*Imagine if you will, the creamy smooth noise of the Panda's foaming engine melodiously ticking over while you read this*
Now,as the 'Fiat Panda' is the first car i have owned, some of you may feel I am suffering from "first car love" ... Far from it, i enjoy utilising this machine, not as if it were a small, cheap, "boxy" (although I prefere the term "Angluarly Symetrical") Itallian runaround; but as if it were an extension of my body; Like an additional finger. Inexpensive and reliable only go half way to expaining a Panda's true worth, doesn't go to slow either(although i did melt the head gasket at 82 on the M6, but i did overtake more than one Transit van on that journey let me tell you!) And although all of my friends have scorned & riddiculed the Panda as an "elastic band powered box on wheels" even the most hardened of Anti-Pandists have eventually grown to love the little beauty. (apart from one lass, who drives an Austin Allegro... no accounting for taste, Eh?) But i shall waste your time no more by prattling on in such a manner; Here's to the car!
Best car in the world. (Don`t like big bulky overcomplicated cars.) Great runners,Great little engines,Plenty of space inside,well designed in all aspects. Only one problem--Rust!
I'm now on Panda no4, (see my other review) having just bought "Pandapower" from johnrobb, who bought it off Ed. It is totally over the top, electric windows, central locking, Fila seats, rear spoiler, inclineometer, high level brake lights, front foglights, lowered suspension, alloys with 185s and Tarox discs, sports exhaust,piper cam, various struts, and no rust on the doors! It seems to be glued to the road and sounds as good as it looks. Whoever put the Wacky Races tax disc holder in definately had the right idea! The best fun on four wheels with a low budget.
As a boy racer i did like many other buy a new top of the range car(VW POLO) and within a few month if was only fit for the scrap yard i.e write off,totally dismade with buying a new car and how little I got back on insurance i decided to buy a cheaper car so along came a panda. That was in 1997 and it is still going strong to this day with 130 000 mile on the clock it still starts every time, the little fiat engine seems to keep going and going, It has taken us to Spain and Ireland and it is due its next run to France soon. Like other cars of its age it has cost a bit of money to keep going but what car doesn't? Iwas lucky enough to buy the 4x4 sisley model which is a bit of a coo to other panda drivers that only have a black or white panda instead of a dark matallic green like mine, had a few scrapes in her like a mercs' rear bumper but belive it or not the panda won. with any luck she'll keep going
I've got a 1000 clx, my third panda. I prefer driving it to our main car, a Passat tdi estate because its much more fun on the narrow, twisting, country roads. In fact when I was following my wife back home I shot past her and left her far behind, much to her annoyance! My first panda was a brand new 900cl in '86. Only 7 miles on the clock (are we that close to Turin?) For £3000 it was a bargain. In the 10yrs I had it I did 250,000 miles. I replaced the engine twice,125,000 for the first one, £60 from the scrappy and a better engine the next time for less, it still had the original gearbox when I sold it. We had three young children and used to go camping, so had a trailor to carry all the gear. I can't remember it ever letting us down, the nearest it came to that was when the clutch cable snapped and I had to drive it 25 miles home in 4th gear, hills, junctions and all. Yes the ride is hard and noisy, in fact just like an old MGB and just about as much fun but without the costs.
Its true to say i can't imagine owning any other car. The 1000 engine is designed for low rev torque so very few cars will beat a Panda from the lights. The equiptment is a bit cheap and low tech, and the body boxy, but a panda will put a smile on your face every time you drive it. Find a recent one preferably an S because its a bit more luxurious, although not much! Check for rust along the door bottoms, the seams in the rear wheel arches, and pull the rubber up in the boot and check there. Also check the wiper linkages as they tend to go. My Panda is lowered, with 14" alloys, and a previous owner has added central locking and electric windows. Its what my friends call "a joke motor" but secretly they are jealous. Why be boring and drive a red fiesta when you can buy a panda for £100?? John
Wind it up and it'll make you laugh all day, brakes are a bit scary but if you can find a later model with servo brakes and the singlepoint fuel injection, you will have a stealth mobile, around town no one can touch you, on the motor way people let you past through sheer surprise at seeing a panda at anything above 55. (cruising at 95 is easily acheivable on the Mway with a light load, as long as there isnt any wind!!) maintenance is simple, parts are kinda cheap, running costs are equivalent of giving up a few pints a week, but best of all is the grin as you pass the 3series BMW on the roundabout - one essential though, a stereo that can overpower road noise, wind noise, engine noise and fear (havent found the complement of airbags yet)
Owned for 3 years.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed January 2004.
Performance
Reliability
Parts Availability
Overall Value for Money
stick s and m tyers on a puch 4x4 panda and it will match if not out drive any of the yuppy shoppinp trollys out there now
Owned for 5 years.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed August 2003.
Performance
Reliability
Parts Availability
Overall Value for Money
Nasty, noisy, boxy, few features, uncomfortable, a target of derision and mockery, but very cheap to run and damned reliable even the high mileage ones. If you need to motor reliably and are on a low budget then you can't go wrong! I had mine 4 years and it never let me down once.
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