BX bandit !!!

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 17 Jun 2005, 17:26

I came out of my house yesterday morning and there was an absolute dog of a BX estate in the parking bays. It was up at the back, down at the front, filthy flat red paint, the rear arm bearings are so shot the wheels are at least 15 degrees in at the top and its covered in oily fingerprints.
Assuming it belonged to one of the builders working on a neighbours house off I went to work. When I came home the back had sunk and I found out the story- mr BX man had driven in to the empty bay in the night (with the front dragging on the floor.......), sniffed around mine, obviously noted it wasn't a petrol one, and then gone off up the road. One of the neighbours thought him a bit sus so followed him and spotted him trying to syphon petrol from another car, old bill were called, came and nicked him, and the cars still here.
Now the problem is people keep asking if its mine!!! The thing is such a heap its embarressing and as its a) petrol and b) an estate, and c) the worst BX I have ever seen outside a scrapper, few of the bits will be any use anyway!!!
I only wish I knew how to post pictures- I took some with the kids toy digital camera ( I still use real film and proper lenses ) the thing is such a dog!!!!
I wonder if its still there when I get home tonight, hopefully he'll get bailed and take it away.......

citroenzx · Post by **citroenzx** » 17 Jun 2005, 17:34

heres how you do it matey! http://www.andyspares.com/discussionfor ... IC_ID=8459

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 17 Jun 2005, 17:56

Thanks for that !!! I must register and have a go over the weekend. I often wondered how people did it but never had the need before.
According to the RAC site, the rogue's car is a red 19TZS auto, and its certainly got a flasher interior than mine and appears to be fully loaded ( although a LOT filthier ), last ownership change 22/1/05.

bernie · Post by **bernie** » 17 Jun 2005, 18:06

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by bxbodger

appears to be fully loaded
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
If it's got air con grabit[:)]

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 17 Jun 2005, 18:11

I'm thinking "FREE BX SPARE PARTS"!

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 17 Jun 2005, 19:41

I read somewhere (possibly here, I can't remember) that if the car has been "abandoned" you can apply to the DVLA (possibly the police too) to take ownership of the car. I can't remember the details, and I think it takes a couple of weeks (they write to the registered keeper, and have to wait a sensible time for a reply) but it does mean you can take legal ownership.
In your case, to strip for parts, and then get the scrappie to come and collect it I guess. Most scrappies do that for free nowadays, so it would probably end up costing nothing more than a couple of stamps and a phone call or two. Worth it?

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 17 Jun 2005, 19:59

I'm not sure if its actually abandoned yet, although its taking up a valuable bit of parking space (1970's estate...I think the architects thought everyone would be on buses....) and already annoying people- I don't want it in my name!!The only good thing is that its been dumped in the bay under the bird-squit tree that nobody likes to use unless its the only one left!!
Its got tax until the end of the month so he may be back for it. I doubt it, somehow, though.......
Very little of it is actually of any use to me as its a petrol estate and not a diesel hatch like mine-nothing from under the bonnet would be any use, the whole car looks totally unmaintained and knackered, and apart from the colour there's not much in common. Its the typical end of life budget banger Citroen sold by someone glad to see the back of it to some pikey who obviously couldn't even put a bike chain back on.........

DLM · Post by **DLM** » 18 Jun 2005, 01:51

DO check for the (unlikely) air con control sliders just above the rotary ventilation/heating controls. Rocking horse poo isn't in it...

Stinkwheel · Post by **Stinkwheel** » 18 Jun 2005, 02:13

Slightly off topic but pertinent to DLM's comments...........
Some years ago (about 7?) i owned a Black BX GTi 16v Phase one 1989. It was lovely, I spent a fair price on it and a bit more getting it right.
It had factory ordered air con, i put on a new condensor (expensive and hard to find then) and had it re-gassed. I loved that car, it was fast, comfy and totally reliable. In a moment of skintness and depression sold it to a friend of a friend 3 weeks later it was in a stream on its roof. Not a happy bunny. F500 MOD RIP.

demag · Post by **demag** » 18 Jun 2005, 02:43

fastandfurryous, that's interesting about claiming a car from DVLA. I know where there's a K reg XM in rather nice condition. Been there a few months now in an old petrol station that went bump. Don't know what model it is coz I can only see the front.

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 18 Jun 2005, 05:12

No aircon !!! Not that I'd ever use it anyway, we have it on the wifes car and still just open the windows instead.....
More on the story- the bloke, who was apparently a dead ringer for ossie osbourne, had a woman with him, they ran out of petrol, pushed the car in, had a row and he went off with hose and can.
The police were called, it was 1.30 in the morning so they were on the scene pretty quickly, they searched the BX, found substances, and they were cuffed and nicked up against my neighbours back fence.
He's got the builders in so phoned the nick to see if they could get the heap of a BX moved, but the scummer is as of today still in custody and they can't do anything much about his BX. Just look at the angle of that back wheel, I know I did this on a toy camera but its pretty obviously unroadworthy....

The pictures don't really show how ratty it really is....

DLM · Post by **DLM** » 18 Jun 2005, 16:58

I did correspond once with someone who had claimed an abandoned XM, so it can be done, demag. I think it involved both the police and DVLA.

demag · Post by **demag** » 18 Jun 2005, 18:51

Police, bxbodger. What is police?
We don't have that by us!

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 18 Jun 2005, 21:54

Roofbars and a decent back bumper,too with any luck. A good plunderer would be able to get loads of stuff off it!

Ross_K · Post by **Ross_K** » 18 Jun 2005, 22:27

Here's my local council's procedure for dealing with abandoned cars:
http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/Web/Live ... enDocument
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">How do you determine if a vehicle is abandoned?
We treat a vehicle as abandoned if the tax disc is over one month out of date, and if one of the following also applies:
the windows have been broken or doors left open.
it's clearly not being used, for example, it has dirty windows or debris inside.
it's obviously a danger to the public.
it's causing an obstruction.
If you think that a car or any other vehicle has been abandoned, please contact our Environmental Services Department. If possible, please help us by having the following details ready when you phone:
the make/model
the colour
the registration number
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I'd imagine councils elsewhere will operate along the same lines...