Team Green Tiger - BX19TGD - Back on the road

[Tim Leech]

Poor sibling! As mine is ex-Cowies, very likely they were on the same fleet.

Ah yes cowies leasing, a name from the 1990s! dont you fancy having his and hers for the wife?

[Dollywobbler]

I've just been rummaging through the history on this car. There's lots of it! I've actually got the history from 1991 when the car was new right through to this year, with tax discs back to 2002 as well.

There are some slight question marks over the exact mileage though - it snapped its speedo cable back at 13,000 miles (ah, what quality eh?)

[Dollywobbler]

156,000 miles notched up. 320 miles covered in two days, including circumnavigating the M25. Lots of niggles building up, including knocking ARB link, bit of play in a TRE, clutch judder (it was REALLY bad first thing this morning, then cleared up a bit), lazy starter motor (can't guarantee it'll start after a long run at the mo!) and a hideous squeak from the back somewhere. I fear that's kicked in after I changed the interior...

[Dollywobbler]

Haven't been using the BX that much lately but I'm not convinced by the 16v interior I've semi-fitted. The driver's seat just doesn't seem as comfortable as I remember, so I may go back to the grey tweed. Only thing I do like about the interior is the one-shot window on the driver's side!

So, may have a very tidy 16v interior up for grabs (including all plastic parts, rear seat, bolsters etc but not the main dash assembly) if anyone's interested.

[Stinkwheel]

I might well be interested in that interior Ian.

I guess i could have mentioned that yesterday.

[Dollywobbler]

Ah, never mind. You know where I am and I haven't got around to removing the bits I have fitted yet! Clearing the garage is becoming rather urgent though with the house on the market...

Came in the BX today. They really are good. Have been missing mine while I've been hurting around Europe in the 2CV. Must get the ARB links done though. Sounds horrible! Starter motor replacement should also occur at some point, before it leaves me stranded somewhere...

[Dollywobbler]

This car is immensely good. Spent two pleasant days hacking about the Welsh countryside trying to find our new home. We covered about 600 miles in two days and the BX proved itself to be utterly brilliant. Great for the motorway section and great for the twisty bits too - controversially, I reckon the very best engine for a BX is the 1.9 diesel. No turbo lag and a very useable wall of torque. Keep the revs at around 3000rpm and progress can be surprisingly swift.

Last week, we discovered it needs a pair of wishbone bushes - any idea on the best place to find some? Very clunky - perhaps it wasn't the ARB link after all...

[MULLEY]

Try e-bay, there were some recently being sold for a resonable price, failing that then surely there must be some motor factors where these can be purchased from, or citroen themselves if you're feeling lush All the best with the search, i tend to buy as many spares when i don't need them when i see things cheap, to hopefully avoid having to pay big bucks for something that shouldn't really cost that much in reality.

[Dollywobbler]

Thanks Mulley. My local mechanic tried the local factors, but they couldn't supply - a worrying sign perhaps. There's someone offering a very cheap rear bush for the wishbone on Ebay - have asked if they've also got the front one as both are shot.

[Stinkwheel]

Complete wishbones with bushes can be had............


Euro car parts website...........
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Citro ... and-Joints

im assuming the suspension arms listed are wishbones

[Dollywobbler]

Thanks. My mechanic's got an account with them so he'll give them a try. He'd not tried them because he got a quote from them for the starter motor and it scared him off!

[Dollywobbler]

New wishbone was procured and fitted. Did 600 miles in the BX last weekend, so as I've been complaining about the ARB links for about 5000 miles, I thought I'd better get them changed.

But it's my tame mechanic doing the work. He's already had one apart, so how easy will the other one be to get off?

[Dollywobbler]

A sign of how many miles this car does is the fact that in February, it was treated to a service. The previous one was done at 144k in October, just before the BXagon and it had already slipped past the 6000 mile interval and reached 152k by Feb.

And I've done it again! Having packed the service history as we prepare for a house move, I've called my garage and discovered that the BX hasn't been serviced since Feb, and it clocked up 159,000 today.

Problem is, not sure when I'll be able to get the service done - but maybe I should find time next week.

As a short list, I'm thinking of doing it DIY and carrying out the following:

New oil and filter
New fuel filter
New air filter.

Um, anything else I should bear in mind? Does need a rear arm bearing but that's going to have to wait. Brakes all seem fine, though I might have a look at the rears as they're a tad graunchy (which I suspect is more to do with rust than wear as they were fine in Feb).

[Dollywobbler]

Oil and filter changed. Not a lot else needed so not a lot else done!

Car has since made one return trip from our existing house to our new house in Wales, and this weekend, makes the move a permanent one in company with my CX.

[scarecrow]

Can I come too?