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Tell us about life with your BX, or indeed life in general!
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mds141
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by mds141 »

Cheers Sandre. :) As the saying goes, 'Pay peanuts, get monkeys'. I'll try to raise by professional level slightly above that. It's not my dream job ( does such a thing exist ? ) but it is A job. As you've said, at least my cars are safe now. I was going to sell up, but that is now on hold. [-o<

Hope all goes well next week. Good luck. :)
Mark Smith

Is it just me or is everything shit?

1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine. Completed the Citroen Classic Challenge Ecosse and 1337 miles without a hitch.
2000 XM VSX 2.1 td Auto. Rouge Magenta.
TGD saloon many years ago.

1990 Swift 'Corniche' 12/2 aka BXClub HQ.
Honda Firestorm. Gone, but not forgotten.
2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC.
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Thread Bear
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by Thread Bear »

Good start at new jobs come first, well after health is restored, of course. To easy to do to much, anyway. No stress on my minor addition to that. Hope all goes well, both.
Miguel - 16 TRS Auto S, light blue, 43k miles - £450
Pluto - 14 E S, White, 105k Miles - in work
Egbert - 19 16v Gti, White, A/C & Leather, - Keeper
Walt - 17 TZD Turbo S, graphite, 70k miles, good op extras - Keeper
Scraper- 17 TZD Turbo E, blue, 208k miles - parts
Homer - 19 TXD E, Red, 189k miles - £250
Gary - 17 TZD Turbo E, 118k miles - in work

'87 Trooper, Borgwards, Saabs, MG ZB, Bellamy Trials, Fiat Jolly & Bianchina, Goggo Dart, Messerschmitt, Heinkel, Bubblecars
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Tim Leech
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by Tim Leech »

mds141 wrote:Cheers Sandre. :) . As you've said, at least my cars are safe now. I was going to sell up, but that is now on hold. [-o<

Hope all goes well next week. Good luck. :)

Dont be daft, that would not happen, I mean who else could own THAT valver! :shock:
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
mds141
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Post by mds141 »

I was ( still am, just slightly less so ) seriously skint Tim. The adverts for the XM and BX were already drafted. Hopefully off the agenda for the time being. :)
Mark Smith

Is it just me or is everything shit?

1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine. Completed the Citroen Classic Challenge Ecosse and 1337 miles without a hitch.
2000 XM VSX 2.1 td Auto. Rouge Magenta.
TGD saloon many years ago.

1990 Swift 'Corniche' 12/2 aka BXClub HQ.
Honda Firestorm. Gone, but not forgotten.
2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC.
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Caffiend
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by Caffiend »

tl;dr Why I've been a) (some would say mercifully) quieter than usual and b) slow to get the NEC stuff rolling again (thanks again Paul for picking that up). To think that I was bored beyond belief earlier this year before the rally season started ... that'll teach me. I'm rather out of love with BXs at the moment as it's been one sodding thing after another it seems.

J119 behaved beautifully the first week of my new job. Half of Nottingham is being dug up for tram and ring road works, also the A1(M). The resulting traffic made some of the commuting a bit painful, just had to accept it as part and parcel of taking on a temporarily (until I move early next year) stupidly long distance job though really. Apart from slightly heftier traffic than anticipated, the Plan for how I'm going to manage the commuting went like clockwork - and Tim's hospitality (so I don't have to drive to and fro daily) made a huge difference to an exhausting week, as first weeks in new jobs always are. With impeccable timing, I joined my new outfit on the first day that a major IT change went live, affecting a whole bunch of data protection rules ... talk about straight in at the deep end. Everyone is lovely and it's a nice organisation, it has been a crazy 3 weeks though - "fire fighting" goes with the territory of what I do (and is what makes it interesting :D) - I could do with less of the "unprecedented number of incidents" (to quote my new boss) while I'm trying to get up to speed with the new turf.

