BX Club Forum

However I have been rather taken by the idea of some Activa variants sold on the French market – some of the guys on the French Car Forum have found Activa estates even including a V6 Activa estate which is very appealing to me… And also 16v and TDI versions.

Not a big Xantia fan, but a diesel Activa estate I'd go for!

The 1600 GTI is a far revvier engine that the 1900 GTI engine too which seems a little dull by comparison.

This is common with smaller engine variants, due to the smaller stroke / pistons / both enabling it to rev higher. my H van horsebox had a 1600 engine and was much heavier than a standard van, but as the engine would rev better than the 1911 it was capable of a higher cruising speed, at least on the flat. Hills were a different story mind

hilarystone wrote:

The Activa looks great, it would show the 16v a clean pair of brake lights but just doesn't seem like it's trying at the time they are stunning cars refined, very fast, very underrated

Whilst I am a great fan of the Activa I think an Activa would have to be on a particular type of road with fast open corners to show the 16v a clean pair of heels and even then the 16v if driven properly ie revved has such a gutsy motor - if you're wanting to exploit its performance on the public road second and third gear are all you need... And it has a lot more traction than the Activa in really tight corners. But the Activa is far more refined and makes a wonderful multipurpose car equally at home on the twisty nadgery or motorway, just a shame about its fuel consumption.

However my 16v is now much improved on the motorway by changing its fifth gear for a Turbo D one; this reduces revs at 70/80mph by about 500 which has more effect than you would think. As a result you do end up dropping it down into fourth quite a bit more often when you want some urge.

However I have been rather taken by the idea of some Activa variants sold on the French market – some of the guys on the French Car Forum have found Activa estates even including a V6 Activa estate which is very appealing to me… And also 16v and TDI versions.




Today we took the AX GTI for a short run to do the Supermarket run but by way of this road… Its a superb piece of road with two tight steep hairpin bends which reminded me of the numerous ones on the Col du Pontis back in May. But the TU3 engine in the AX GTI is no match for the 16V or the 1600 GTI unit in the Visa. Both are far more willing, responsive and inspiring powerplants. The 16v in particular begs to rev and rev and rev… The 1600 GTI is a far revvier engine that the 1900 GTI engine too which seems a little dull by comparison.

What you want in that my friend is a TU5J4. BX 16v performance with ease

I love AXs. Had one GTI and four GTs. The GT is much more fun, but ultimately not as good. It's probably livelier at lower speeds, but it wallows and rolls unlike the GTi. The brakes aren't as good as the GTi either. But it's more fun overall.

Nice collection you've got, for sure!

Lovely unmolested AX GTI you've got, nice to see one that hasn't been vts'ed like the few left out there.

hilarystone wrote: So how about a Welsh weekend maybe three days sometime next year?

I think I could bring there some 4 french tyres of mine not from activa but nevertheless with some green sphere
Just have to toot

The 16V and the CX Ambulance are the two cars I use the most and they both do lots of miles throughout the year… Today we have completed part one of preparing the 16V for the winter – fitting a set of Vredestein Snowtrac 3 winter tyres. With living in Wales full time now I want to be able to keep driving most of the time and temperatures and conditions here are a bit more extreme than when living in Bristol. Andrew Weston found some suitably scruffy steel wheels and today our local mobile tyre fitter came over and mounted the tyres.

The second part of the 16V preparation wil be giving it some extra rust protection – Andrew Weston will be doing this job in the near future once I've made up my mind which rustproofer to use.

And this afternoon the weather seemed to have eased up a bit so we went out for a drive over the mountain, the B4560 to Llangynidr which I like so much and then onto a tiny byroad the other side of the Usk valley which showed signs of the heavy rain of the last few days.






The basic steel wheels without trims look suitably brutalist to me. And the tyres are beginning to run in nicely – I find it takes a hundred or so miles before new tyres really begin to work properly.

Looking good Hilary.

Does look mean. I'm intrigued to see how my BX copes on winter tyres this season. I'm already impressed with the grip in wet weather - which is good as it's going to be horrific tomorrow and I've got to get to Kent.

I hope you are as impressed with the Rikens as I was, Ian.

Great looking 16v that Hilary , I do like it . I've just rustproofed my Zx16v with some bilt hamber products but that doesn't really get used much in the winter .

Mark

They look like Xantia steels which always look good on a BX

A new addition to the fleet brought back from France this weekend with much help from KevR – many thanks Kev. More pics soon!

SPORT alert SPORT alert! Aww Hilary, we'll all be your best friend now - that is LOVELY!

