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Fiat Panda 100hp

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  • 18-09-2008 11:43am
    #1
    spav
    Registered Users Posts: 422 ✭✭


    Anyone got / had / drove one of these?

    I'm quite tempted with it, but would like to know if anyone has any experience with them and with the Fiat dealer network. They seem very hard to get hold of used, so I could be looking at buying new.


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    #2
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 68,927 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    I've got one - haven't had it very long but had other Pandas for ages. Theres very, very few of them in the country at all hence the lack of used ones, I got an ex-demo with 14km on the clock as the nearest to 'used' there was going.

    The dealer network is historically fairly poor in both coverage and quality, I've had no problems with sales or service at the one I currently use (Airton in Tallaght) though. If anything goes seriously wrong you're not tied to the dealer for the warranty - all 4 years are Fiat Auto Ireland backed.

    If you've ever driven a Panda the driving experience is much the same, except with significantly more power under your right foot. The ride is comparatively hard because of the stiffened suspension but its got bigger, more padded seats with side bolsters to prevent that hurting you. Its heavy enough on fuel for the first 10,000k or so apparently - Fiat petrol engines always take this long to 'bed in', so if you get a low mileage one expect to become good friends with the local service station for a while. Mines already starting to even out consumption wise now at 3k.


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    #3
    spav
    Registered Users Posts: 422 ✭✭spav


    MYOB wrote: »
    I've got one - haven't had it very long but had other Pandas for ages. Theres very, very few of them in the country at all hence the lack of used ones, I got an ex-demo with 14km on the clock as the nearest to 'used' there was going.

    The dealer network is historically fairly poor in both coverage and quality, I've had no problems with sales or service at the one I currently use (Airton in Tallaght) though. If anything goes seriously wrong you're not tied to the dealer for the warranty - all 4 years are Fiat Auto Ireland backed.

    If you've ever driven a Panda the driving experience is much the same, except with significantly more power under your right foot. The ride is comparatively hard because of the stiffened suspension but its got bigger, more padded seats with side bolsters to prevent that hurting you. Its heavy enough on fuel for the first 10,000k or so apparently - Fiat petrol engines always take this long to 'bed in', so if you get a low mileage one expect to become good friends with the local service station for a while. Mines already starting to even out consumption wise now at 3k.

    Thanks - I've heard that about Fiat engines alright.

    How do you find it then? I was originally looking for something bigger and used, but most of my miles will be urban so the 100hp looks to be a more sensible bet.

    What's it like on motorways?


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    #4
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 68,927 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    I've been Panda for years so my views on how I find it are a bit clouded by the fact that I'm immensely used to the car anyway... not had a problem with it, my biggest gripe is that it has a double-DIN stereo and my last one had a single-DIN with a CD holder!

    Its grand on motorways - done a trip to Donegal and a trip to Antrim since I got it as well as 30 miles of N7 dualler every day for work.

    Spec level in Ireland is nice enough for the money (or the money I got it for anyways), the £500 trim pack in the UK is default here.


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    #5
    spav
    Registered Users Posts: 422 ✭✭spav


    MYOB wrote: »
    I've been Panda for years so my views on how I find it are a bit clouded by the fact that I'm immensely used to the car anyway... not had a problem with it, my biggest gripe is that it has a double-DIN stereo and my last one had a single-DIN with a CD holder!

    Its grand on motorways - done a trip to Donegal and a trip to Antrim since I got it as well as 30 miles of N7 dualler every day for work.

    Spec level in Ireland is nice enough for the money (or the money I got it for anyways), the £500 trim pack in the UK is default here.

    That seems to be the case generally - I had a look at the Civic Type S, and the GT spec is default here.

    Thanks for the info, very tempted indeed, cracking little cars by the looks of things.


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    #6
    galwaytt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭✭galwaytt


    MYOB wrote: »
    ... Its heavy enough on fuel for the first 10,000k or so apparently - Fiat petrol engines always take this long to 'bed in', so if you get a low mileage one expect to become good friends with the local service station for a while. Mines already starting to even out consumption wise now at 3k.


    Like, how heavy is 'heavy' ??

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    #7
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 68,927 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    galwaytt wrote: »
    Like, how heavy is 'heavy' ??

    I've a lead right foot and would use the sport mode and the aircon, and at the start it was 35mpg-ish. Which is heavy for a 1.4, when the 1.3 diesel equivalent gets >60mpg. But its levelling off now to about 40 and apparently can improve a little bit more with time.

    The problem is it has a small fuel tank, meaning you're in and out of the petrol station more often than normal.


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