J119's alternator deciding to conk out on the way home of Friday of the second week was NOT HELPFUL. Especially as it did it hanging half on the roundabout, half still on the slip road where I was trying to get off the A1(M) and turn right into P'boro services before calling the RAC. Tail end of rush hour. Rapidly getting dark. Raining. For the first several minutes, not even enough juice to get the hazards on and I was locked in the car, having managed to hit the central locking thing with my elbow at some point earlier. Even after I'd got out, I honestly thought I was going to die. Or at least that the TZD would be written off by someone hitting it. Until a couple of lovely guys finally stopped and pushed the car off to a slightly safer location just off the roundabout (East Europeans by the way. Don't give me any shit about immigrants, no English buggers bloody bothered to stop and help an obviously lone female in an incredibly dangerous breakdown location.) Anyway, it was the original alternator on the car. At 173K miles not really the BX's fault then. Annoying timing, hey ho.

Realised the next week that the MOT was due. Oh, crap. Booked it in for MOT on the Monday. Driving home on the Friday, a horrible grinding noise began to emanate from the o/s/f brakes. Since J119 has had new flexihoses, handbrake cables, discs, pads and an o/s/f caliper in the last year I was less than amused. Turns out that the hub had been bent when the wheelbearing was replaced (also earlier this year) which caused the caliper sliders to fail. Brakes are being done under warranty and the Amazing Mr Leech has once again come to the rescue with a hub (hopefully the right one, if not, I have had an offer of another which I shall gratefully take up). In the meantime, I have been catching the train, leaving at 5.30 am and not getting back until 8.30-9 pm. I'm *exhausted* (and skint, there is a rainy day fund, I'm declaring it's pouring just as soon as I get some breathing space to sort out the paperwork ... that was supposed to fund my house move, oh well, at least it's there.) Luckily, the MOT was a pass, although it's hard to be pleased about that when the car has still ended up being off the road for the best part of 10 days and hit me with yet another bill. I was fully expecting some days when I'd have to get the train, having to do so for what will end up being nearly 50% of the first month is ridiculous though :(

I am really hoping to be back 'business as usual' by about 7 October for the first time since getting the job offer at the beginning of August. Normal service (although probably with less flapjack until I can get properly relocated) will be resumed as soon as poss. Apologies for the inconvenience, etc.
Diagonally parked in a parallel universe
1991 TZD hatch (Triton Green)
1992 Hurricane
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Paul296
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by Paul296 »

Caffiend wrote:
Sandre, you need a nice cup of tea and a cake I reckon. :D
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Thread Bear
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Post by Thread Bear »

Its the law of sod. Hopefully it will be satisfied and go bother someone else. Still if the jobs good and so forth it will be worth the hassle.
Miguel - 16 TRS Auto S, light blue, 43k miles - £450
Pluto - 14 E S, White, 105k Miles - in work
Egbert - 19 16v Gti, White, A/C & Leather, - Keeper
Walt - 17 TZD Turbo S, graphite, 70k miles, good op extras - Keeper
Scraper- 17 TZD Turbo E, blue, 208k miles - parts
Homer - 19 TXD E, Red, 189k miles - £250
Gary - 17 TZD Turbo E, 118k miles - in work

'87 Trooper, Borgwards, Saabs, MG ZB, Bellamy Trials, Fiat Jolly & Bianchina, Goggo Dart, Messerschmitt, Heinkel, Bubblecars
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Tim Leech
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by Tim Leech »

Not to worry its part of life, at the end of the day your BX is 12 years older than Citroen expected it to live for and is doing more miles commuting that it has for a while so things are bound to wear out (22 years and 170k+ miles for an alternator is very impressive mind you!)

A complete drivers side leg with hub assembly is packaged up and winging its way overnight to chevronics, Andy Jones gave me a pair of complete used ABS legs a few years ago for the TZI but I opted for new struts inserts instead, as I imagined they will come in handy I didnt part with them, lets hope they do the job and the courier gets them there tomorrow as stated.
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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Tim Leech
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by Tim Leech »

J119 is all mended and back on the road!
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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Caffiend
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by Caffiend »

Well, it will be in an hour or so when I get there.
Diagonally parked in a parallel universe
1991 TZD hatch (Triton Green)
1992 Hurricane
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Caffiend
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by Caffiend »

Time to emerge from hibernation. Official name for J119 is now The Money Pit, I've been watching Gary's 'Daily drive' thread with interest as I shall have to make some car decisions this year I think. The Hurricane is still stashed with Tim's stable in Burton for now.