Fantastic car Hilary, that would look good at the NEC

It has been quite an adventure bringing this car back from France. I went a weekend ago in my Xantia Activa to look at two BX Sports which were on Leboncoin. I'd had trouble with one of the French sellers who ignored my messages and the other one only wanted to speak on the phone… This was where I enlisted the help of KevR who contacted both and on Saturday a week ago I took the Eurotunnel train and went first to see this car At Criquiers, not too far from Dieppe. I was impressed as it looked very original. The car had spent most of its life in Paris where it had been serviced by a Citroen main dealer and had plenty of money spent on it back in 2009 – new spheres, drop-link, clutch, one rear arm bearing and four new Dunlop tyres. It had only done about 600km since and had a CT. The seller collected Renaults – he had a couple of Juvaquatre vans, a 4CV convertible and an early 4 all beautifully restored. He also had lift so I could take a good look at the underside of the car which seemed remarkably rust free. It seemed like a good one and was one of the first series built and registered on the 1st April 1985.
But the pics of the other Sport over near Reims had looked great on Leboncoin so I wanted to see that one before I made a decision… About 10km from Fismes which was where the second Sport was, I was going slowly through a French village when was there was quite a loud bang, it sounded like something had hit the underside of the Xantia. A minute later the red light came on. I topped up the hydraulics and managed to get down to Fiske stopping to top up several times – it was certainly pissing out quite hard as fluid was coming through the wheel and pooling on the outside of the rim! The Sport was a disappointment; it had fresh paint everywhere and I could not really tell what was beneath and it did not drive nicely – it felt loose and wandered and the engine had a distinct miss in the middle of the rev range… Whilst it had been fitted with quite a few new parts the maintenance looked really hit and miss with the handbrake lever coming up higher than I've ever seen on a BX!
I returned to the Xantia and rang the AA – I had taken out Continental Cover for the day – I almost never do this for short trips to the continent but had luckily done so this time… The car was recovered to Soissons and I returned by train to London and onto Bristol on Sunday. On Tuesday I was told a high pressure hose to the front Activa ram had failed and was of course NFA. Searching round on the web produced several sources claiming to have them in stock – Irene rang a Dutch supplier who listed it on his website but could not get one… And then she found on a Dutch Xantia forum a Danish company who had remanufactured the hoses. Thursday morning I sent an email and within half an hour had paid for the hose and they had sent me a pic of the package going out to the Citroen garage in Soissons… A result.
Back to the BX Sport – I had decided to go for the first car I had seen at Criquiers near Dieppe. Booked a Dieppe–Newhaven ferry for Saturday evening, an early Eurostar train to Paris and train onto the nearest station to Criquiers. Friday morning I had text from DFDS telling me the ferry was cancelled… The Eurotunnel seemed the best bet if the weather was going to be bad so booked that for Saturday evening. The train to Paddington was cancelled Friday afternoon but eventually I got to my friends in Acton. Left just before 5.00am and was in Paris Nord by 9.45. It turned out that at least on a Saturday it was a train and then a bus to the nearest station to Criquiers… By just after 3.00 I was on the road in the Sport – I had decided to take N roads up to Calais. It proved to be delightful to drive with lovely tight precise steering and apart from erratic idling drove really well. The ignition switch proved to need replacing – there's no return spring in it… The seller had not been able to scan the Carte Grise so I could not get specific insurance to drive it to the port but I had arranged insurance on the VIN number once I was in the UK. But I definitely did not want to get stopped by the French Police. The journey up to Calais was delightful until the last ten miles when the heavens opened. The electric drivers door window came down easily for Passport control but then was very reluctant to go fully back up. However the gods were on my side at the tunnel – and I was on the first train back. I was in Acton just after 8.00 and feeling pretty pleased. The interior is in beautiful condition with another set of carpets covering the originals. Just the door mirrors need sorting and being a Paris car there are a few scratches, one door has been repainted and is not the best match…
Sunday, I needed to collect a bike from Haslemere on my way home. Leaving there it took several attempts before the starter clicked into action and when I refilled with petrol it fired instantly much to my relief. Doing the calculations – 357km and 34l of petrol equivalent to just over 34mpg. I was very pleased with this – the only road test I had seen, from a 1986 Autocar, they had achieved just 22mpg…
By the time I was in Wales again it rained again – it always seems to rain when I return to Wales somehow. I was trundling easily along when suddenly the red light came on – I was only about three miles from home by this time so drove gingerly on. The steering went heavy a mile or so later but the brakes continued to work all the way to my front door much to my relief though I did have a couple of litres of LHM with me. Opening the bonnet and with the engine running a trickle of LHM could be seen coming from the metal outlet pipe of the hydraulic pump … however the Sport had got me home.


Some more pics:












The hydraulic pump with a trickle of LHM from the outlet high pressure pipe – I don't know it could be the seal gone – I think its more likely a cracked pipe but Andrew and Tony will sort this out before the MOT which is essential for me to register it. it may have been leaking for a little time – there was fluid all over the belt and the engine had developed a chirpy sound whilst getting back from London.

Excellent write up Hilary. The Sport looks fabulous, well done. Re the LHM leak, have you tried nipping up the union to the HP pump?