Afraid I'm running my BX into the ground

[SamWise]

Since I got my car, my mileage has increased exponentially. Over the last 3 months I've been doing 3000+ per month, and I've put 12000 on it since I bought it, I think. At the moment, a driveshaft has developed a wobble, plus it needs rear arm bearings, and I can't keep the windscreen washer working. I'm starting to worry that I'm just beating it to death, which for such a low cost car shouldn't be a worry, but it just feels wrong. I don't have time to keep up with the work it needs, nor much money to get someone else to do it; I'm not really even up with the oilchanges!

Would I be smart to let it go to someone who can coddle it a bit more, and buy something I don't mind murdering with 36,000 miles a year? The BX has been great in most ways; it's plenty fast enough, lots of load space, handles nicely, and looks cool, but the seats are nowhere near as comfortable as my XM, which gets to be a bind on a 5 hour trip. Still much better than my old AX.

Were I to replace it, my shortlist for a milemuncher estate would be:

XM
Xantia
Merc 190E
Alfa 156 Sportwagon (a little higher up the cost chain, but still just within reach)

None of these except, perhaps, the Xm, would give me sleepless nights if I felt I was heading it towards the scrappies; any car under £1000 which will give you 55 mpg for a year at that mileage is worth the money even if it has to be replaced the next year.

[retrodriver]

Merc 190s are great cars. The interior isnt upto much but the chassis is great and they are very comfy providing the springs in the old fashioned seats are still good!

2.0 Auto is my pick, 38mpg on a run and quite nippy around town. Make sure it doesnt burn oil and its a good un. Diesels are good too but slow as hell and not that good on fuel.

What about an E36 3 series BMW? My mate has got a 97 316i and despite the small engine its not all that slow, reeeeally good on fuel and cheap as chips these days.

[DavidRutherford]

If you want a cheap, economic, comfortable (for the taller man!) estate, which will do mega miles and you don't mind killing, you could do a lot worse than a 405 TD estate. They are very cheap indeed now, and if I'm honest, are a better estate car than the BX. Nowhere near as interesting, and not as much fun, but they are just a touch larger and are very capable.

Get a late GTX TD, Hunter TD or Executive TD and you'll get all the toys (A/C included) for well under £500.

[SamWise]

Tempting. I had one, and it bored me to death though!

I like the idea of the Merc, but the mileage issue worries me. It felt a big hit moving from my AX to the BX, and I really don't want to go below 50-55mpg. The XM, the Xsara and the Alfa will all do that. I wonder how big the Alfa is inside?

[Tourist]

I wonder how big the Alfa is inside?

Alfas aren' renowned for their reliability ...

[Kitch]

What Alfa 156 do you know that'll do 50mpg then mate? Trust me, none of them will!
156 is a lovely car, if you get a V6. The others are still quite nice, but don't have that special something. 2.4JTD is uber, with a 5cyl howl and 170bhp as standard (unless you get the basic 140bhp version), plus the quick rack steering, nice interior and looks. Even built well mostly, but parts are more expensive than most and they're an arsehole to work on. Lovely and refined, but odd driving position; pedals are really close, wheel quite far away. Don't believe the unreliability stuff though, they're great if treated right. Trouble is they need more TLC than most cars.

Also, Merc 190E estate? Only problem with that one is that it doesn't exist, which could make driving it difficult.

XM I wouldn't bother. The economy won't be as good as a BX, the insurance and running costs will be more and if you're hammering it into the ground you'll be just as attatched as you are now.

Xantia's a good shout. Dull compared with BX, but a capable and well built car. Economy is only average though (around 40mpg max), but reliable except some of the electrics. Hydractive cars ride ALOT better than basic ones though.

Personally I'd second David's idea of the 405. All the good bits of a BX, plus better build on ph2 cars, more refinement and more space. 406's would dip into this price range now too, even nicer to drive but I've heard electrics are so-so.

But, having owned a 156 & Xantia....the best mile eating cheap machine I've had was a BX estate. Just put some valver seats in it, sort the niggles (which all sound cheap and easy) and you're away!

[DavidRutherford]

I have to say, BX's are capable of absurd mileages, and with the use you're making of the car, providing the engine oil is changed regularly, it will stay in excelent condition. The more you use an XUD, the more it likes it. I've heard of XUD engine'd taxis that have had shift drivers (one on days, one on nights or something like that) so that the engine hasn't been cold in over 5 years. Still in excelent condition with 500k miles on the clock.

Lots of cold starts followed by short journeys. That's what kills them.

