Here on this side of the screen, we like almost everything, but we have our stable preferences in terms of brands and types. We see it just like with relationships: You can float from one to the other, but if you stay with someone you get to know that person and if it goes well, you will appreciate it more and more.
Everything has its beginning
Photographer / teacher Frans Sylvia has been driving BX from the age of 25. Her first BX was bought "way too expensive!" For 1.200 guilders. Those were manageable times. Two years later, a befriended garage owner asked her if she still drove such a French rabbit. She did. "Then I have four wheel covers for you." That seemed like a nice gesture. There was only one problem: "There is only such a BX in between." That second BX cost a crate of beer, turned out to be free and virtually flawless. That car came to an end when an integrating fellow countryman first took 'red' twice and then drove into the BX amidships. The man turned out to have no driver's license and was uninsured. The agent called in sighed 'it won't be true'. The third BX already cost € 1.500 and now number five has just been valued at € 3.500. Now an appraisal value is not a market value. A good appraisal value indicates how much money you would need to be able to score a comparable car in the short term after damage or theft. And it matters enormously from an insurance point of view. Because the bookkeeping value of classics is going to be a few hundred euros. Has your classic already been valued? That can be done well and cheaply via Wilbers Appraisals.
First the passion, then the money
Of course, in the time when BXsen were still worth nothing, there were also enthusiastic garage owners who carried out maintenance and repairs to the small hydrauliques. Their hourly rates were pleasant. New or used parts cost little. Sylvia had two purveyors: Hesselink in Dirksland and Berben in Ulft. Berben has now stopped. Dirksland is a bit far away. Fortunately, she discovered Pascal from De Snoekfabriek / BXFix in Arnhem. And Pascal is a hard core BX fan. Pascal is also surprised that there are people these days who just want to spend money on a / their BX. And that there are people who are more businesslike than him. For example, he sold a box of switches to someone who was very happy with it. For € 20 / pc. That was a great transaction! He was mildly surprised to see his switches back online for over € 100 / piece. Apparently that had something to do with the same switches being used in CX's and SM's. For reasons of principle, he has adjusted prices according to the trade. Endearing right?
Green soap helps
Because Sylvia is emphatically not a trader, a ZGAN door seal cost little. In addition, the tip came on how to make such a part completely dew-fresh again. You massage it with green soap, let it soak for a day, then clean the case thoroughly. Perfect! Also from the detergent corner: the enzymes from Biotex green make light metal crankcase parts spotless again. That while talking it is also noticed how you remove 'hares'? Those 'hares' (bladders / loose pieces) in veneer work are often easy to repair with a wet cloth and an iron. That is only funny as an example to show how much added value a conversation has compared to clicking & paying on the Internet. You could, of course, learn a lot from such reflections. But that does not put that door seal in place.
BX, had just as many interior colors as the exterior color. I had a dark blue with a (as it turned out *) blue / gray interior. But I really wanted a glove box instead of a shelf. So I went to Van Soest (Citroënspecialist at Bosschenhoofd) to score a glove box. Yes, if one of them get out (1 of the many) demolition BXes. I dived into the first BX and pulled one out. I should have paid more attention to the color, because it was really gray and that stood out a bit with my * blue-gray interior. It could be worse, you also had poo-brown and black interiors, so the difference between blue / gray and gray was not very big.
BX and have aged very nicely
Had the chance to drive one for years but never did. These cars were simply thrown away. Unfortunately, that happens with more things
Those BXes remain beautiful. Never had one myself, much to my regret and sorrow.
Have driven a lot of VW. If I drive our daughter's Renault Clio yesterday, then it's back. That French character. With 270.000 diesel kilometers on the clock, it still drives smoothly. Not that fluffy feeling in the steering wheel. It steers a bit heavy but straight ahead in the middle line rock solid. Those French cars have deserved some sort of podium.
Then you just exchange Blauwtje for a BX!
I had a 14E as a successor to my GSA (which I still have). It was an intermediate type with a new body, dashboard and old technology. Suitable for lead-based, lead-free and LPG. With a (retrofitted) sports interior, great seats and an ashtray that never got full *. Walked like the fire brigade and had the same red color.
It was my only cool car that I took to the scrapyard because nobody wanted to take it over at the time (and I had no parking space available and so it was the gas tax that killed it).
The reason I got rid of it was because I had bought a more convenient and younger Berlingo due to family expansion and didn't want to keep another car. In retrospect, I look at it differently. If only I had my BX-je.
* when you opened the ashtray the spring was so strong that the contents flew out.
It was, is and remains a beautiful car. Unbelievable that the model hardly ages.
A customer of Pascal had his 1600 BX appraised: 4500 e. Now appraisal value is not a sales value, but the price for which you should be able to find a comparable specimen IN SHORT…. Yet
And earn back a year of subscription with these tips.
Ga zo door.
Then we are both on the right track!