ckerr
Part of things
Posts: 257 
|
|
Sept 29, 2020 20:02:02 GMT
|
|
So we had a 90 / 2000 car thread a while back and alot of appreciation went towards the humble little Yaris. I used to own one and been looking at another.
But MK2 Panda crept into the radar...I've never ever wanted to own a Fiat (Fix It Again Tony) as I was brought up thinking.
But what are they like and are they creeping into modern retro territory? And what are they like to live with?
|
| |
Last Edit: Sept 29, 2020 21:02:17 GMT by ckerr
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 30, 2020 11:58:27 GMT
|
I presume you mean the Panda 169 (2003 to 2012?) - technically speaking the MK3, as Fiat nerds usually call the facelifted original Panda MK2 Anyway I have one of these and I like 'em. It's obviously built to a price so if you're used to a quality late model car it might feel like a bit of a culture shock but it's a very user friendly basic little car. You don't have to scroll through a bunch of menus on a touch screen to adjust the mirrors, easy to park and because it's quite light even the 1.1 is quite chuckable only really runs out of steam going uphill with a heavy load or 2-3 passengers, which I rarely do. The "Eco" version also has the bonus of just £30 VED (at time of writing) which is handy. Minus points:- Check the rear suspension carefully before parting with any cash, it's a notorious weak spot on these. On the plus side it shares most mechanical parts with the Fiat 500 and the last version of the Ford Ka. The rear hatch (on most versions) isn't on the central locking, so you need the key to open it. Not much sound insulation so can be a bit noisy at speed. Anyway, there's loads of info here if you're interested. |
| |
|
|
ckerr
Part of things
Posts: 257
|
|
Sept 30, 2020 12:41:52 GMT
|
|
Very informative, yes the panda 169. I'm not looking mega modern, I currently drive a Corsa B which requires me to pull the welder out frequently lol. So basic and reliable is my only key points.
I did read the back axles are a rust trap. But glad to know the 500 and Ka share similar parts.
Will check out your link, thank you.
Anyone else any input, mods, cool tricks, reliability problems...
|
| |
|
|
goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,872
|
|
Sept 30, 2020 13:08:18 GMT
|
I've no specific Panda experience, but as ratchart commented, all the small Fiats from the late 80s to today share a lot of common design concepts and under pinnings. Obviously technology moves forward, the FIRE engine range started in the 80s with a single carb and now has multipoint injection, VVT, etc, but underneath it's the same old little Fiat engine. Generally this kind of evolution of parts, rather than revolution, results it decent reliability as the faults were ironed out decades ago. In my experience (Mk1 Punto, 2x modern 500) small Fiats have generally been basic and reliable, and have a sense of simple fun about them  I find the little 1.2 8v engine keen and enthusiastic, albeit not actually very quick! It's probably not as refined as some of the competition, you wont be so isolated from the road and the world outside, but that works both ways... sometimes it's nice that it's a very simple, you could say traditional, driving experience. That said, there are always potential problems. the basic 5 speed gearboxes have been known to fail, but generally this is on cars that have been thrashed hard. Headgasket failure isn't unheard of, though the same could be said for any car which isn't maintained properly or used with a little mechanical sympathy. I think the small Fiat experience is either something you like, for it's simple back to basics motoring feel, or something that will leave you cold as you notice the hard plastic interior, minimal sound proofing and other faults. The driving position is a bit of a 'Fiat' thing too, it puts some people off. Best suggested is to test drive one, you never know you might quite like it! |
| |
|
|
rodharris83
Club Retro Rides Member
Day Dreamer...
Posts: 760
Club RR Member Number: 4
|
Panda 169?rodharris83
@rodharris83
Club Retro Rides Member 4
|
Sept 30, 2020 13:18:35 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 30, 2020 13:31:46 GMT
|
|
That red one's nice. I'd lose the roof rack but otherwise yes please.
Oh, I forgot to mention the power steering is electric so the battery needs to be in good condition or you might find it fails at random alarming moments like halfway round a roundabout!
If you're likely to leave a car standing idle for ages in the middle of winter then it's probably not for you, but if you do enough mileage to keep it charged then it should be no bother.
Not trying to put you off there, just sharing all the relevant information I know so you can decide if it's the right car.
|
| |
|
|
tdk
Part of things
Posts: 958
|
|
Sept 30, 2020 18:11:49 GMT
|
|
They.re ace. Junior has one, she loves it, it has been dead reliable if a bit boingy to drive. No faults other than mileage related stuff, now at 100k, no rust at all.
DO it. 100hp for the win
|
| |
|
|
Del
South East
Posts: 1,448
|
|
Sept 30, 2020 18:49:49 GMT
|
|
Love mine, but it's a MK3, five years old and 32k on it. Apart from servicing, all I've done is change the wiper blades and top up the screenwash. Not even checked the tyre pressures.
Hasn't given me a second's bother.
|
| |
|
|
stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,835
Club RR Member Number: 174
|
Panda 169?stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
|
Sept 30, 2020 19:07:51 GMT
|
|
These are on my next car radar. Driven a couple at work and had a hoot in them.
|
| |
|
|
b3nson
Part of things
Posts: 886
Club RR Member Number: 22
|
Panda 169?b3nson
@b3nson
Club Retro Rides Member 22
|
Sept 30, 2020 20:50:04 GMT
|
|
Just bought myself a Panda 100HP! Seems far too new to discuss on here, but a small, lightweight, reasonably rare, revvy Italian hatchback will hopefully fit in one day!
|
| |
'99 Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo
'08 Panda 100HP
|
|
|
|
morrisoxide
Part of things
It's just a question of style
Posts: 444
|
|
Sept 30, 2020 22:41:12 GMT
|
|
I really like mine I wasn't supposed to, I bought mine as a hack but it does every thing I ask of it. I've started to look after it which I said to myself I wouldn't. I do like the incognito look while chucking it into a corner and it still seems to manage around 50 mpg on average.
