumed after I posted that it was not a BX.
Also confirming that quite possibly she was incorrect about the steering and misunderstood the car and in hindsight maybe it was broken. All I know is its the heaviest steering car I've ever driven ( not for long though)
I can't help for others assumptions. So if it was a Posche 911 thread and then said "she had an old Porsche once" and you assumed 911 I'd be in the wrong there too......
No assumptions kicked in from my part, as - truth be told - I didn't read your comment as I've mostly skipped any of the negative posts.
As for the 911 thing, I'm not sure what you mean. If it was a 911 thread, and someone said someone else had an old Porsche once, why would they contribute if it wasn't a 911 - the car the thread was talking about?
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