Admirable AX Ambling, although ambling adjourned atm

[Tomtation]

Let's start with the fact that alliteration is FOR WINNERS. Anyway, now that I've got that out of my system we can carry on.

Hello folks, I want an AX diesel. There, I said it, no-one can accuse me of being indecisive or faffing about. I WANT one, okay? Hopefully there is a pale blue MK1 1.4d in decent running order for very little money etc.

Required for shuttling the OH to work and back and going to the shops etc, due to the times there is currently no fuel mileage for the OH at work and he is stuck at the employers furthest away place of business from us, and whilst the Lexus is a hybrid (and fecking awesome!), it also is a 3.3 V6 fat bastard and on normal roads 35mpg is a winning achievement (2007 RX 400h). The hearse barely tops 20mpg, so that can FRO just now, have some S(C)ORN.

I have this perverted idea of creating an AX diesel GT, to match my BX GT (not diesel, but a GT all the same). To complete the set, of course, I'll need a CX GT, but they didn't make those, so it'd be *fun and *simple to make my own trim, with all that time and money I have spare (LIES). Anyway I digress again.

I have been in talks with the blue AX 14RD for sale on faceache, but a) they want £850 for it, b) it's been off the road since 1999 ? and c) it's in Halifax, Yorkshire and I'm pretty much on the south coast (Somerset). Otherwise it's perfect.

Whatterya gots wimmins and fellersh?

Oh, and, unless there is a Vauxhall Corsa 1.5td or Honda Insight MK1 in similar cheap and good condition, I'm reluctant to have anything else. Unless you think you have something to tempt me?

[New POD]

Be careful what you wish for. 

I owned a 1.4D echo for 5 years.  With GT alloys. (Make sure you buy longer bolts as the ones for the steel wheels will be too short) 

The extra tyre width, destroyed the fuel consumption. And made it slower. 

The lack of a turbo makes it a gutless piece of shite.  It's noisy, uncomfortable, and it vibrates so much the inserts holding the boot lock on will fall out of the plastic boot lid. 

Oh and on mine the cylinder head warped so that it leaked oil down past the cam belt. 

 

[strangeangel]

10 minutes ago, New POD said:

The lack of a turbo makes it a gutless piece of shite. 

 

 

Meh. One man's Gutless Piece of Shite is another man's happy old plodder. I have been genuinely surprised by the number of people who have engaged me in conversation about my BX and expressed disappointment because no turbo. Don't care and don't want one; it's fast enough for me and a turbocharger is just something else to go wrong.

 

[New POD]

As an ex employee of Honeywell engine boosting, I would suggest that a simple waste gated turbo on a diesel, treated correctly will last forever.  Just change the oil regularly and let it cool down before you turn it off after a high speed run. 

 

[lesapandre]

There are two generations of diesel AX. 1.4 and 1.5. The latter is a very different engine with an iron head - they go better and have improved cooling. 1.4 blow the head gasket at circa 100,000 miles - the 1.5 is more durable

 

[bramz7]

I've wanted one for ages. Got outbid on a few on eBay so gave up. I have heard, much as lespandre says (and to be fair probably has the most experience here) that the 1.5 is far more hardy to the 1.4s tendency to eat head gaskets. 

Maybe an early 106 is easier to come across? 

[DoctorRetro]

[strangeangel]

53 minutes ago, New POD said:

Just change the oil regularly and let it cool down before you turn it off after a high speed run. 

 

 

Most people can't even be trusted to put screenwash in the car, never mind patiently idling the engine at the end of a journey before turning it off, so strong is the appeal of their dinner, Coronation Street etc.

 

No, I will continue to decline the dubious joys of turbo ownership, even in spite of your employment history, thanks.

 

[New POD]

Sadly for the people of Skem, the factory was closed long ago.  Production went to Romania and Italy and New Mexico and France. 

[Tomtation]

Holy flaps! Are they that bad? I had a late 1.0 and though that was 'perky' and characterful, cool little thing (but missing a 5th gear) but maybe  not so suited to the hilly 60/70mph 40 mile commute each way.

Thanks for the post TheDoctor, will investigate but it looks a bit crusty! I was hoping for a usable one (along with a bag of hens teeth/rockinghorse shite etc).

[mat_the_cat]

Gutless eh?

 

[PiperCub]

No experience of AX's as such but the 1.5 is the much better engine and the one to go for.

The example on FB you quoted originally sounds like a textbook case of that evergreen favourite "It's old therefore it's worth tons of money regardless of condition".  Erm...... no. 

[Tomtation]

The dizzlers must have more shove than the 1.0 and 1.1 surely?

35 minutes ago, PiperCub said:

No experience of AX's as such but the 1.5 is the much better engine and the one to go for.

