Mini test - the worst BX in the world

[dollywobbler]

I know, you've gazed at this beauty and dreamt of some wheel time yourself. "What could it be like?" Well, I shall explain.

 

 

For a start, it has the legendary PSA XUD 1905cc diesel engine, also seen under the bonnet of such shite legends as the Talbot Horizon, Peugeot 405 and Citroen ZX. It should have the 65bhp motor, but someone has dropped in the later 71bhp version at some point - not that it makes a difference as some horses have escaped.

 

Clamber aboard.

 

The BX represented a last stab at bonkers dashboard design for Citroen. For this, they earnt wrapped knuckles from their Peugeot masters and the later BX had a much more conventional set-up. There are two slide controls on either side of the instrument binnacle, mounted on those pod things. The right hand one controls the front wiper, the left hand one does the lights - off, side, head, rear fog. The outer edge on the right does front wash, the left outer edge switches between main and dipped beams. The rockers on the top do indicators (left, no self-cancel feature) and rear wash/wipe (right). If that wasn't enough, there is a lower section that is main beam flash (left) or horn (right). It takes some getting used to.

 

Then there's the rotating drum speedometer. I never tire of it!

 

The seats are very comfortable with a fair amount of give to them. They're not super-soft, but are a nice play to be, if slightly lacking in lumbar support.

 

A burst of glow plugs and the engine fires into life - somewhat smokily at first, but it settles down to the 'strong' idle that's a feature of these engines. The gearchange is a bit wobbly, but it's easy enough to find the gears - though first gear synchromesh is long gone. On the move, the steering is nicely weighted and very direct, though not as ridiculously so as a CX in which you get nervous about sneezing. If your lucky, the power assistance remains consistent. I've still got some issues here...

 

The BX doesn't so much accelerate as get a bit quicker. The engine currently isn't happy to pull beyond 3000rpm, but that's ok as it produces a lot of torque from as little as 1000rpm. The ride is pretty comfortable, though a touch crashy, especially over potholes. High-miled BXs do seem to suffer in this regard, though knackered spheres don't help. Replacing them is on the to do list. The brakes are superb. Citroen later toned these down as people jumping out of Cortinas and Cavs found that they kept banging their head on the windscreen. Discs all-round with 2000psi behind them and sod all weight to stop. The pedal is typical Citroen and feels absolutely rock hard. There's very little give in it, you just moderate your pressure on it.

 

Handling is superb, even on slightly shonky old front tyres. It always feels planted. It is a bit noisy though. The engine smooths out to a great degree while cruising, but there's a lot of wind noise, thanks to several knackered window seals. It's quite relaxing though.

 

What does strike you is that visibility is very good. There's a lot of glass and thin pillars.

 

For my money, the BX is the best hydro-Citroen ever built. Especially in Mk1 form. The suspension is much firmer than the DS and CX, so you don't get that queasy-boat feeling. Instead it feels taught, yet still offers class-beating comfort. On the Xantia, PSA tried to turn down the quirkiness so much that they made that clever hydraulic suspension behave just like a coil-sprung car. Pointless (well, aside from the mental Activa). While it's quirky, there's enough Peugeot sense to mean that mechanically, the BX is better than the GS/A it replaced. There are far less 'utter pain in the arse' jobs, and even the petrols give economy that G's can only dream of.

 

It's also 30 years of the BX this year. Happy Birthday!

 

Here's a beige one to celebrate.

[Pete-M]

Cool. Do you have any pics of the stereo? That looks cool as. Maystar?

[jonathan_dyane]

Oh boy! I've been on the point of saying this for ages, but can no longer resist; I *love* this car, and if you ever want rid call me first. I still regret not saving a Mk1 diesel estate that had just come into a scrapyard about ten years ago.

 

Fancy a Merc 190D

[Father Ted]

I love em.

Had a few.

Would love another (actually, would love G735 BJB back, but I gather the current owner still likes it).

[Ross_K]

On the Xantia, PSA tried to turn down the quirkiness so much that they made that clever hydraulic suspension behave just like a coil-sprung car. Pointless (well, aside from the mental Activa).

 

As an Activa owner I have to ask you to expand on that...

[dollywobbler]

Cool. Do you have any pics of the stereo? That looks cool as. Maystar?

