'The Estate'.............returns?

[Kitch]

It's proving to be the year of the BX estate isn't it?!

[mat_fenwick]

Estates are clearly FTW! If you want, I can roll up some 8 and 10 mm copper pipe and send it off in exchange for...erm...something

[docchevron]

hmmm, I'd have to sweep most of it up and bring it down in bags mate, it's 10000000 times worse than GSEG..

And take the roof ornament off. I'm assuming this is the white valver your talking about?

it is yes, and NO! The roof ornament stays! It must be the only double deck BX in existence!

Top stuff Kitch, I cannot believe how good that looks underneath, although I shouldn't be surprised, that car will always be a total icon of the BX world.

[citsncycles]

Yay, another estate for Timex to meet!

[Tim Leech]

Estates are clearly FTW! If you want, I can roll up some 8 and 10 mm copper pipe and send it off in exchange for...erm...something

Can you send some my way and maybe attach it...

[Kitch]

MOT tomorrow at 3pm. I'm expecting a 2-3page fail sheet (genuinely am....I can think of 11 things already that will fail) but the idea is to get a list to work though. As long as it's all quick stuff (bulbs, washer pump, mirror etc) then we'll be good to go

As I mentioned the other day, I've officially wimped out and jet-washed it:




Bodywork certainly looks 'used'





Forgot it got tagged years ago too:



Had a mini-result too....opened the boot and found a full carpet set in much better condition (ie not shitty, muddy and mouldy) than the originals currently fitted.

I'm nervous already tomorrow. Nervous to the point I might ask if I can stay and help out. I have a feeling he'll need instructions on how to get it into gear

[Kitch]

Yay, another estate for Timex to meet!

They're certainly both cut from the same cloth!

[Kitch]

hmmm, I'd have to sweep most of it up and bring it down in bags mate, it's 10000000 times worse than GSEG..

And take the roof ornament off. I'm assuming this is the white valver your talking about?

it is yes, and NO! The roof ornament stays! It must be the only double deck BX in existence!

Top stuff Kitch, I cannot believe how good that looks underneath, although I shouldn't be surprised, that car will always be a total icon of the BX world.

Haha! yeah it does look good doesn't it? Only issue now is a clank coming from the rear nearside wheel over bumps. Camber looks fine....it can't be, can it?

Bollocks!

[docchevron]

ooh no, it could be!

[Mickey taker]

Thats not the same car Kitch.
Go on admit it , you just switched the plates onto another bx estate you had lying around

[toddao]

Well done Kitch. That 'nature reserve' look would have gone down well at the MOT - everyone wants to be 'green' these days. A bit like those biological roofs they have on houses with plants growing out of them - good for insulation.

The perfect vehicle for the man with a young family!

My yellow break is doing sterling service with the three kids squeezed in across the back now, lengths of timber on the roof rack, boot full of buggies and bags of cement. It's a.. it's a.. what's the word? A Workhorse!

I needn't have bought that pile of rust cunningly disguised as a Renault 21 Nevada, though that rust- in-the-hair look is a good one.

Hope the MOT goes well.

[Kitch]

Well done Kitch. That 'nature reserve' look would have gone down well at the MOT - everyone wants to be 'green' these days. A bit like those biological roofs they have on houses with plants growing out of them - good for insulation.

The perfect vehicle for the man with a young family!

My yellow break is doing sterling service with the three kids squeezed in across the back now, lengths of timber on the roof rack, boot full of buggies and bags of cement. It's a.. it's a.. what's the word? A Workhorse!

I needn't have bought that pile of rust cunningly disguised as a Renault 21 Nevada, though that rust- in-the-hair look is a good one.

Hope the MOT goes well.

I was planning to leave it looking 'green' but I bottled out! Plus it's done so well so far it seemed right to help it out.

I might have a young family, but this will be my runaround - standard of driving is pretty bad over here and I don't fancy the car's odds in the event of a smash in the side. Don't know how you got three across the back of yours either - it's tight enough in the Picasso! Different car seats maybe? We've got the Recaro ones, but being that we've got twins we've got two of the 2nd stage seats, and they're pretty fat.
We'll probably get rid of the Picasso soon....missus' wants a 159, or something else that doesn't induce suicide while driving!

But yes, the estate will be a workhorse for me too. Depending on how it does on this MOT, it might be in service for the beginning of April.

[toddao]

My eldest - Sovay - who is now four, has passed the 15kg mark and now sits on a booster seat in the middle which is not so wide as the proper kiddie seats. Maybe the Picasso is even narrower as it has more padding in the doors? The BX is like a rectangular shaped baked bean can and is very space efficient in that respect, though, as you point out, not up to modern safety standards.

[Mickey taker]

Come on Richard, how did she do ?

[Kitch]

The results are in.......




Fail :laugh:

However, not too bad a fail:

1) Rear view mirror missing (I have a spare)
2) N/S seat belt stalk missing (long story....I have spares)
3) O/S seat belt stalk missing (long story....I have spares)
4) Windscreen washer not working
5) Hazard lights not working (relay I think)
6) Indicators not working (see above)
7) Main beam switch not working (doesn't latch - I have a spare)
Horn not working (could be the same switch fault as above)
9) 2p-sized rust hole at top of inner wheel arch (not structural, but he had to fail it as it was within distance of the suspension mounting. I'm not actually going to weld it, I'll just drill it out until it's clean metal again, treat it and pop a grommet in there!)
10) O/S/F lower arm rear bush knackered (I have some new ones somewhere)
11) Rear fog lamp not working (not sure, hope it's not the switch as I don't have any grey ones!)
12) N/S/F suspension strut leaking LHM (it's only a return line, and I'm not sure it's just a case of re-mounting the boot that collects return fluid)
13) Handbrake has excess travel (think one of the cables has snapped. Guess what? I have a spare!)

That's it. Advisories were O/S front brake grabbing slightly (slightly?! It's bloody seized!) Both front brake hoses (starting) to perish and the radiator is leaking, which I knew about. No rust issues underneath at all - it's all tickety boo!

I'm happy enough with that! If it wasn't for the handbrake cable and wishbone bush, I'd be elated! The wishbone will be easier to access if the gearbox is out, so I'll do the clutch at the same time.

So yeah, she's alright! With a bit of luck back on the road for April