My valver.

[Tim Leech]

Sorry Chris, it just struck a cord with me, you are a long standing member of the bxc and people will take what you say seriously, whether you realise that or not. I appreciate that there is a preference towards certain bigger more pricey models but the more of us there are the quicker it will change. Nigel is infatuated with DS's and that wont ever change, but he does do alot for the cause.

[Philip Chidlow]

Both are right in many respects. I very recently encountered a DS owner who was 'sniffy' because I had a BX and yet was seemingly far more involved in 'car club' actvities than him (I was extolling the virtues of this club particularly)... I similarly have spent time at CCC organised events where slowly, but surely the BX is becoming viewed as the emerging classic that recent values seem to hold up. I think the CCC is changing - for the better - but it is slow. It will quicken up as 'new blood' enters the club and also as later cars like the BX become rarer and rarer. There will always be snooty 'older' Citroen owners for whom being able to splash out thousands on buying and maintaining their cars is a measure of their worthiness and the value of their opinions. But I guess that's the same in many walks of life.

I shall stick with the CCC for now and actively help in hauling it into the 21st Century, (in my case by trying to engage and involve non-BXers in events like the Challenge and to use the forum)... I think the growing enthusiasm for the XM too is bringing in more forward-thinking members... Shame not one XM turned up for the Challenge- so they still have a way to go.

One last thing Nigel W likes the BX. He is a fan of them. He was interested (and with the CCC) supported the BXagon back in 2009. Wacky he may be, but he isn't 'the enemy'. I think there are others who might need 'retiring'...

[docchevron]

Sorry Chris, it just struck a cord with me, you are a long standing member of the bxc and people will take what you say seriously,

god help anyone who takes anything I say seriously, life's far too short to be serious!

Wacky he may be, but he isn't 'the enemy'. I think there are others who might need 'retiring'...

Never said he was, but I, and many others that were there, remember him giving the usual PA system talk on the cars in the arena and focused on the older cars whilst largely ignoring anything made after 1970. Which in itself is ok, but for the masses of people listening to him it does little to ignite interest in newer cars.

There's a lot of great stuff about the CCC, but there's a lot of stuff that needs to change if it's to remain a vible club for the future.
It's also a generational thing, and is the same throughout the world. People tend to to remember things from their childhood and adolesence fondly, i's the same with preserved buses, clocks, fashion, anything really, so in essence for the BX, Saxo, XM, et al to get on well more young blood needs to get in. Since I'm neither young or have much blood it rather couns me out!

[Tim Leech]

Youre younger than me Chris.

[mat_fenwick]

Yeah, but he doesn't look it!

[themildbunch]

but found myself prefering the technical stuff in the xantia colomn despite not very much liking Xantia's.

I'm not suggesting that people should not join the CCC, far from it, merely expressing that after many years of paying my dues to it every year, I still, up to and including this year, found us ale drinking BXers that aren't all that arsed about polishing mops and prefer a pint and a discussion about injection duration are frowned on, and aside from your own BX's, I cant think of any shows I've been to where another BX has won anything in the last several years...
Maybe since March things have changed, but I saw little evidence of it.

And that is MY personal opinion, not that of BXC or anyone else, just Mine.

Have to agree with that 100% - When I got my everyday BX a couple of years ago I joined the CCC and the Mag remained bog reading and pretty much only the Xantia bits - I especially didn't get on with all the '..we had a lovely meal at the whatever carvery in whatever home county..' sections. I'm in my 40's so not that young but kind of expected a more practical / diy / technical bent to the club.

Unless as an owner you're fairly comfortably off you probably will be getting your hands dirty and / or need to deal with sourcing rare parts with even fairly recent Citroen stuff and the CCC should reflect this more IMO...

[Tim Leech]

I would welcome any BX copy each month and have asked time after time, sadly noone (except mds141 and Phil) ever bothers so each month its my "bog reading" account (thanks for that ) as you say which I appreciate isnt that technically "action packed" but im not that kinda guy although I do try, Justin also works alot of hours so has to pay someone else, were not well healed, just that neither of have kids or drink or smoke much so choose to spend our cash on our cars when we can and then share our experiences.

Oddly enough the Visa/Xantia and XM owners are very happy to write in regularly.

I cant force you to join but it will only change if people put into it.

[citsncycles]

There's really only 1 reason why I'm in the CCC, and that's help with vehicles.

I first joined in 1995 after buying my 1st H Van, and found a small but enthusiastic network of owners willing to help keep a fellow owner on the road. I left in about 2002 when I was mostly running A series cars, ably catered for in 2CVGB, plus my BX19RD, which I didn't need club support for parts etc.

