TZD or petrol?

[RichardKC6]

Looks like I might be entering BX ownership again, after a long time without one (2000 saw my last, a GTi 4x4, depart).

I posted on CCC offering my MX5 as a swap for a BX, and have been offered a TZD in white. I believe diesels are generally more popular, but I'm not really that fond of them - however, a BX with a year's MOT is what I wanted, so I'm not complaining!

Having said that, would many BX people consider swapping a petrol for a diesel?

[Ian_Fearn]

Having had a couple of GTi's including an auto, a GTi 4x4, a 1.6 auto and a TZD Turbo i'd personally choose the GTi auto everytime if fuel isnt an issue.
If it is then i'd go for the turbo diesel.

The 16v is a true hoot as is a good GTi 8v but the TD is still very entertaining to drive and they're fairly refined inside. Certainly my TZD is the quietest BX i've ever had at 70mph.

I never used to like diesels but the BX TD has changed my mind.

It all depends what you want it for. I regularly go abroad in my BX TZD to visit my parents in southern Spain. The 650miles you can do on a tank is great when fuel stops are few and far between.

[RichardKC6]

Fuel isn't an issue - I also have a 500 SL, a C6 and a Golf cabrio and I'm used to cars drinking a lot; tbh I expect a GTi to be astonishingly economical compared to modern cars, my Golf GTi was always amazing.

I just want it for nipping about, really. My C6 is too big for city driving, has awful sight-lines - I miss the BX's slim pillars, low dashboard and flat, thin sides. That, and I want proper hydropneumatic suspension.

I can do 650 miles to a tank in the C6, to be fair. It just tends to need almost £80 to fill up!

If I were offered an 8v GTi I would be very happy with it indeed. To be honest, a grey one just got mentioned on the CCC, and if i don't get a swap for the MX5 and sold it for enough to buy the GTI I'd do so, even though I'm really supposed to be cutting down on cars and swapping for a BX is a sneaky way of going "look! One less project car!" and getting to have another Citroën

[Ian_Fearn]

I've been looking at upgrading to a C6 recently but like you said, they're rather large for day to day commuting and it'd be a nightmare parking it at work. I went to look at one 2 weeks ago at the local dealer. It hardly fit in the normal car park space!

If the fuel cost isnt an issue then with a BX i'd go petrol everyday. My old GTi auto used to average about 23mpg going to work and back and around 30mpg on a run. I think its a perfect combination for a BX, GTi grunt and a lazy but tough auto box.

The GTi manual I had used to average about 30mpg and around 35 on a run.

I guess the TZD does 50ish mpg although it seems so economical that I dont really care to work it out.

[RichardKC6]

TBH, I think the C5 is nicer to drive than the C6, and Citroën keep the tech fresh in it - it's got the bluetooth and so forth RT5 unit, C6 still has RT4. And I know it's heresy, but the steel-sprung 1.6HDi C5 I drove was actually better on rough roads than the C6, and has better brake feel.

All modern cars are depressingly huge externally, though.

[Tim Leech]

If fuel isnt an issue go for a 1.9i auto as mentioned, I have a 19TZI auto which is a lovely drive and the auto box is really smooth, it will do 35mpg if driven sensibly but is still very quick if needs be, I dont use mine that much so again fuel economy isnt the highest priority.

The diesel BXs were always the best and the best seller on the market at the time and but are still noisy in comparison to the petrol, why not try both and see which you prefer, the mid range urge of the TD can be very alluring, I guess it depends on you and your driving style.

The petrol engines if looked after properly will do very high miles, Mr Chidlows cosetted GTi auto is approaching a quarter of a million miles and shows no signs of stopping.