Similar reason for me Ian, dad had a succession of them when I was a nipper and they were so different to what we had owned before. The MK1 did have a few foiables (the doors fell off and the clutch came away from the bulkhead) but it always ran well and we had 2 after that which were equally as reliable!
Thank you jeremy for not entering into the slanging match, as were all friends here theres no point! We all have our own tatses and opinions and I respect that even if I dont always agree.
Thanks Tim. Its a good thing that we don't all like the same cars - otherwise the world would become a very boring place and our choice would diminish even further. I used to have rather more to do with the classic scene than I do at the moment and while my taste then was rather for lovely shiny Jaguars - I always respected those who would turn up with an immaculate Ford Anglia or something which was of course far more representative of motoring of its age than the Jaguars.
To be honest I was less than impressed by the original BX - mainly because the panel fit and flatness had that usual french look of being tweaked, the lego dash which now looks like a fun eccentricity but meant delightful things like all over strange interior colours, non-cancelling indicators and that rotating drum 'digital' speedo. Funny what a dose of blandness does for a car.
Indeed, lol I have a passion for 70s BL rubbish, I know there bad but I like them all the same. Mainly because there were a bigpart of my life when I was a nipper in the 70s and 80s, I must have covered 50000 miles in marinas over the years and only once one broke down!
You see I really like the MK1, but the Mk2 is more liveable I guess, plus newer and less rust prone, soon they will be seen as a classic and cherished as they deserve not scrapped when something goes wrong.
Last edited by tim leech on Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
jeremy wrote: Funny what a dose of blandness does for a car.
Its true, I love "bread & butter" cars, poverty spec cars which did the job with no whistles or bells and as such were always subsequently unloved - few survive into classicdom.
Its such a shame I could not afford to keep the ZX in mint condition - to do that I would have to have not used it for work - 6 months on its already battle scarred, the price I pay for working with the patient group I do, in ther areas I have to go / park up.
I keep looking for a cheap [free] bog standard motor to cosset into classichood - a nice Maestro 1.3L perhaps....
My Cars: 2007 Citroen Xsara Picasso 1.6 16V VTX 1982 Citroen GSA Spécial Estate - gone to a new home 1991 Citroen BX16 TGS Meteor - still out there somewhere!
Postby mnde »
No no, I agree. There's something about spartan poverty spec 70s/80s cars: I'd love to have a late RWD MkII Escort 1.1 Popular, or a Mk1 Fiesta. Others I like:
Citroen GSpecial
Chrysler/Talbot Horizon, Talbot Samba/Pug 104/Citroen LNA
Renault 4/5 MK1
All BL rubbish et al.
I saw an early BX Leader at Utrecht one year, with the small centre discs in the wheels. Mmmm.
Anyway, personally I don't think the BX is bland, and in dark colours or silver it looks rather smart and sleek like the XM.
In the spirit of friendship and fairness I shall not repeat my comments about the Marina and my experience with them!
I am the same as others it would appear having been bought up on a succession of BL cars (Austin 3-Litre, three Maxi`s, P6 2200 and probably a couple more) before my dad moved onto Ford`s-Mk3 and Mk4 Cortina estates with a Talbot Alpine in the middle then luckily (for me) Vauxhalls.
All company cars, last one he had was a Mk2 Cavalier 1.6SR.
Maestro`s rock btw, I really must get my van back otr soon.
Im only 25 and i like the austin princess and ambassador. We had a 1982 ambassador 2.0 hl in burgundy red (cna 20y) Wery comfortable and built like a tank. I also like 80,s fords Ie orion 1.6i ghia (had 3 ) and escort rs turbo series 1 and 2 (had one of each) i dont mind cossies but theyre out of my price range. I like bx,s cause the 16v with all the kit just stands out and as you know they go like stink.......... I took it upon myself to modify a 16v internally, externally and a bit of engine work ie chip and the comments you get are just great and you can throw them around a bit to.
Amazing how many people were bought up on BL stuff that they went to the wall, all you guys families were buying them
Personally i was bought up on Citroens, my parents owned things including............2cv4 & 6, Dyane 4 & 6, AX, BX, CX, GS and A. So basically i was screwed from the start.
Doctor Of Gonzo Journalism!!!
93 BX TZD Estate
90 BX 14TE St Tropez
93 BX 19 TXD Estate
92 BX 16TXi
77 Ami 8 Break
79 Acadiane
81 Dyane6
84 2CV6
85 GSA saloon rally car
To slightly mis-quote Kitch ... "BX 14. They're just brilliant!"
Im only 25 and i like the austin princess and ambassador. We had a 1982 ambassador 2.0 hl in burgundy red (cna 20y) Wery comfortable and built like a tank. I also like 80,s fords Ie orion 1.6i ghia (had 3 ) and escort rs turbo series 1 and 2 (had one of each) i dont mind cossies but theyre out of my price range. I like bx,s cause the 16v with all the kit just stands out and as you know they go like stink.......... I took it upon myself to modify a 16v internally, externally and a bit of engine work ie chip and the comments you get are just great and you can throw them around a bit to.
Maestro turbo quick to 60mph but then try stopping!!!!!!!!! Still not a bad car 