The example on FB you quoted originally sounds like a textbook case of that evergreen favourite "It's old therefore it's worth tons of money regardless of condition".  Erm...... no. 

Precisely, and a 14RD probably is quite rare, but 20 years off the road? Even with "lots if engine work before laid up" it'll need all consumables doing , and tyres etc. Still kind of want it though...

[PiperCub]

Personally, I wouldn't, just wait, something always turns up. Patience will often save you money and stress in my experience! As you've sussed, anything laid up for any long period of time may well be able to be got running and driving quite quickly and painlessly but the costs come in replacing a shit-load of time-expired stuff like tyres, hoses, belts, brakes etc. and those costs can really mount up negating the point of buying a cheap car.

Surprised the ad didn't say "Ran superbly when laid up". Well, let's go to a breakers, I'll show them a yard full of cars that "Ran perfectly" .....once upon a time". 

[New POD]

My 1.4 could not hold 80, 75, 70, or 65 in 5th on the hills of the M65.  I was the nutter attempting to hit 90 on the downhill sections that you'd overtake as I changed dowm into 4th at 70 on the uphill sections. 

 

[castros_bro]

Had several AX diesels and I'd go for the 1.5D but also consider the other cars fitted with the same engine, 106, Saxo or Rover.  I used a 106 1.5D to commute to Portugal, driver 6'2' and carrying a moped where the back seat should be, was comfortable and pleasant on 1000km of French/Spanish/Portuguese motorways -and back- and again and again and didn't use much fuel.

[lesapandre]

Plenty for sale in France and with the stricter CT lots of bargins to be had. Look on LeBonCoin.

 

[Jim Bell]

Get a cheap mark 1 106.

They're not far off and at least they exist. 

You can always transfer the guts to a decent AX at a later date. 

I've enjoyed both 106 diesels I've owned. I wouldn't say they were slow or particularly unrefined. 

[Sir Chocolate Teapot]

I don't know if fiat ever sold the 1990s mk1 punto 1.7 gasolio in uk. Great cars that plod on forever. Many years ago in uk i had super cheap fiat uno mk1 with that engine, great in a shite way but was super reliable, apart from clutch cable breaking in rush hour blackwall tunnel.

Anyway, mk1 punto is a much under rated car in my view.

[DoctorRetro]

9 hours ago, Sir Chocolate Teapot said:

I don't know if fiat ever sold the 1990s mk1 punto 1.7 gasolio in uk. Great cars that plod on forever. Many years ago in uk i had super cheap fiat uno mk1 with that engine, great in a shite way but was super reliable, apart from clutch cable breaking in rush hour blackwall tunnel.

Anyway, mk1 punto is a much under rated car in my view.

Fiat Unos have a bit of a chequered history with tunnels, so I've heard. 

[Retr0naut]

11 hours ago, Jim Bell said:

Get a cheap mark 1 106.

They're not far off and at least they exist. 

You can always transfer the guts to a decent AX at a later date. 

I've enjoyed both 106 diesels I've owned. I wouldn't say they were slow or particularly unrefined. 

Agree with Jim. We had a 106 1.5 Diesel inca. Very economical and easy to fix on the rare occasion something went wrong. Not a lot on it to go wrong to be honest. We had it for years and only traded it in eventually to get something bigger.

[Axplug]

If you are serious about one you could persuade me to part with my dark blue 1.5 ......I’ve had it now for over 10 years and it’s used as a daily/weekly......just ran out of mot and I’m just about to get another having replaced a cv joint and lower arm ball joint. I’ve replaced most bits over the years and it’s had rear axle done about 20k ago and I did the cambelt not so long ago. It’s got the Bosch pump. There’s very little rust if any and i think it will go for ever .  Downsides....it’s done 200 k but still sweet and burns no oil. However it does leak oil from the head area .... I think they all do that  so you have to put something down if you value your drive.  Other things I haven’t fixed are dash lights not working ( I replaced some but they’ve gone again) and heater blower gone on lower settings. Speedo cable wobbles but I have a new one. I get 65 mpg last time I measured it. It’s got ax gt carpet and seats which suit the colour. I have a spare gt drivers seat in nice condition.   The bodywork is shiny but with “patina” especially the roof lacquer has started to go in the last year!
 

I’m very fond of it And thought I’d never sell it but I have  four other cars and one drive and shuffling them around gets me down.....plus I have a little ax petrol in the back of the garage which I might put back on the road. I have a spare engine too if wanted....bought for the Bosch pump and injectors as my lucas one went.....allegedly its done 75k but I’ve never heard it run. 

I’d be happy with £250 with a new mot on it or £200 as it is.......I can do pictures if interested......!

