When's a BX "special" enough to ask top dollar for

Tell us about BXs you have spotted on the road, or BXs/parts spotted for sale including eBay finds.
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DLM
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Posts: 1620
Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 6:41 pm
Location: Gosport, Hampshire, UK
My Cars: Historically, lots of BX hatches/estates in the 90s/00s - 16/19i/17td/19d
Recent scruffy diesel n/a estate - "The Red Shed" - is no longer mine.
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When's a BX "special" enough to ask top dollar for

Post by DLM »

On travels to South Wales last week saw no BXs at all (sob).

However I did come across an ad for a (fairly) local L-plater 19D estate with "service history" on the Hants/Wilts border - almost certainly a TXD. It set me thinking. It's in a country garage that I normally check when en route to Salisbury as you never quite know what's going to turn up there . £695 for a 19D? They must think it's something special as the last BXs I've knowledge of at that site were treated as follows -

(1) Scrapped: - a terrible shame as it was a well-kept, bright-red low-miles Mk1 16TRS auto with faulty starter, starter wiring or inhibitor switch . They were unwilling to let me fit a new starter in the part-ex lot at the back - tow away or no deal. I walked away.

(2) A diesel whose engine was donated to a peugeot owned by one of their mechanics.

(3) Ropey red GTi (but with straight-as-a-die rear arms) scrapped after a long stay in the part-ex lot during which it was vandalised - and then stripped of parts in a minor way by yours truly for peanuts once it was plain the salesman would get it shifted to the scrappers as soon as he could move the rest of the dross around it. Not strictly the same garage - a fast-cars and 4x4 outfit set up beside it.

So this one "must" be exceptional - or maybe the salesman's a newbie. On the other hand he could be following the relatively local lead of the Ringwood garage selling a 17TXD turbo ("full history") for £1295 (autotrader).

And I've just spotted the following as a private Ad on autotrader for £450:

1992 CITROEN BX 19 TGD 5dr Diesel Estate,
Diesel, 140,000 miles, . J reg. Excellent condition for year, FSH, PAS, C/Locking, electric front windows. Self and wife only drivers from new. Tax and MOT until Jan 06. Reliable, vast load carrier.

This sounds a good bet so long as well-looked-after, and I've a shrewd idea where it should have been serviced and repaired as it's very local..... and it's in that red that fades but can look so good on a BX.

Or a couple of hundred more for a private tizzydee estate with ABS in that dark blue I recently mistook for a metallic ....

1992CITROEN BX 1.7 TZD TD
ESTATE, K reg. 111000 miles, FSH to 71k, and FSH from 96k, ABS, c/l, e/w, MOT, Tax till September, VGC. £635. o.n.o.

Or for a little more there's a TGD turbo hatch that CAN'T be authentic in terms of trim but is the uprated in a way that makes sense - trim and electric mirror(s).

1990 H Reg CITROEN BX 17 TGD Turbo
5 Doors, Manual, Hatchback, Diesel, 82,000 miles, Metallic Green, 2 Owners. Body Coloured Bumpers, Central Door Locking, metallic painted, mirrors electric, Power-Assisted Steering, Velour Upholstery, Electric windows, Full service history. Insurance Group:8, Good Condition, Full 12 Month MOT, 6 months tax £695.

So, it would appear to be usual things that could make an older car more sense - a credible mileage, reasonably proper paint and interior, continuity of ownership, service history (whatever that may be -it's very much in the eye of the beholder and I'd much prefer to see the right jobs done by an independent or enthusiastic owner at the right sort of intervals with regular oil/filter changes rather than a full set of service stamps from many Citroen dealers).

Or should we leave those cars to the people who will buy a BX in the future as a "potential investment" rather than a daily or weekend drive? We know how to fix most things, and also how to get the best fun out of them when using them to do what they were given wheels for.....
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