When I bought the GS, I rejoined, and once again found a (very) small and (very) enthusiastic network of owners willing to help keep a fellow owner on the road, and even supply a car if you were looking for one.

The BX's day is coming within the club, but like all models it has to travel the same set path of 'New from Citroen', '2nd hand, but cared for', 'cheap and cheerful, when it breaks buy another', 'practical classic', and finally 'expensive showpiece'.

15 years ago, the GS was where the BX is today, where they were rapidly disappearing from the roads, yet were worth very little unless something special, and many people disregarded them because they were not a DS or CX. Today no one would argue against their classic status (even if it's only due to rarity!), and values have been slowly climbing from their low of 'on the road for the price of a few pints' for several years now. Values for BX's have also been climbing the last year or so, and hopefully will survive in greater numbers than the GS has, making it a good option for many to keep on the road for years to come. Their relative simplicity will hopefully make them a good 2nd classic for those DS owners scared to take their much more expensive car out for fear of it getting wet!

As for lack of copy in the mag, I think you're using the reason why to read this - if it wasn't so easy to post stuff here, maybe more will be sent in to Tim.

[docchevron]

Youre younger than me Chris.

yeah, but I feel very very old mate.

As for lack of copy in the mag, I think you're using the reason why to read this - if it wasn't so easy to post stuff here, maybe more will be sent in to Tim.

this is very true. One of the advantages of the interweb is the immediateness of it, which can never be reproduced in a magazine. Multimedia is clearly here to stay, and whilst the CCC have a site that should be extremely active, during my time within the CCC and when I actually could log in to it, it was tumbleweed everywhere, and that I cannot understand.

[Tim Leech]

The website is coming along, slowly, Franklin Rugg is running it now and its had a major overhaul, but it could be busier, but why pay for something when its free elsewhere.

[Caffiend]

Having to log in every sodding time I go to the forum there is a PITA. I know that it'll take time to completely overhaul, but would recommend Franklin updates the forum software as a priority!

[Philip Chidlow]

Agreed. It's a pain. And has been for yonks.

[Vanny]

There's more bx's at the CCC shows than ANY other model

But that is nothing to do with the CCC, but this here BXClub!

After many years in the CCC I gave up with it because i find the attitudes of the majority of the 'club' are just too distant from what I want from a club. I want any owners club to be a place of interest, entertainment and light heartedness. While there are some individuals in the CCC (all the way to the top), most of them want to abide by there rules and create an image more becoming of a 1930's 'Owners Association'. Something the 2CVGB and BXClub (for example) are not.

Ultimately the BX is boring, engineered to a budget and generally a pain in the ass (like any car, classic or none), it's the people in this here forum and others that keep up my interest. Quite frankly if it wasn't for this place and some of the friends i've made, I wouldn't still have the valver, i'd have a defender.

As for the magazine, i found that the content varies hugely, some episodes are great, some are rather bland, but it was what kept me paying in for many years. Eventually i got rather bored with so little technical content, and the last subscription issue i had was filled with some frankly wrong technical advise on the BX that made my blood boil.

The attitudes in the very underwhelming 'forum' weren't very good. When i asked about buying a H-Van (something that is still on the cards) all i got where quite nasty remarks from the older members.

No i think i'll stick to getting my BX gossip, technical advice and (thanks to Phil) porn right here on this very fine and nearly free web forumy thing!

[docchevron]

Quite frankly if it wasn't for this place and some of the friends i've made, I wouldn't still have the valver, i'd have a defender.

well, I wouldn't have a defender, but I agree, I've been to many CCC shows over the years, and talked to a good many people, but the friends I have made on the BXP and here have become lifelong very good friends, yet I cant say I've made any friends from the pool within the CCC. Thats not to say there aren't some lovely people within it, members and board alike, but not in the same league as the wonderful nutters I'm proud to call my friends I met here.

And that I think may be the difference? Of all the people I hang out with I met from here, we rarely actually discuss cars, we just get on, even if we're working ona car at the time. Whereas, certainly the older generation within the CCC, seem to only want to talk about cars. I've often been to CCC events and not even bothered to look round all the cars on display, I'd rather sit in the BXP marquee and talk about whatever the conversion leads to.

[Philip Chidlow]

...the friends I have made on (the BXP) and here have become lifelong very good friends, yet I cant say I've made any friends from the pool within the CCC. Thats not to say there aren't some lovely people within it, members and board alike, but not in the same league as the wonderful nutters I'm proud to call my friends I met here...

Well said. I would like to count many in the BX Club as my friends. It's become one of the better things in life.