RE: Mon Dieu - there's a BX GTI 16-valve for sale

[sideways man]

911Spanker said:

Great car. Forget your Cupra Born rubbish and get something like this.

Yup. My thoughts exactly.

[Adrian E]

Makes me want to go finish putting mine back together (it’s part way through a complete coolant hose change - there’s loads, and lots needs removing to reach some!)

I’ve had one with this body kit, which is still around but waiting to be restored the last I heard (very late K plate)

Current one is very early (E) so same body kit as the boggo diesels with about 50k-ish and right hand drive.

They’re surprisingly fun to drive and suit flowing A roads best.

[jimmytheone]

I've just got rid of an 8v Gti - final straw being it stting its gearbox.
Much as i loved the car i was ALWAYS chasing something, these are 30+yr old cars which never had brilliant build quality in the first place.

But 160bhp / 1050kg is compelling, the ride quality is top notch and it looks brilliant.
if you can afford (and have the mental strength) to keep on top of things....

[s m]

Twoshoe said:

Damn – I was hoping this was this week’s SOTW when I first saw the article, in which case I’d have been there like a shot!

Had two 16Vs back in the day – ok, the styling may not be to all tastes but they were quick, comfortable, practical and very well equipped (leccy windows all round (although the switches for the rears were oddly located on the back of the console between the front seats), remote central locking, ABS, electric roof, discs all round, alloys – all standard equipment). Try comparing that to a contemporary XR3.

Just as a point of fact, the 16V BX GTi was never a contemporary of the XR3 - that came out five years before.

It was the XR3i model that was out at the same time and by the launch of the BX 16V we were on the second version of the 3i which launched in mk3 Escort format in 1983

A base XR3i was 2/3 of the price of the Citroen BX 16v although you could add ABS, manual sunroof, central locking and alloys - not rear discs though - with those added it was still a much cheaper car than the Citroen

I’d consider an XR4x4 more of a 5-door hatch competitor to the Citroen 16v if you were looking at Ford range - roughly same price and power and 5-door

[Wheel Turned Out]

An awful lot of want for that - love a BX.

[Gompo]

QuattroDave said:

I'm hoping to see one or two of these at Festival of the unexceptional next weekend. Gloriously French in its design.

I'd like to see one too, even if they are quite exceptional and not fully aligned with the event. I'm sure there'll be some nice BXs of some sort, at least.

[Terminator X]

Interesting as they rarely come up for sale. Same as the R19 16v which I look for every few months! The dark blue one was the one I lusted after in the 80's, same colour afaik as the R5 Turbo Raider?

TX.

[McRors]

I drove one of these (not sure which version) in Spain many years ago. It was a cracking little thing. It revved beautifully and handled really tidily. I remember my mother (who I was ferrying around for an article) kept chastising me for taking it into the red zone so often. I believe I quoted P J O’Rourke on how rental cars were the fastest cars in the world. Happy days indeed.

[grumpy52]

Back in the 90s there was a BX specialist next door to one of our workshops . He always had the hot versions for sale ,along with a steady stream of the mundane models through the workshop .

[j45hly]

I had 2, an E reg GTI 16V with the shopping trolley spoiler and a red 16 Valve with the same kit as this. Great cars, relatively cheap to run at the time, super quick and supremely comfortable.

You just needed the right specialist to keep you going. John's Motorworks in Herman Hill Wanstead came to the rescue on the first one when I bought it from auction without realising it didn't have an MOT

[matchmaker]

Desiderata said:

I never had a 16v, but had an 8v GTI and a diesel TZD. Great that the GTI was, the diesel was a better mile muncher, 700 miles to a tank, and on one memorable occasion before the introduction of speed cameras, a 550 mile journey in 51/2 hours... 100mph average on a single tank of fuel, in perfect comfort . It also towed better than the Land rover 110 that I had at the time.
I'd love another the same but I suppose this 16v GTI would substitute.

I had a TZD Turbo. Brilliant car.

[Leins]

Out of interest, does anyone know if this is the same engine that turned up a decade later in the ZX 16v and 306 S16, although probably with a cat by that stage?

Incidentally, I only recently found out that the 306 GTi-6 167hp engine went into the last of the line ZXs (not sure if the 6-speed box did too) That must be an equally rare car these days

[DaveyBoyWonder]

Kind of cool and kind of absolutely awful in equal measure.

[cerb4.5lee]

I always enjoyed seeing these back in the day.

[Lester H]

CarlosSainz100 said:

I've always wondered how cars like these appear at a dealers? Where do they source them? Do private sellers reach out and sell them on?

In general, they appear at small traditional independents, as a result of bereavement sale or owner retiring from driving. Dealer may be approached by vendor or hear by word of mouth. Sometimes these rare survivors can be priced up somewhat, as it’s hard to predict how long they will take to sell. More likely to appear at a garage with at least some showroom space than at a basic car lot.

[GreatScott2016]

Hideous in its day, and even more embarrassing today. A big no no from me.

[pSyCoSiS]

Now that's a very cool car.

[Penguinracer]

I once had a BX19 GTi 16 valve Mk2 on a "G"

A dopey old GP ran a Stop sign somewhere west of the Cheddar Gorge, t-boned me while i was doing 60 mph and that was the end of that.

Great car...especially that suspension...really something.

The closest I've experienced since, albeit much more sporting, is the ABC on the Merc.

[B'stard Child]

s m said:

One for Kitchski if he’s still on here

I think he's still on here but can be mainly found on the tube as UpnDOWN cocking around with French stuff and occasionally TVR's

[Wren-went]

In my teens and early 20s friend of my Dad's had an E reg pre face lift so presumably the 8V followed by a later face lift H reg 16V BX GTi , I always thought they looked great & depreciation was horrendous so weren't expensive to buy.

One of my mates early to mid 90s had a G reg 405 Mi16 between me having an F reg Astra GTE 16V & a J reg Cavalier GSi 2000 & the Peugeot was definitely much quicker than both my cars to 60 having the same Engine from the 16V BX GTi .