Its official, the BX is a "Classic"

Unread post by **Jon** » 19 Jun 2003, 16:13

Yes, the BX GTi has finally made it into the list in Practical Classics Magazine!
They say something like "Folded cardboard looks with 205 GTi engine and smooth ride" and quote a top speed of 133mph and 0-60 in 7.9 secs.
Those figures sound more like the 16v to me.....
They make no mention of the 16v so perhaps that ain't "Klassic" yet.
Sorry Alan [:D]

mark_sp · Unread post by **mark_sp** » 19 Jun 2003, 17:53

So the price of bx gti's is about to rise then ?
Mark_sp

ghostrider · Unread post by **ghostrider** » 19 Jun 2003, 18:56

nope, I held on to my CX gti turbo because it was going to be a classic and its value was going to rise, but until you get some really good cars at sensible prices all the people like certain garages in eastern england who sell not very good examples at inflated prices will put people off because they paid well over the odds for a car that still needed a shed load of work doing to it. Look how long it has taken DS prices to take off, same problem, cars being sold at inflated prices that turn out to have been "restored" cosmetically rather than having the particular problems of that model addressed and sorted. Give it time, accept that you will spend loads more money than its worth for a good number of years and when all the people like me have finally gone bankrupt trying to keep one up to scratch you'll have a car that is the envy of every one who wished they had had your foresight!!!

)
Pete

Unread post by **Jon** » 19 Jun 2003, 19:04

Yes, oh yes, Bx values are surely rising!
heres one thats been on Ebay for 4 days
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... tegory=181
Today, it reached the princely sum of £1.20. [:D]

franciscolunn · Unread post by **franciscolunn** » 19 Jun 2003, 20:23

Hope so i've got a 8V GTI and a TXD deisel and they both mint.

nick · Unread post by **nick** » 19 Jun 2003, 23:57

But the BX on ebay does have what looks like rust on the plastic tailgate - quite an achievement [:D]
Probably just dirt form being stood outside for over 2 years though.
The dodgy-looking red wire going to the battery is more worrying.
If it wasn't for that, and the seller mentioning the drivers door is about to fall off, I might be tempted to bid £1.40 [;)]
Nick

Unread post by **alan s** » 20 Jun 2003, 03:09

FWIW, prices over here are very erratic but at times amazingly high even in comparison to other makes.
A family friend bought a 93 TZi Auto for A$8000 earlier this year; it had 85K klms on it.
An '89 BX 16V was sold for A$12,000 a couple of months ago whilst another sold this week almost instantaneously for A$8,000 as it was a "gift" because the owner had found a very low mileage CX GTi at the right price. A CX turbo was listed in Sydney for A$30,000 and another was advertised for sale recently (with an untraceable problem) for A$10,000 that was considered a bargain.
On the other side of the coin I know of a CX c-matic which is a very tidy car that was given away & took an hour to sort, another presently being offered to be collected and a BX TZi auto for A$400 ono.
More people out here seem to be finding DIY on Citroens isn't such a big scarey thing the trade has promoted it as for years & that I feel is contributing to some of these prices as well as the fact that horror stories about Korean "throwaways" and ultra-expensive parts for many Jap cars is negating the bad reputation that Cits have had laid on them for years from within trade circles.
Alan S

mark_sp · Unread post by **mark_sp** » 20 Jun 2003, 05:00

okay but I'm still confused, do I sell the pork belly's and move in to bx gti's or what ?
seriously my personal view is that classic status is bad news as it gives every man and his dog an excuse to hike prices. prices of cars, parts, services etc etc.
also has anyone else noticed that bx's appear to be dissapearing off the face of the earth [just as the cx has] for normal use. a couple of years ago I couldn't venture out without stumbling over several tidy examples now I only ever come across them in scrap yards.
mark_sp

DLM · Unread post by **DLM** » 20 Jun 2003, 06:11

Hmmm.... as I was removing the temp gauge from a BX Gti auto today in the cheapest scapyard I've ever found - one of the employees thumped a box of tools down on the bonnet - which was until then looking pretty good (should I have wanted a replacement one). Ever noticed how BXs in scrapyards get horribly abused in a very short time?
David