In your position, I'd get some known-good second-hand shafts and just keep using the BX. Make time for the (15-minute once you've had practice) oil change every 5k miles, ensure you give the car a good look over every now and then and you'll be fine.

[Tim Leech]

Another one to consider is a Passat Estate TDi, all the taxi boys round here run them (aswell as 406Hdis), you may pay a bit more but they are very reliable. I regularly see them with well over 200k on the clock.

[SamWise]

What Alfa 156 do you know that'll do 50mpg then mate? Trust me, none of them will!

The 1.9 diesel. Checked it out several places, and 50-55 on the motorway is normal

Also, Merc 190E estate? Only problem with that one is that it doesn't exist, which could make driving it difficult.

I could've sworn there was, and even that I'd been looking at pictures of them, but I can't find 'em now!

XM I wouldn't bother. The economy won't be as good as a BX, the insurance and running costs will be more and if you're hammering it into the ground you'll be just as attatched as you are now.

Ah, well I already have an XM, and it is pretty much identical motorway fuel consumption wise to the BX. Insurance is a bit more, but the bigger issue is probably attachment

Xantia's a good shout. Dull compared with BX, but a capable and well built car. Economy is only average though (around 40mpg max), but reliable except some of the electrics. Hydractive cars ride ALOT better than basic ones though.

Surely the 1.9 TD does very similar mileage to the BX 1.9 TD?

Personally I'd second David's idea of the 405. All the good bits of a BX, plus better build on ph2 cars, more refinement and more space. 406's would dip into this price range now too, even nicer to drive but I've heard electrics are so-so.

Another suggestion I had on Retro Rides was a 605. Sadly, no estates exist!

[SamWise]

I have to say, BX's are capable of absurd mileages, and with the use you're making of the car, providing the engine oil is changed regularly, it will stay in excelent condition. The more you use an XUD, the more it likes it. I've heard of XUD engine'd taxis that have had shift drivers (one on days, one on nights or something like that) so that the engine hasn't been cold in over 5 years. Still in excelent condition with 500k miles on the clock.

Lots of cold starts followed by short journeys. That's what kills them.

In your position, I'd get some known-good second-hand shafts and just keep using the BX. Make time for the (15-minute once you've had practice) oil change every 5k miles, ensure you give the car a good look over every now and then and you'll be fine.

I think you may be right, at least for now. I've found cheaper shafts, and if I can find second hand ones before it rattles itself to pieces maybe I'll take that route.

[jonathan_dyane]

Another one to consider is a Passat Estate TDi, all the taxi boys round here run them (aswell as 406Hdis), you may pay a bit more but they are very reliable. I regularly see them with well over 200k on the clock.

Alas, the VAG diesels are not nearly as rugged as the XUD, having smaller bearings and being rather more lightly built. They also have a few dodgy design features such as a crank pulley that likes to come slack and fret the crank so destroying it... I speak of the 1.9 varients, which are the only ones I have experienced, but 'word on the street' is that the 2.0 diesels don't last as long as the 1.9!

HDI engines can and do suffer from expensive maladities with the electronic control.

I'd keep the BX and spent a few £££ maintaining it and bringing it up to scratch.

[jonathan_dyane]

Xantia's a good shout. Dull compared with BX, but a capable and well built car. Economy is only average though (around 40mpg max), but reliable except some of the electrics. Hydractive cars ride ALOT better than basic ones though.

Surely the 1.9 TD does very similar mileage to the BX 1.9 TD?

The Xantia is a good car in many ways, but it is a lot less economical than the BX, mainly due to it's considerable extra weight. Also, not that it necessarily makes a difference to the economy, the BX TD was 1.8, not 1.9.

[retrodriver]

I still vote German, 318tds Touring! 1.7 litres of pure economy lol

The only Merc estate around at the time was the W124 E-class estate by the way, unless you count the uber old W123.

[jonathan_dyane]

I'd happily have a 190D, but as noted there was definatley not an estate variant sadly, and although they are very rugged the economy is crappy and if you do have to work on the engine it is a bit of a faff; I don't think timing chains are FTW, and don't like those stupid pin things that you have to pull out the front face of the engine with a slide hammer to get the head off.

I must note however that any newer Merc is a rusting POS to be avoided like the plague.

BX is the best compromise IMHO.

[Philip Chidlow]

Trying to think of a cost-effective alternative to a well-maintained Bx is difficult. There have been similar discussions on here before, and the conclusion is generally:

BX is the best compromise IMHO.

Until spares supply dries up, that is.