Talking B____X

Post by **docchevron** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 2:49 am

the 21.TD Xabty is actually a rather nice car, although the XM with the same engine is better.
Although doing the clutch on a 2.1 is about as much fun as eating your own face.

The V6 is also rather nice, but I just dont like Xantia's, I cannot look at one and think "thats pretty", likewise I've never driven one that I feel involved with (and yes, I have driven rather alot of them), and if I'm not feeling involved, I get bored desperatley quickley.

I know people that run Tractions everyday, as in EVERYDAY.
It's a mechanical bit of kit, so there's no reason at all why a BX shouldn't be kept alive indefinetley.
Ok, so from time to time they will need welding. So will any car made from steel no matter how good the the paint / rust proofing is.
Arm bearings are ALWAYS going to be available, since it's just a taper roller bearing, nowt special.
Certainly on the diesel front there's enough XUD's on the planet to make spares availability good for the longterm.

A C4 in 14 years time will be no different to a BX right now, that goes for any car.

I always wonder about the thought processes of people that think "my car is 10 years old, so it's going to be expensive to keep now, so I best buy a new one"
Anything mechanical can and will break. It just does.
I still say it's cheaper to keep an older car on the road, and keep it in good condition, than it is to buy a new car every 3 / 5 / 10 years. It's also better for the environment, if anyone cares about such things.
There's one other important point to keep in mind here aswell...
Will anyone actually be able to run a car in 10 / 15 years time?

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:50 am

docchevron1472 wrote:the Xabty is actually a rather nice car

Misquoting FTW!!

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:04 am

Indeed, Stuart.

Our ZX is superb, it really is ideal for 'local' trips and the occasional foray a bit further. But comfort-wise it isn't as good as a BX - with the exception (an important one it has to be said) that is has good rear head room whereas the BX is appalling in that respect.

The Ulysse is very much a toe-in-the-water affair. If we find it useful and easy to live with I am tempted to replace it with a good Synergie.

If I end up getting a garage I'll want a BX to fill it with.

If the ZX expires, chances are we'd get another - or possibly a TZD BX...

Like many things in life it's all down to fate. I'll have to see how it all pans out.

One thing is sure, I won't be investing in a much more expensive vehicle in the near future... far more important things to spend the money on - like house improvements and decoration etc!

But I do have a few more possible candidates for post-BX ownership:
Alfa Romeo 156, errr,... and maybe Merc C-class, and, um,... Christ this is tricky

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:12 am

Oh, and maybe a Mitsubishi Galant... I'll get my coat...

jonathan_dyane · Post by **jonathan_dyane** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:20 pm

docchevron1472 wrote: I know people that run Tractions everyday, as in EVERYDAY.
It's a mechanical bit of kit, so there's no reason at all why a BX shouldn't be kept alive indefinetley.

I could not agree more! A BX was the newest vehicle I have *ever* owned! Until a year ago my everyday car was a 1969 Dyane 6 in which I did nearly 20000 miles in a year without hassle!

Choose a car you like, maintain it, and if you want (and it doesn't get crashed/stolen/set on fire etc) and it will last as long as you can be arsed. If your happy with a BX, drive one.

The most reliable car I ever owned was a 1973 2cv4. Horrendous on hills, but it was the sort of car I built up such an affinity with and knowledge of, that if at the time I had to drive *anywhere* be it Penzance, Prague or Persepolis, I would be able to get in turn the key and hit the red button and know I would get there without hassle.

Do the little niggly jobs as they arise, don't neglect things and the older a car gets the more reliable it becomes...

Post by **docchevron** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:12 am

jonathan_dyane wrote: Choose a car you like, maintain it, and if you want (and it doesn't get crashed/stolen/set on fire etc) and it will last as long as you can be arsed. If your happy with a BX, drive one.

Well, sometimes even fire isn't enough to kill a BX off!

Ok, so I'm being egoist, deal with it people!

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:57 am

A legend in your own lunchtime

What a resto!

jonathan_dyane · Post by **jonathan_dyane** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:43 am

docchevron1472 wrote: Well, sometimes even fire isn't enough to kill a BX off!

Doc, that was far and away beyond the call of duty! 12 out of 10 for dedication to the cause...

Post by **docchevron** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:55 pm

Philip Chidlow wrote:A legend in your own lunchtime

Ooh ooh ooh, I've moved out of that difficult "legend in your own bathtime" status!

At this rate I'll be a hollywood darling by the age of, er, 176.....

Meh, anyone could have done that, wasn't dedication, just bloodymindedness...

Anyway, I'll quit from further hi-jacking Phil's blog...

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:00 pm

The Ulysse is pissing me off. It behaved well when I first got it, did 300 miles on a very hot day in it and it didn't miss a beat. Then one day, at some lights it stalled. Since then - although it never fails to restart - this problem has occurred more frequently and now, after a service and a clean of the idle control valve/throttle body as well as a check of the plugs etc, it still does it. Grrrr!

Taking it in to have the idle control valve changed - see if that works - if not try a couple of other things (plus getting it plugged in to a diagnostic) and if that fails, sell the f***er. Grrrrrr!

Wouldn't happen to a Citroen Synergy... lol!

RichardW · Post by **RichardW** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:41 pm

Phil,

I'd consider changing the crank sensor. My Dad's 1.8 Xantia did similar to this for a while - especially when it was hot. Then one day just stopped with no spark. New crank sensor sorted it out. You'd probably need to get them to read the live data from it, but need to see it when it's misbehaving - OTOH they're pretty cheap, and might be worth a punt.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:51 pm

Thanks. It's going in on Tuesday - I'll mention it to the guy with the diagnostic thingamybob. The works being done at Edwards (Cit breakers) and there're a couple of Synergy petrols in bits there.

Let you know how it goes.

Post by **docchevron** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 1:33 pm

Does it even have an idle control valve?
I'd have thought it would have a stepper motor in the throttle body??

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:33 pm

Philip Chidlow wrote: I'll mention it to the guy with the diagnostic thingamybob. The works being done at Edwards (Cit breakers)

I take it Dennis refuses to touch Fiats then?