Job - good, although a little tooooo much to love sometimes! Moved into rented accom in Newark in Jan after selling my house, and now waiting for paperwork on another purchase after one fell through. The decor is 'special'. Actually, make that 'sPesHul' with a silent Q. Seeing beyond that, it's a nice house.

In Other News I am officially Ill, just as well I moved in Jan or I would probably have keeled over earlier. This means that attendance at events (incl X rally) over the next couple months is, um, fluid. Grumpy about ill, who wouldn't be, happy that Something is now being done (almost want to call my previous hideously obstructive GP and tell 'em I told 'em so, meh, life's too short). Hopefully I'll have the energy to be doing more than working and sleeping SOON.

Finally - we could/should hear back about NEC in Nov any time now :)
Diagonally parked in a parallel universe
1991 TZD hatch (Triton Green)
1992 Hurricane
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demag
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by demag »

Sorry to hear your ill. I am officially ill as well, I was diagnosed type 2 diabetic 19th March last year after sitting in Gp's surgery and insisting he DO something to find out what was wrong with me instead of sending me home with Paracetamol. I was off work for nearly 4 months. I still have odd episodes, that's why I'm off work now. Can't go back till after Easter (I do a very physical job) but feel ok in myself so been sorting the TGS this week. Hope you get well soon.
Dave.

2004 C5 Exclusive Estate 2.2hdi automatic.
1990 Bx TGS automatic.
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citsncycles
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Post by citsncycles »

Hope it's nothing too serious Sandre, and hope to see out out and about at some point.

Dave - I'm into year 3 with my diabetes, still under control with diet and tablets, although they did have to up the dosage last summer. It meant a bit of a lifestyle change for me, mostly with diet and feeding times, but I usually have a good handle on it thesedays. I'm also lucky that in the post code lottery I seem to have come up with a health service that keeps a good handle on the diabetics in their area.
Mike Sims
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Thread Bear
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by Thread Bear »

Life rarely runs smoothly, does it? Stuff knocks into each other just to add to the problems, if your unlucky. Hope its a curable issue. Otherwise its a learn to live with it. My lymphless leg is a real cause of getting less physical work done. But I am stuck with it and slowly evolving all that I created for a fully active lifestyle, into a semi active one. I still get very angry when I am forced to stop doing something, as I have to put the leg up or risk it swelling.

Newark has some great places round it (don't do towns). It was the north end of an area I seriously looked at moving to, before I was lucky enough to buy this place. An area where you can get away from the mad rush that seems to be modern working life. Used to be a brill deli in, ah now, Colston Bassett?
Miguel - 16 TRS Auto S, light blue, 43k miles - £450
Pluto - 14 E S, White, 105k Miles - in work
Egbert - 19 16v Gti, White, A/C & Leather, - Keeper
Walt - 17 TZD Turbo S, graphite, 70k miles, good op extras - Keeper
Scraper- 17 TZD Turbo E, blue, 208k miles - parts
Homer - 19 TXD E, Red, 189k miles - £250
Gary - 17 TZD Turbo E, 118k miles - in work

'87 Trooper, Borgwards, Saabs, MG ZB, Bellamy Trials, Fiat Jolly & Bianchina, Goggo Dart, Messerschmitt, Heinkel, Bubblecars
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Caffiend
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Re: Insert witty title here ...

Post by Caffiend »

Thanks all :)

Fortunately, there's a high probability that I'm curable (physically anyway :lol: ) - it's just a matter of waiting for dates and so on.
Diagonally parked in a parallel universe
1991 TZD hatch (Triton Green)
1992 Hurricane
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