How many one the road now?

[Philip Chidlow]

OK, apparently less than 5,000 BXs were MOT's during 2007.

Since then we've had bad winters and the scrappage scheme.

And of course it's over 2 years on...

I wonder just how many are in use now?

3,000? Maybe even less....

[Stinkwheel]

You should worry, less than 300 Dyanes known to be road legal 2 years ago.

And less than 120 GS/A combined still road legal.

[Philip Chidlow]

And I'll bet the Ami and Visa situation is equally bad. And as for LN/LNA... I imagine you could count the number of those on the road in single figures!

[Stinkwheel]

exactly. BUT this info should serve as a warning, dont scrap BX's if you can help it these days as they will soon dissapear.

couple years ago there were approx 3000 known roadworthy 2CV's on the DVLA system. Just 7 or 8 years before that it had been over 7000 i believe, thats one hell of an attrition rate. Luckily they are now seen as classic cars and not just cheap disposable motoring so are saved more.

Dont let the BX's dissapear that fast guys, just dont. that is all

[Stinkwheel]

Whilst i think about ami's. Its now Belived that probably only two (possibly 3) RHD ami 6 saloons exsist in the whole world.

Considering they sold thousands of them, thats not even slightly funny.

[MULLEY]

On the club's site, there is a section which details how many bx's are on the road & what type they are as well. How do you go about finding out that sort of info, could someone contact the dvla & find out, it would be interesting to see a year by year history.

I can't seem to access that part of the site anymore, didnt it say something like that there were 25000 in 2005?

[Vanny]

My car wasn't MOT'd in 2007 but WAS in 2008, so thats 3001!

[Tim Leech]

The 14RE wasnt MOTed in 2007 but will ne next week!

[tom]

38,000 were registered with DVLA in 2004. Some of those would be SORNed but most will now have been scrapped. Reckoning that 5,000 were on the road in 2007, the decline was very rapid, 33000 being lost in three years. I'd bet that there are probably 1500 saloons left and around 800 estates; say 2,500 cars in all. I wouldn't expect to see more than 1,000 in total by the end of 2012 because so many parts are now impossible to get. Of the cars that were MOT tested, half failed. Half of those will have gone straight to the crusher when the cost of repairs kicked in.

[Philip Chidlow]

Every cloud has a silver lining in that rarity brings exclusivity and recognition. Actually maybe not. But one things for certain we are a dying breed. Let's do what we can to keep what BXs we can keep going, well,.... going!

and, Tom, if what you surmise is anything like the state of affairs (and I tend to share your view), I wonder what the global situation is?! Maybe 12,000 worldwide? Who knows?

[tom]

There are plenty still in France where they are still used as working vehicles.
Western France has a loyalty to them as they were made at Rennes and they are not an unusual sight there. Most are tatty and spares are just as hard to get but the survivors are RDs and 14s as a rule. Low spec cars with lots of local mechaniciens who can repair them without the usual drama.

[millbanksunclub]

Hello Tom was just talking with my local bx repair god today about numbers left he was saying he was looking after loads of them 2 years ago but now only see's a hand full he has more DS punters than BX.

Mine is in for MOT next week it will pass and stay on the road no mater what it takes. I was there today to do his PAT test for him and fix some lights in his spares rooms first time I been in them what a gold mine full of BX bits he even got a rot free DS safari tail gate loads of BX doors and every other BX bit you could ever want XM bits to much to list, within 100yds of his place today 4 DS 5 XM and my 1 BX.

[MULLEY]

Crikey, thats a very quick demise. I guess its the same for a lot of cars, how many Mk3 Escort's do you see that were so popular in the 80's? Virtually vanished...

That must make MK1's BX's extremly rare, i wonder how many are actually on the road & sorn'd?

Tom, do you know how about getting some stats from the DVLA?

[Tim Leech]

That must make MK1's BX's extremly rare, i wonder how many are actually on the road & sorn'd?

I know Citroenboi has 3 Mk1s, they are all sorned at the moment, my GT is taxed and Artic Steels GT is currently sorned and I think Neil from Glasgow has his A reg 220000 mile 16TRS road legal, dont know of many others, is Kitchs dads Gt still running?

[kiwi]

I wonder what the global situation is?! Maybe 12,000 worldwide? Who knows?

I got two of them

Do you guys remember the FSO Polonez? What was touted as the working mans Brand New Car with a 2000 quid part exchange and interest free terms back in 1988! There where thousands of them sold and after Five years you would be lucky to spot one.

Seriously though last week was talking to a specialist up in Hamilton NZ he said that last year seemed to be the year of the BX. He was being asked for parts left right and centre and the bits he was being asked for are the kind of stuff you probably would never think of keeping.

He was saying about how complex cars are becoming and how easy it is to repair these older cars and keep them running with secondhand parts. Just look at a modern car you have to buy new parts because the electronic gizmos are linked directly to the Vin number and can not be used as secondhand parts.

Reality is that our older BXs will last longer even though they are becoming thin on the ground and we can salvage parts for them. One the reasons I own two now is because I wanted an easily available parts source. Trouble is getting a cheap parts car is becoming harder as well.

Its funny that back in 2003 when I left the UK I figured my 15 years of just driving a BX would end. Now I am keeping two alive that I just simply wont part with unless they become impossible to repair.