Unread post by **alan s** » 20 Jun 2003, 06:18

Mark,
I personally think it comes down to various country's cultures.
Take a true Classic in any Country; the SM. Yesterday, I re-posted a message from a guy in the US who had two to sell for $2500 approx. In Oz I don't think I've ever heard of one changing hands for under $30K and up to $90K. They seem priceless Worldwide except...in the US where they were sold in volume in comparison to most other Countries, hence in a Country where Cits haven't been sold for years & were only ever sold in small numbers, there seems to be heaps of SMs. All were LHD so in pur countries they require RHD conversions at which point they lose their originality yet still pull big prices.
There is a guy in the UK, Andrew Brodie who specialised in them & does/did used to buy/import & restore them & we have a guy in Oz doing the same.
They tell me there are some European countries where BXs still command a high price but in the UK there seems to have been a mentality of familiarity breeding contempt; high sales when new caused market gluts which pushed prices down coupled with many repairers using the Citroen bogey man by describing complicated repairs to rip off owners causing many to sell at any price. often I've seen postings to the effect that someone has been quoted "xxx" to fix a certain job which has been described as being "as much as the car's worth" so they ditch the car for a pittance. A couple of years ago it was common to read a posting from someone scrapping, stripping or giving away a car with jerky struts until someone came up with a detailed site on redoing them and owners found it was not all that big nor expensive DIY and gave the cars a new lease on life.
The way owners keep returning to BXs after owning other cars or never seem to forget the great run they got out of one tells me that when the flood of BXs that has turned to a trickle which in turn will almost cease to flow altogether before too much longer creates a situation where people are advertising for them & getting no responses, then re-sale value will slowly rise to compare with other cars. As that supply is used up by everyday owners & the collectors come into the picture, then absolutely mint examples will become rare & prices will then rise accordingly. However, as I have seen on many occasions with Ds; (the ones most like to use as a yardstick to Cit collectables values) crappy car....crappy price; regardless of how rare the model may be.
Alan S

Unread post by **Jon** » 20 Jun 2003, 13:48

I absolutely agree Alan, the BX will go the same way as the GS/A and the Ami, when was the last time you saw one of them except maybe at a car show? Both of the above are firmly regard as "classic" due to the limited amount of good ones left. Yet both cars were produced into the millions over a period of several years.
By the same token, the Morris Marina and Ital have now entered the "Classic" guides, but to be honest, what single piece of innovation, engineering or indeed anything unique can you think of about a car like this (apart from the fact that we regard them as an evil handler, dated and rubbish)?(And that was in 1971 when it was launched, complete with Morris Minor front suspension, to save money) Yes, any 70's mass produced ****box is a classic, basically due to the fact that there are so few of them left!
Its hard to define a "classic", should it just apply to a car that is now thin on the ground?
My dictionary tells me that classic means
"having a high quality that is recognised and unquestioned" or "famous through being long established".
Undeniably the latter applies to the BX then.Not so sure about the former.

adrianeaton · Unread post by **adrianeaton** » 20 Jun 2003, 16:32

Well my BX 16V has been living the life of a pampered classic for the last 18 months [:D]
Since I get the train to work now I don't really have a need for a car at all since I can use our Xsara VTS whenever I need to go somewhere. Having said that, I put a lot of effort into finding my BX and knowing values are low I can't see the point in selling it when I get pleasure from taking it to shows and enjoying the sunshine with the roof open!
Values will never go up to the point you'll get your money back....unless you buy a minter in good private hands that's had all the work done. I'm currently considering spending about £1k on the paint to get mine up to better than showroom condition - I'll certainly struggle to get that amount back!
As someone who's spent most of their driving career in vehicles older than I am (now 29) I have a real empathy with those who choose to run old cars because they like the simplicity, challenge and fun of doing so.
My first 2 cars were Mk2 Cortina's. I used them both as everyday transport and kept them outside. One I gave to my parents, the other I kept until I bought the BX. The only thing that stops me owning more classics is the cost of garaging - round here £50 a month is the minimum for a lockup.
My BX is garaged and will continue to be used at weekends during the summer. What I don't want to do is dispose of the car through lack of care - I may choose to sell it in the future, but that will be because I don't need 2 practical cars and I've persuaded the wife to let me spend £5k on a Tiger kit [;)]
Adrian

Unread post by **alan s** » 20 Jun 2003, 16:47

Well here's something I can brag about (with just cause) & that is that my BX made it onto one of your TV Motoring shows a couple of years ago.
I think it may have been Channel 4 from memory. Just after this I was contacted by someone from either Sweden or Norway offering to buy the car & asking me to put a price on it. I declined but also pointed out that it may have had a steering wheel on the wrong side for his purpose but at least it proves that people worldwide will buy a good car; obviously even a BX.
Anyone remember this?

Alan S

mark_sp · Unread post by **mark_sp** » 20 Jun 2003, 17:10

I have a bx tzd estate on gardening duty currently, the car is tidy and usable but needs some work. It was a distress purchase a couple of years ago. I 'replaced' it with a TD xantia 3 months ago but the bx doesn't seem to want to go away. I used to own an early bx 19trs petrol and In my view that was the ultimate bx with its combination of performance, simplicity and quality of ride. It also had a light grey interior [why do all cars have black interiors nowadays ?] and clear glass [I'm not a fan of tinted windows but again there appears to be no choice]. So with regard to the ultimate bx thread, I'd go for an early bx 19 trs petrol with air-con and an upgraded drivers seat.
mark_sp