Rapidly reaching the end of my tether!!

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OwenS
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Rapidly reaching the end of my tether!!

Post by OwenS »

After just getting under the BX I've noticed the start of a hydraulic leak behind the engine, this in addition to needing new struts, rear arm bearings, leaking engine oil im loosing patience with the car. Having already spent quite a bit having numerous other faults iron out it just seems like, with my bx, as soon as something is fixed something else goes....are all bx this tempramental or am i unlucky.. :(
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Geoffrey Gould
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Post by Geoffrey Gould »

Hello well I'm afraid that the answer tends to be yes and yes. They can be anoying, frustrating and just a general PITA.
But they can also be very rewarding if you can stick with it. Bit like a women really. I dont think that there is Anything like the comfort, road holding and handling that a BX can give. Or indeed a diesel engine that can give good economy and be known to be good for 250,000 miles. They generally cost pence to buy now vertually but being realistic they are 12 years old at the least.
You tend to have to spend money which ever way you go. I happen to think that a BX is great but thats just me. Try not to give up the rewards are there, try a F**d or something and find out just how many pot holes there are and how bad the roads are and compare with a BX. It can be very surprising.
Best wishes, keep your chin up and give it a go.
Cheers.
Geoff.
richard
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Post by richard »

Don't give up!!!

My BX went through a similar phase at 80K. I spent a lot of time and cash sorting all the niggles out, and now the car is ok.
Thing is, that you know your car and you know what needs doing. Buying another BX could unleash another set of problems.

What I done was I made a list of everything that needed done and then tackled the list in order of importance. That way the faults that could be dangerous or could leave me stranded were resolved leaving some time to sort out the silly niggles!

Best of luck!!
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sleepy0905
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Post by sleepy0905 »

Stick with it mine was like this 6 years ago when i got it and for the first 12 months there was always something but now its no problem just routine maintainance but mine now needs a new rear hight corrector and a bit of welding. the new tzs i have all appears ok but time will tell but I will go round it with a fine tooth comb looking at all the known areas and all the problems i had on the other one to stop them from happening if possible.
:lol: :D
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OwenS
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Post by OwenS »

Thanks guys, I do love the car and don't really want to give up but I do get frustrated with it on occasion!!! Richard, your idea of listing the faults and working through them in order of importance is good...with the amount i've already replaced on it there should be nothing to replace shortly cause it will all be new :lol:
I think I would be less likely to question the amount im spending on my BX if it was one of the better models; D/TD, GTI/16v. Still, its a nice afternoon, think i should take it out for a spin...that should change my mind :D
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Ian_Fearn
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Post by Ian_Fearn »

I wouldnt worry about a couple of leaks or sticky struts. Just get under it, sort the leaks and get some replacement struts!

I take the view now with BX's that when i buy one i go through it with a fine tooth comb and check everything i've had fail before (which is pretty much everything in the past)!

I bank on spending around £500 on any BX i would buy to get it to a standard that i'd be content with.

That reminds me..... Its time to go and sort the new GTi auto! See ya later (with bruised knuckles and cut fingers!)
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cavmad
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Post by cavmad »

Keep the faith Owen, I`ve eventually got my estate through an MOT and the first day out in it it`s exhaust tip fell off, the pipes from the injectors starting chucking diesel out, the alloys are rubbing, the fag lighter`s packed up and the rev counter has gone all intermittent.
You know what though? I still love it and I can live with the niggles because when it kept going wrong I just walked away, kept calm and then went back and sorted one or two niggles at a time.
Hope this helps, don`t lose faith mate you`d always regret it if you sold it.
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AlanS
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Post by AlanS »

I think owning one of these is almost a work of art that people tend to eventually grow into.
When a new cae comes into our place, they all know it will be off the road for a few days whilst I go through it all systematically.
Clean & flush coolant, empty LHM and wash filters, change gearbox oil and ad additive, change engine oil and filter, refurbish the fuel injectors, change cambelt, new plugs, degrease mechanicals and check everything underbonnet, remove seats and clean throughout and check for leaks anywhere, check front end for any wear and swing arm bearings for noises or wear and replace if necessary, wash and polish inside and out.
While that might sound a bit "compulsive possessive" it has to be remembered that where I am, I don't waste time and money on 'AA' type clubs for several reasons including some areas I drive in not even having mobile phone coverage, so if anything blows up, I'm all on my own, so my cars have to be reliable.
One thing I did learn about BXs long ago is that there's no such thing as cutting corners on repairs which was something that was the downfall of CXs when it came to reliability, however where you seemed to be able to sometimes get away with the occasional shortcut, BXs seem to always catch you out; get a lwak in a return line and fix it by fitting a connector and a piece of tube and the next day, another pipe breaks off the octopus and that kind of thing. The words "I should almost get away with only doing this" never seems to apply to a BX, more a case of "if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well" then you get to enjoy the long term benefits.
The longer you keep the bX going, the longer it's going to be before you strike the "delights" of owning a car that needs a computer to tell the gearbox to behave itself!! :P :shock: :wink:



Alan S :wink:
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Calfskin
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Post by Calfskin »

Aye, keep her going. She'll be worth it in the end. Rene is still going strong and although bits fall off him or stop working, I don't begrudge spending money on him.

Which is good as I'll need to spend a lot on him soon... And they said I would be better buying a new car... Huh, I'll show them... LOL

Calf
RIP Rene, 1992 - 2006.
He was the best car I ever owned.
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Post by tim leech »

BEaring in mind the youngest BX is around 13 years old and the eldest is 23 your going to get problems with them, but once the bits have been fixed and replaced its less to worry about!

Trying owning a near on 30 year old Rover SD1 and then you will know the meaning of rolling restoration!
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cavmad
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Post by cavmad »

I never begrudge spending money on mine either, and I`m not averse to paying for spares from other members when it comes to it.
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OwenS
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Post by OwenS »

[quote="richard"]

My BX went through a similar phase at 80K. quote]


Funnily enough my BX is coming up to 80k. I will end up spending the money, but I will most likely be looking to go diesel at somepoint as the 14 TGE isn't as economical as I'd thought. What sort of average mpg for the BX D/TD can be expected? Im guessing Xantia diesels aren't as economical due to their extra weight.
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sleepy0905
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Post by sleepy0905 »

I regularly get about 55 MPG out of mine or about 45 MPG round town not bad for a N/A Diesel 1.9TGD :lol: :lol:
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DavidRutherford
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Post by DavidRutherford »

BX D will easily achieve over 50mpg, probably 55. BX TD *IN THEORY* will do more MPG than that, as it's a more themally efficient engine. But, being more powerful too, You tend to drive them a touch harder, and get nearer 50MPG (slightly less than the BX D)

Xantia D... barely moves under it's own power. Xanta TD will do something like 40-45MPG as they are indeed 2 tonnes of pig iron.

What do you get from the BX 14? I'd expect somwhere near 40?

Edit: also, a BX D or TD feels a lot more planted on the road, with a decent solid engine behind it, whereas the 14 feels very light and airy-fairy in comparison. Personally I prefer the D/TD engine (the XUD is just a fab engine.)
Last edited by DavidRutherford on Sun Apr 30, 2006 9:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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cavmad
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Post by cavmad »

My experience of 1.9 (n/a) diesels would suggest around 40-50 ish average.
By far the most economical car I`ve ever had was a 1.7 n/a diesel. 65mpg was easily and often achieved and it was a suprisingly good performer too.
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