 

It's got Realistic on it. I'm not sure what it's as real as... It does actually work. but only one speaker works as household speaker cable runs direct from the stereo to the speaker, and it's snapped in one door shut.

 

On the Xantia, PSA tried to turn down the quirkiness so much that they made that clever hydraulic suspension behave just like a coil-sprung car. Pointless (well, aside from the mental Activa).

 

As an Activa owner I have to ask you to expand on that...

 

As an Activa owner, perhaps you should do a mini-test write up! I've never driven an Activa, but I really would like to. The idea of anti-roll suspension intrigues me.

[cort16]

Love that dash. My old BX GT had that dash but the more conventional speedo and rev counter.

[hairnet]

the lived in bx

 

love it

 

closest we got was a xantia - not nearly as bonkers

 

are ya fed up of the 4x4?

[Ross_K]

As an Activa owner, perhaps you should do a mini-test write up! I've never driven an Activa, but I really would like to. The idea of anti-roll suspension intrigues me.

 

I've been meaning to do one on FCF for a good while now. There's a thread about it in the for sale section from August last year when I bought it. It had TEN new spheres before it came over here.

 

It cost me £700 and it's honestly more fun and more chuckable than a 205 GTi. It could do with another 100bhp if I could afford the fuel consumption.

 

Anyway, back to all things BX...

[Pete-M]

Cool. Do you have any pics of the stereo? That looks cool as. Maystar?

 

It's got Realistic on it. I'm not sure what it's as real as... It does actually work. but only one speaker works as household speaker cable runs direct from the stereo to the speaker, and it's snapped in one door shut.

 

Heh, that's how to do an AS stereo system. Realistic. That's slightly better than Maystar, you posh bugger!

 

[Mr H Sceptre]

I had an H plate BX 14TE as my first car. Loved it. Would have another.

[Shep Shepherd]

IIRC, Realistic was one of Tandy/RadioShack's own brands. A shite stereo from a shite shop for a shite car

[theorganist]

IIRC, Realistic was one of Tandy/RadioShack's own brands. A shite stereo from a shite shop for a shite car

 

It was, we still have a Realistic Battery Charger and it still works. I also found the other day two Realistic Car Speakers buried in the shed, might use them in the Maxi.

 

I nearly bought a late GSA once (in a previous car owning life) but was put off by the drum instruments, would have it in a heartbeat now.

 

Another interesting read, really fancy owning a BX now!

[RobT]

I love the dash, all those straight lines and sharp edges are much more in keeping with the rest of the car. Here's a picture of mine, rather dull in comparison although very, very grey

 

 

I'm a bit love/hate with my BX. Some days the gear change is slick and the ride is smooth (just gliding over road humps for example), other days it drives like shit with creaky struts and overly notchy gear changes. Once warmed up, the engine is always a cracker though.

[theorganist]

Wow, that IS grey!

[Six-cylinder]

Watch out for that 71bhp engine I was done for speeding on a daul carrageway with a 71bhp BX Estate!

 

Chris

[Father Ted]

I love the dash, all those straight lines and sharp edges are much more in keeping with the rest of the car. Here's a picture of mine, rather dull in comparison although very, very grey

 

You have a fag lighter

Luxury!

My TGD didnt have one

[dollywobbler]

Really FT? I've had two TGDs and they both had one. Even my Mk1 RD has one as standard it seems. I think Rob's is an RD (judging by the clock rather than rev counter).

[boobydoo]

That was a nice little write-up, Dollers. When did the quirky dash become the crap dash?

 

I quite like these review type posts by a car owner. I'll try and do one for the Tagora.

[dollywobbler]

That was a nice little write-up, Dollers. When did the quirky dash become the crap dash?

 

I quite like these review type posts by a car owner. I'll try and do one for the Tagora.

 

The Mk2 facelift came along later in 1986. The estate was launched in 1985 (mine was built in October '85) but Mk1 estates are rare because the Mk2 came along less than a year later. The Mk2 facelift included the reworked dashboard and larger indicators, so it lost a lot of quirk. However, I still love the Mk2 dashboard. Look at the switchgear either side of the wheel on RobT's pic. You can activate the fog light, HRW, rear wiper and hazards just by extending a finger. You don't even have to let go of the steering wheel. That's how all cars should be!

 

Look forward to your Tagora write-up.

