AX - future classic?

kevin · Unread post by **kevin** » 04 Nov 2004, 17:11

I have recently inherited an AX echo plus, one of the last of the line on a M plate, 58k and full history from day one. The body will require new front wings and a general tidy up and new tyres. Afer noticing how rare these wee beasties are becomong, sucoming to the dreaded tin worm and learner drivers, any thoughts to this car becoming a classic in years to come?
I intend to keep it as a second car, should my elderly 306 die of old age, for the moment and tidy it up over the winter.
Kevin AKA Dr R Swirl-Chamber

madasafish · Unread post by **madasafish** » 04 Nov 2004, 18:34

There are lots for sale on ebay. AX GTI is only one worth anything: and that's not much imo

tomsheppard · Unread post by **tomsheppard** » 04 Nov 2004, 18:44

No. Only the best small cars become classics, Fiat 500s,
Minis, Ford Ka etc. The AX did not advance the state of the art.
They will rapidly rust away, unlamented. Classic hunters are much (DS) much (Traction) much (SM) much (2CV) much (Ami) much (GS) much (CX) better provided for in the Citroen range.

ItDontGo · Unread post by **ItDontGo** » 04 Nov 2004, 20:38

Well I have an AX 1.0 and I can assure you it is the best road car I have ever owned. It is also the best road car I have ever driven and thats not because all the other cars I have driven are Russian or Korean or anything its because it is just perfect.
It is fast enough for the road, it is economical, the visiblility is fantastic, the steering is perfect and you feel like you are operating the mechanical controls directly as opposed to what it feels like in most Citroens.
Sometimes I have to drive my mum's Xsara and dad's Xantia or even my sisters 106 and they are know where near as good as my AX. One of the best things is the steering which is unassisted but still very quick and light - it gives you excellent control over the body roll and allows you to build the suspension loads up smoothly. The brakes are the only let down as they have too much hysteresis but the functioning of them is excellent and they resist fade sufficiently even when driven by a single seater racing driver!!
Alas not many share my enthusiasm for this brilliant little car hence I do doubt that it will be considered a classic. It will be overlooked by the ignorant motorist as something slow, cheap and ugly. They will prefer to label something classic as it has a useless gimick or some phoney sporting pretentions just ready to aid the fat arsed rep in his law breaking pursuit of bad 'sporty' driving.

Unread post by **martyhopkirk** » 04 Nov 2004, 20:57

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

There are lots for sale on ebay. AX GTI is only one worth anything: and that's not much imo
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Now i would have to disagree with this - currently the GTI is the only one with collectors / curiosity value. But fast wind 30 or 40 years and the base models will comand almost as much - simply because poular opinion is that the sporty / exec models are worth more now.
I have owned a poverty spec Cortina and a XR2 (mk1) - the povvy spec Cortina proved more popular when it came to sale time purely because of the rarity value (and the bright orange interior seats) and the XR2 whilst in almost as good a condition only seemed to attract boy racers and one or two enthusiasts.
Im not saying the base spec cars will ever be worth as much, but look at what some of the base spec (special edition) Minis go for (Park Lane, Mary Quant, JPS, Sprite (84 version)- etc - almost as much as a Cooper - again not because of the equipment, but because at the time they could have been preserved they were thought to be of little value.
So go on, keep it in fine fettle and fairly original and in 30 years time you should get your purchase price back! - Presently i am negotiating for a 1967 Viva, one owner from new, povvy spec, no radio - but its in great condition (the owner has just gone into a Nursing Home) - Ok its not a Firenza, but to me its got rarity value worth preserving.
((((Gets down off soap box!))))

VisaGTi16v · Unread post by **VisaGTi16v** » 04 Nov 2004, 21:01

I would quite like a AX Sport, 94bhp from the 1294cc TU24 engine and was far stiffer etc than the GT but I dont think they sold it over here

TomH · Unread post by **TomH** » 04 Nov 2004, 21:46

I expect there are very few immaculate, unmodified AX GTs now, whereas you still see tonnes of late model AXs everywhere!

VisaGTi16v · Unread post by **VisaGTi16v** » 04 Nov 2004, 22:29

Theres a bloke I know whos done about 20 Sprints in one this year, well a GT500 limited one to be precise in the upto 1.4 litre class. Always just got beaten by my friends dad in his metro gti 16v however

It was smoking quite badly by the last event though so donno if it will last much longer, still it had a v.hard year

RichardR · Unread post by **RichardR** » 04 Nov 2004, 22:38

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

I expect there are very few immaculate, unmodified AX GTs now<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Same as the Renualt 5 GT Turbo - I was considering one of these recently, but I couldn't find a single one for sale that hadn't been butchered! [:(]

tomsheppard · Unread post by **tomsheppard** » 04 Nov 2004, 23:02

AX v Polo.
Polo. Uglier, slower but more durable and with many more friends.
Classics are dying out anyhow. Why would anyone buy an MGB or TR6 when the same money would buy an MX5?

madasafish · Unread post by **madasafish** » 05 Nov 2004, 00:51

well I have a 2001 Ford Fiesta 1.6 Ghia as well - which beats the pants off any AX in cornering, ride, comfort, finish, speed and economy .. and it will not be a classic either just a very good usable car...

czenda · Unread post by **czenda** » 05 Nov 2004, 01:08

I believe that guessing future value of any car is like trying to look into a crystal ball. I am also sure it is very much dependant on the country you live in. Here, Skoda Felicia (the original one, 60s spider, not the first "VW Skoda" from 90s) is a favorite collectors piece, while wonderful Tatra 603 (a streamlined ghost of a car, made only for commie big-shots and never sold to the "ruling working class") is extremely hard to find anywhere but in a junkyard - no matter that these were sold for big money in early 90s to collectors overseas.
I would personally love to preserve my Fiat Uno 1.3 Turbo i.e., if only I had a room I do not need in 30 years to come...

VisaGTi16v · Unread post by **VisaGTi16v** » 05 Nov 2004, 01:32

lol madasafish, im afraid an ax gt would be far quicker around a track than your fiesta. The only place the fiesta would be quicker would be on long straights due to its higher bhp.
comfort, ride, finish, economy, everything else I give you

Unread post by **martyhopkirk** » 05 Nov 2004, 01:34

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

well I have a 2001 Ford Fiesta 1.6 Ghia as well - which beats the pants off any AX in cornering, ride, comfort, finish, speed and economy ..
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Im sure it will - its like comparing my mates Morris 8 to my fathers Golf cabrio - both soft tops, both 4 wheels and an engine but the similarity ends there.... Enginering is a world apart.

Bobs car - Resting! (currently half way through a resto- this was before)
No the point I was making is almost any car will have appeal and value if you keep it sufficiently long enough for it to become scarce. I am now seing early Mk 1 Fiascos pick up in price for minters, again partly nostalga as people learned to drive in them and had as first cars (the reason Bob is restoring this basket case is because it was his first car).
Problem is, few people have the space or inclination to keep a car for so long - hence why the Talbot Matra is such a rare beast (that and galoping tin worm) I wish i had kept my first motor - a Triumph Herald coupe instead of taking the roof off and painting it vermilion then finally scraping it (£50 and 9 months well spent).[:)]
Old cars, you either love em, or you hate em.[:D]

gardenpeas · Unread post by **gardenpeas** » 05 Nov 2004, 02:01

i have 2 ax's a spree(4 speed) and a dimension (three speed) both 94 m plates no rust on either. the best thing about ax ownership is it's all very french and the look on the lane hog bmw driver when you undertake him (undertaking not big or clever)in a bright green tin can. and ax's have moved the small car world forward just in a french way