I've been doing what, from the car's perspective, essentially amounts to multi-drop work... 50-70 drops a day in her all over the South-East clocking anything up to 250 miles a day for months and months now. She's missed a beat here and there but I can hand on heart say she's the best car I have ever owned (and the best 300 quid I've ever spent!)
Some things I have learnt:
- don't park your BX half on a pavement. When she sinks overnight the exhaust will slowly but surely be crushed against the kerb and eventually you will get pulled over by very amused coppers because you are driving a stripy car that sounds like a dragster.
- Halfords overcharge massively for LHM.
- Your BX has SPECTACULARLY GOOD brakes. It is possible while you are getting used to this to lock all 4 wheels on dry tarmac. Not a good look.
- People, especially young chavs in Novas, are massively impressed with the variable suspension height but are unimpressed that your front wheel drive car with front acting handbrake cannot 'drift'.
- Driving other cars is like stepping back in time even if they are 20 years younger. "You mean this road has BUMPS?!? When did they put them in?"
- The approximate safe working load (ie. the warning light for the suspension is only on when you go round corners) is 5 adults (2 slightly overweight) 2 guitar amps, 3 guitars, half a drumkit and 6 plectrums.
- The XUD engine runs just fine on anything remotely oily you put in the fuel tank. My favorite being from the BA-FU chinese takeaway... vegetable oil that is literally BLACK from being used so much and infused with more spices than the average meal. Excellent fuel economy (5 pounds for 25 litres, 55mpg yes please!) and appetite stimulation to boot.
- LHM persists for a long time when it is spilt. See that massive green stain in the middle of the A2 at the junction near Rochester town centre? That was from BeX spilling her guts about 10 months ago.
- BeX would be an excellent car to own if you were a catholic priest, since the stripes and the tiger decal constantly attract the attention of the young and innocent.
A pleasure to drive and own. I hope I get my financial situation sorted soon because she will need some serious loving (read: money) to keep her on the road past the next MOT.
And a new alternator
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Gx