One more thing to lookout for is models that came with climate control. The electric motor driven heater blend door snaps at the shaft. So they only blow cold air (unless you hit random buttons and turn the fan to full). This if fixable with a metal tab and a soldering iron it's a bit of a faff to say the least but I managed it. I would definitely go for one with the old style heater knobs.
|
| |
|
|
andyborris
Posted a lot
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.
Posts: 2,158
|
|
|
|
|
The front chassis rails can hold a lot of mud too, stick a finger in from the arch side!
|
| |
|
|
Kron
Part of things
Posts: 260
|
|
|
|
|
I've a 1.3mj and I love it.
Picked it up as a sensible stop gap car and really wasn't into it, but it was cheap.
130k and almost 7 years later it's the longest I've owned any car and has cost me nothing more than regular maintenance. I don't want to love it, but I do.
I record the fill ups and the worst it has ever recorded was 52mpg when ragging it for a week or so and 80somthing mpg as the best; average over the 130+k is 64-65mpg.
Speaking of raging it, I reckon the mj will show a clean set of heals to a 100hp over the tight and twisties. She's only got 70hp but weighs in at 900kg.
I'm tempted to have it tuned/chipped as it great fun embarrassing people who get little car syndrome. They seam to get very annoyed when they have to work soooo much harder than they expected to get past a little old people's car.
It's a simple no frills car, you don't have to go to fast to feel like your driving it and no one pays much attention to them.
As has been mentioned above, look out for rusty rear spring cups and make sure the duck bills in the scuttle are kept free of obstructions as they can block and there is a cable loom there that can be susceptible to getting wet.
There is a hole in the scuttle that needs a screw put in it to seal the scuttle as it allowes water to drip o to the the air filter, causing it to get wet and creating some issues.
If you pick up an my, they are often driven gently and the turbo actuator gets gummed up, causing people to five them up as they think the turbo is gone. Bit of leveraging and freeing up sees normal service resumed and a weekly Italian tune up prevents it happening again.
The fiat forum for the 169 is fairly active and has lots of good advice, there isn't really any issue that hasn't been resolved before and they are a friendly lot and keen to help diagnose issues for anyone who has them.
Again as pointed out above most of the parts, both mechanical and often the interiors, are interchangeable with new pandas, 500's Ford ka's and Chrysler ypsilon. There may be others.
Even swapping out the rear axel because of the rusty spring cups is only a half hour job, although it does widen the rear track by about 20mm.
The exception to this is the 100hp and the 4x4 as the 4x4 has different suspension and the 100hp has different suspension and gearbox etc.
Can't recommend them enough for a cheap, fun car.
I have the rear seats removed and it boarded out like a van and it's quite happy to take loads that bigger cars would dream of due to the nice square opening for the boot.
Give one a go, you won't be disappointed.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I think Kron has experienced what I got from Prozac the Berlingo. These smaller cars just seem to get so much right. The guy I sold a Hazet tool tray to, has a semi modified Panda, in part paid for, and in part as result of a rear end accident which saw him buy it back from insurance He mentioned it was not getting replaced by anything but the same. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My dad bought one brand new in 2004 after a bad couple of years spending ££££s keeping old Audi's going in a couple of years. Options were air conditioning, a third rear seat belt and roof rails. I think it was £6,500 for a 1.2 petrol. He planned to keep it for 3 years to fix costs for a while and get some children through driving tests.
Ended up keeping it 12 years and 180,000 miles with almost no expense outside of routine servicing. New radiator at some stage was needed but certainly nothing major.
Great cars.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FIAT actually stands for Fix It Again Tomorrow, FORD Fixed Or Repaired Daily. LOTUS Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious, I'm sure there are more to come.
|
| |
Needs a bigger hammer mate.......
|
|
b3nson
Part of things
Posts: 886
Club RR Member Number: 22
|
Panda 169?b3nson
@b3nson
Club Retro Rides Member 22
|
|
|
|
|
| |
'99 Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo
'08 Panda 100HP
|
|
qwerty
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,410
Club RR Member Number: 52
|
Panda 169?qwerty
@qwerty
Club Retro Rides Member 52
|
|
|
|
My Dad had a Multijet Diesel Sporting for years and loved it. I thought it was like driving a little van.
He slid on black Ice and hit a kerb in it and put it on its roof.
Me and my Brother found this hilarious as our Dad is not a car person in the slightest and is a really slow driver, and he has managed to do something that neither of us have!
Tom
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I really fancy a basic grey bumper model, simple stance with an abarth engine. A lightly modded 100hp and a 4x4.  |
| |
|
|
Del
South East
Posts: 1,448
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
I find the little 1.2 8v engine keen and enthusiastic, albeit not actually very quick! It's probably not as refined as some of the competition, you wont be so isolated from the road and the world outside, but that works both ways... sometimes it's nice that it's a very simple, you could say traditional, driving experience.