[DSdriver]

The controls of the early BX and CX were an ergonomic win. Everything important was right where you needed it. I love driving them but haven't had a chance for years now.

[purplebargeken]

Mmmm, love the interior, quirky and grey - fab combination.

[chaseracer]

The one car I now kick myself for selling on was a late-1984 BX16RS I owned for about three months in 1990. It too had the quirk-o-matic dash, fish's-fart instruments and marshmallow seats, plus a surprising level of grunt from the 1580cc petrol motor. A young blade about Town at the time, unwisely I traded it for a 19GTi which, though great fun and licence-meltingly quick, was just not quite the same...

[Father Ted]

Really FT? I've had two TGDs and they both had one. Even my Mk1 RD has one as standard it seems. I think Rob's is an RD (judging by the clock rather than rev counter).

Nope

Had a blanking plate for the fag lighter

Had no PAS

had no digital clock just a blanking plate (and no working clock where the rev counter should have been)

Had no sound proofing material under the carpets

Originally had those flat smooth type wheels with no vent holes.

No central locking

Really really really basic.

And I loved it.

[RobT]

You're right Dolly, mine is an RD and the same colour as yours too.

 

However, I still love the Mk2 dashboard. Look at the switchgear either side of the wheel on RobT's pic. You can activate the fog light, HRW, rear wiper and hazards just by extending a finger. You don't even have to let go of the steering wheel. That's how all cars should be!

 

 

That is indeed a good piece of design, although the switches do tend to crunch a bit when you press them! Not sure if that is age-related but it makes you wince a bit.

 

And does your mk1 have this mental blanking plate setup by the handbrake? What options could possibly warrant having this number of blankers?! Or if they're not blanking plates, why not just make it a solid piece of moulded plastic. Tsk, the old Frenchies eh

 

[purplebargeken]

Bloody hell, that has to take the world record for the over use of blanking plates

[dollywobbler]

It is ridiculous. On mine, two of those are the front electric windows (one in front of the other - ergonomic fail) while two of the rear ones are rear electric windows on posher ones I think. It was much better when they moved the front switches to the doors.

[Anglevan]

Great right up - my only experiance with the BX was my now ex father in law loved Shitroens and at the time I knew him he had a mint 'F' reg estate diesel. He's had it from new and at the time the mileage was less than 20,000 with full main dealer history and it was 6 year old ish then.

I used to drive it now and again and I have to be honest I never really got on with it. Maybe his was a poor one but the gear change was the typical stirring a bucket of bricks and the clutch pedal was always half way down with very little movement and was heavy as well. Steering was good and i liked the enormous boot area and quirky suspension.

But it's never been a car i've hankared after. He chopped it in for a Shitroen ZX and I really liked that - he gave it to us a few years later and I wish i'd kept it .. saw it many years later near Meadowhall and still looked in good nick. K52HWW I think it was..

[j-j]

 

And does your mk1 have this mental blanking plate setup by the handbrake? What options could possibly warrant having this number of blankers?! Or if they're not blanking plates, why not just make it a solid piece of moulded plastic. Tsk, the old Frenchies eh

 

 

Hahaha keeping blanking plate factories in business since 1982!

 

I think the center console on the mk1 BX was continued over onto the Mk2 even after fitting buttons on the doors and rendering all the points on the middle console blanked. But on my BX 16 TRS quite a lot of these were used - furthest forward was one front window, two back from that the other (i know..) then the two rearmost corner ones were each rear window. If it had a sunroof I think one of these was the switch for it and if it had the extra HiFi accessories there was a front to rear fader in one of those positions. Might have been a rear windows child isolator in one too but sure mine nevva had it. But there's at least two that are unaccounted for so think they were ALWAYS blanking plates!

[scooters]

Top write up Ian,

 

Three cheers for the Citroën BX!!!

 

I love my meteor...it just goes on and on and I did 1400 miles round Scotland in it last month...it didn't miss a beat returned about 33mpg despite being thrashed on mountain roads...toasted a brand new A4 pov spec diesel on a hill on the M90. Crossed a flooded Ford on high suspension setting. Snapped its self cancelling indicator mechanism, coped with blizzard and ice. A truly remarkable car that has great vision is very comfortable and handles superbly.

 

I enjoy driving it more than the 800 or the Scoob...to have the same fun in those you have to be driving 20 mph faster than the BX