37th time lucky: my motoring 2022 in review

[mk2_craig]

What a great read! Did the Reliant keep its plate on going to Holland?

[JohnDeere]

After four months of happy motoring, it went off to fellow 'Shiter JohnDeere, who has since rectified many of its small failings and, I hope, is still enjoying it. I found a box of spares for it in the shed the other day, I'll get them up to you somehow fella.

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That would be great. Happy to pay postage etc if it's not too heavy, or I'll get my brother to swing by.

 

Still enjoying it, and doing the odd fix, slowly. Hopefully closer to sorting out speedo, then will start looking at keeping the rusty bits at bay.

[hairnet]

GARY COX wishes he was you

 

dull - with hnnnnnng panhards - never in million years

[seth]

You'll have to contain your excitement

 

Sorry, all my excitement came out in one go and I've none left now.

[Brodders]

That was a truly magnificent write up about some superb cars. I am amazed that you have managed to own so many interesting cars over such a short period of time, let alone several at the same time.

 

That 404 cabriolet was a thing of beauty. I am ashamed to admit that I didn't know they existed (as French cars aren't my forte) but I am happy to have found out about the existence of such a stunning car. Great thread anyway, and I hope we see much, much more in the future.

[scruff]

Great thread Barrett, I have been enjoying reading about some of them in the magazine. 

[barrett]

Cheers guys!

 

Had an hour or so to kill after work today, so I sat in the sun and started cleaning up some of the Z1's aluminium trim. It's all a bit dented and scuffed so it'll never be perfect, but that just matches the rest of the car. I love jobs like this - instant gratification. I reckon that bumper's come up alright, what do you reckon?

[Tamworthbay]

I wondered where Sam Glovers one went, I am even more jealous now. If it will be a show stopper if you get it back on the road.

[Ghosty]

What does the BX need done? At £200 I'm seriously tempted, I could definitely scrape that (plus some PSA steels) together...

[barrett]

Just got back from collecting number 16!

[Spottedlaurel]

They make a lot of sense as an estate. Thing is, can you live with the fact that Citroen didn't see fit to change the rear doors from the hatchback?

 

I saw a BX estate in just the same colour locally the other day. Did look smart.

[garethj]

Steel wheels are for winners.  Good choice on the rest of the car too.

[Slappy]

Just caught up with the whole write-up, and what a collection they have been. Definitely not dull. Wish I'd had boulders big enough to tackle all of those though

[barrett]

I haven't even seen it in the daylight yet, but I've already made the first important step of fitting a nice French keyring

[Cavcraft]

Those BX estates are belting cars.

 

What a great thread, nice to hear you cracked 30,000 in that BX too, that's brilliant going. What a shame it finally succumbed to rust though, I can imagine that news being like told your favourite pet has some horrible illness

[Lacquer Peel]

What happened to the miserable 1.9D Xantia?

This thread is gold by the way.

[barrett]

The Xant is leaking all over a back street in Horsham. Needs the dosuer thingy replacing or rebuilt, but otherwise it's a decent car. Will be up for sale very soon at beer money. It was always gonna be a stopgap until I found another nice BX. I'm not sure how nice this one actually is yet, but it feels much more 'me'than the Xant

[barrett]

A few thoughts half way through week one of commuting in the new BX;

 

It's SLOW. I thought maybe Jack just had unrealistic expectations but no, it really is dead slow. 40mph in fourth, foot down on the floor and NOTHING happens. It seems unwilling to rev and the turbo really only starts to spool up at about 3600rpm. Will look at the vacuum pipes etc first, but if anyone has any suggestions they'd be welcome. Is this just what a 250,000 mile turbo is like?

 

The steering is quite heavy. It doesn't come in and out of power like my silver car (failing pump) so perhaps the belt needs some more tension? Or perhaps the power steering unit itself has had it?

 

The TZD/ GTi seats really don't do it for me, they are a bit too high and not soft enough. I'll try and swap my TXD seats over.

 

Otherwise it all seems pretty good, it's so nice to be back in a BX again! The old dear over the road was in the street "admiring the lines" when I came out the other morning so at least the neighbours don't hate it.

[New POD]

Check the turbo has 2 wheels and a shaft. I knew a lad once, who bodged a broken turbo, by taking out all the insides and sealing it up. Rover 418 TD

 

If it's got a shaft and 2 wheels, and spins, and the turbo is the right one for the car, the only thing is not hitting full boost.

 

Typically the waste gate will fail safe in the open position if there is an issue with the actuator or hoses going to it. Which will mean it never reaches boost.

 

Of course it might be something like blocked fuel filter, or air filter. 

[Eddie Honda]

It's SLOW. [snip] it really is dead slow. [snip] foot down on the floor and NOTHING happens.

Try driving a 1.9 N/A automatic BX. It'll recalibrate your concept of SLOW / DEAD SLOW / NOTHING HAPPENS. Alternatively, try a Volvo 340 1.6 diesel.

[wuvvum]

Alternatively, try a Volvo 340 1.6 diesel.

[Cleon-Fonte]

The Volvo 300 diesel is a thing, it just wasn't offered in the UK (but it was in Ireland). Guiltily I'd quite like one if I could find one.

 

Is it me or is the BX estate much cooler than the saloon?

[Eddie Honda]

Take a Renner F8M 1.6 n/a diesel and stick it in a V360 bodyshell.

 

 

54hp (a way bit less than the B14 petrol which lattery had ~71hp)

 

Diesels don't particularly float my boat and I never had one until that point. Then I bought it just because.

 

I drove it once before handing over the money and was gobsmacked by its sloth-like acceleration.

[Lacquer Peel]

Try driving a 1.9 N/A automatic BX. It'll recalibrate your concept of SLOW / DEAD SLOW / NOTHING HAPPENS. Alternatively, try a Volvo 340 1.6 diesel.

 

A Xantia 1.9D auto would be even worse! My manual Xantia 1.9D went okay once it was up to speed, overtaking on rural roads was practically a no go though.

I quite like rubbish old non turbo diesels but I think I'd draw the line at anything slower than a Nissan Vanette.

[barrett]

I've just got back from 'doing the dirty' on car number 17. Need to work out some logistics but hopefully I'll have it in my filthy clutches next week. What's wrong with me?

[Inspector Morose]

Ooh, mk1. Quirky.

[garethj]

What's wrong with me?

 

Dunno?  You haven't bought enough cars?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yow!!!! Where'd you find that???

[barrett]

Somebody saw my other cars and tracked me down and asked if I wanted a free BX! It's been off the road for a couple of years but has had quite a bit of work done in that time. He lives within walking distance of the citroen garage I use so I'm gonna limp it over there and get them to put an Mot on it. Quote excited actually, I've always really liked the look of these Mk1s and it seems like a pretty decent car.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Has it got a Jersey numberplate?