 

 

 

[DoctorRetro]

3 minutes ago, Axplug said:

If you are serious about one you could persuade me to part with my dark blue 1.5 ......I’ve had it now for over 10 years and it’s used as a daily/weekly......just ran out of mot and I’m just about to get another having replaced a cv joint and lower arm ball joint. I’ve replaced most bits over the years and it’s had rear axle done about 20k ago and I did the cambelt not so long ago. It’s got the Bosch pump. There’s very little rust if any and i think it will go for ever .  Downsides....it’s done 200 k but still sweet and burns no oil. However it does leak oil from the head area .... I think they all do that  so you have to put something down if you value your drive.  Other things I haven’t fixed are dash lights not working ( I replaced some but they’ve gone again) and heater blower gone on lower settings. Speedo cable wobbles but I have a new one. I get 65 mpg last time I measured it. It’s got ax gt carpet and seats which suit the colour. I have a spare gt drivers seat in nice condition.   The bodywork is shiny but with “patina” especially the roof lacquer has started to go in the last year!
 

I’m very fond of it And thought I’d never sell it but I have  four other cars and one drive and shuffling them around gets me down.....plus I have a little ax petrol in the back of the garage which I might put back on the road. I have a spare engine too if wanted....bought for the Bosch pump and injectors as my lucas one went.....allegedly its done 75k but I’ve never heard it run. 

I’d be happy with £250 with a new mot on it or £200 as it is.......I can do pictures if interested......!

 

 

 

Bloody hell. If Tomtation doesn't want it, can I have second dibs, depending on location? Loved my AX, would have preferred a diesel. 

 

[Tomtation]

AXPlug, i am unreasonably excited! I knew somone on here would have one! Pictures would be ace, thanks. Bonus GT seats and carpets too.

Where you at in this here world?

[Axplug]

Here it is for starters .. ..maybe flattering it!...I’m in bakewell derbyshire.....I’m happy to operate on dibs basis....I’ll pm some pictures 

[DoctorRetro]

Dammit. I'm out - too far for me. 

Looks a cracking car though 

[Jim Bell]

@Tomtation

Get it bought. 

[castros_bro]

Me want second dibs?

I've a spare Bosch pump which was running veg so trips of 1000km into sunny Iberia are even cheaper. 

 

[M'coli]

If you wear a particularly-coarse hair shirt, buy the 1360cc alloy-block. I had one in a Metro and it could be dangerous on certain hills, eg coming out of a hairpin bend at 20mph and then straight onto a fairly steep hill saw it bog down in second, and if you weren't quick at changing into 1st the car ended up stopping. Once into 1st it wasn't a long enough ratio to get it beyond 20-ish mph, so you sat there for however long it took for the hill to ease slightly with the engine bouncing off of the governor. 1st gear was slightly too short, and second slightly too long.

The extra 169cc of the TUD5 doesn't sound like much but in my 106 it's enough to do that hill in second and accelerate, sorry,  gather momentum, up it. It just makes the car so much more useable.

There's very little difference between the 1.1 petrol engined version and the 1.5d, bar the increased cost of insurance for the diesel and the recompense of better fuel economy. The biggest difference is that both 1.5d engined cars that I've owned were quieter at motorway speeds than the 1.1 petrol.

 

I do like the idea of an AX GTD, do tell us more - what suspension changes do you plan?

[Tomtation]

8 hours ago, castros_bro said:

Me want second dibs?

I've a spare Bosch pump which was running veg so trips of 1000km into sunny Iberia are even cheaper. 

 

I've never thought about veg, is anything required to run veg? Is it literally buying 5L bottles of veg oil from <insert supermarket here>?

M'coli, plan is, the PLAN IS, to take queues from my BX GT which has the carb fed 1.9 XU petrol, it only gives out 105bhp (or at least did in 1985) but does it in a torquey, smooth and unfussed way. It's quite quiet and is a very nice place to be, especially for cruising long distances. So I want the AX GTD to be similarly quiet inside and comfortable, as well as being economical (its main function) and cool looking. I've plans to put in a load of sound insulation on my BX so may want to do the same with the AX. Normal AX's look cute, but the GT's look awesome (I particularly love their alloys). I'd likely be keeping the (hopefully squishy) standard suspension.

So if I want a smoll, cheap to run as poss vehicle, why not cobble something together to suit my needs? If it matches my BX GT, then I can only be winning right? Bonus points would be awarded for colour and registration coordination to my BX GT - pictured below, Bleu romatique would be the ideal colour choice for the AX GTD, it'd look great with the same coloured body kit as the BX GT's bumpers. Is getting a B**JUY numberplate a step too far?