Matt's Panda 100HP
Discussion
Podie said:
Can I ask which product you're using? I've yet to find one that lasts for a decent period of time.
Butting in here! I've tried a few and recommend Gtechniq C4 permanent trim restorer. It seems massively overpriced considering how little you get but a little goes a LONG way, plus it lasts much longer than other trim restorers I've tried.JFReturns said:
Podie said:
Can I ask which product you're using? I've yet to find one that lasts for a decent period of time.
Butting in here! I've tried a few and recommend Gtechniq C4 permanent trim restorer. It seems massively overpriced considering how little you get but a little goes a LONG way, plus it lasts much longer than other trim restorers I've tried.Apologies for side tracking...
Podie said:
Thanks, will give it a whirl.
Apologies for side tracking...
It's all good, I have made enquires as to what to use too. That was Autogylm Bumper and Trip gel, while it looked fantastic after I was finished after 3 days in it started going grey again. Apologies for side tracking...
When I asked on another forum I was pointed to G4 as JFR has recommended, I did wince at the price a bit BUT if it lasts a year, or even 6 months VS putting a bottles and bottles of cheap stuff on each week then it'll work out the same I guess. Plus this car does have a LOT of black bumper trim lol.
CaptainMorgan said:
Podie said:
Thanks, will give it a whirl.
Apologies for side tracking...
It's all good, I have made enquires as to what to use too. That was Autogylm Bumper and Trip gel, while it looked fantastic after I was finished after 3 days in it started going grey again. Apologies for side tracking...
When I asked on another forum I was pointed to G4 as JFR has recommended, I did wince at the price a bit BUT if it lasts a year, or even 6 months VS putting a bottles and bottles of cheap stuff on each week then it'll work out the same I guess. Plus this car does have a LOT of black bumper trim lol.
On previous cars I've had plastic trim painted - far easier
Podie said:
Cleanyourcar claim 2 years!
On previous cars I've had plastic trim painted - far easier
Yeah my mate said that to me too, the thing is I really like the finish of the unpainted trim and side skirts, it's strange I know, given we have had cars evolve over the years to have more and more colour coding but it's a simple car and it suits it I think. On previous cars I've had plastic trim painted - far easier
I've just given it another wash, I need to head over to CYC.com and have a nose about, might have been bitten by this 'detailing' bug.
In other news, I decided to try and gearbox oil change and it went a bit wrong. Only about 400ml come out, filled the box up and it only took about the same! f
k knows where the other 1.25 litres are hiding, but the level is right (until it dribbles out the filler hole, technical right?) and drives ok, aside from the slight crunch in 3rd when flooring it. Driving it is everything I expected and more, it's just so fun! Chuck it about everywhere and it just keeps coming back for more, theres a twisty bit of dual carriageway on my drive home, I can resist chucking it round the outside of much pricier cars with a huge grin on my face. Seems to sip fuel too, considering how I'm driving it at the moment.
Edited by CaptainMorgan on Saturday 3rd October 20:00
How are these little things on the motorway? I'm thinking about replacing my ST170 but I'm doing some big miles for about 6 months.
I really love these cars, I wanted one when I got the ST170 but couldn't find a decent one in my price range. My girlfriend absolutely hates the idea of the Panda 100HP. This, if anything has made me like them more.
I really love these cars, I wanted one when I got the ST170 but couldn't find a decent one in my price range. My girlfriend absolutely hates the idea of the Panda 100HP. This, if anything has made me like them more.
Greg- said:
How are these little things on the motorway? I'm thinking about replacing my ST170 but I'm doing some big miles for about 6 months.
I really love these cars, I wanted one when I got the ST170 but couldn't find a decent one in my price range. My girlfriend absolutely hates the idea of the Panda 100HP. This, if anything has made me like them more.
They're okay. 70mph is a tad over 3,000rpm if I remember correctly but overtaking up inclines required a drop to fourth and spanking the nuts out of it! It's more economical at 60mph too, 70 sees it drop to less than 40mpg.I really love these cars, I wanted one when I got the ST170 but couldn't find a decent one in my price range. My girlfriend absolutely hates the idea of the Panda 100HP. This, if anything has made me like them more.
Thick skin required to own one! To us petrol heads they're utterly cool, but to 'normal' people they're granny cars!
Fabulous little cars, bought one in Blue with Skydome 2 months ago for 2k. It's a bit dinted and scratched but nothing too serious and after my last car (Jag XF) it's actually quite refreshing not to worry when parking it 
I was dreading the first motorway journey but to be honest, it's ok. Sit at 60 for peace and quiet with economy or sit at 80 all day long in 6th if you're in more of a hurry. The ride's harsh but bearable (and massive fun!) and compared to even my wife's previous Focus, the road manners are pretty good.
I bought 2 new Toyo Proxes for the front and I had a clonking from the back end so bought a pair of Koni Sport adjustable dampers from Larkspeed £90 each and it's transformed the car from skittish to composed on a bumpy road. Well worth the money & the 1/2 hour per side it took to fit.
Ok, its a totally different car from the Jag, but it goes well enough from the lights on my latest short commute, loves being chucked down a twisty lane and most importantly can fit my clubs and 3-wheeled trolley in the boot.
I was dreading the first motorway journey but to be honest, it's ok. Sit at 60 for peace and quiet with economy or sit at 80 all day long in 6th if you're in more of a hurry. The ride's harsh but bearable (and massive fun!) and compared to even my wife's previous Focus, the road manners are pretty good.
I bought 2 new Toyo Proxes for the front and I had a clonking from the back end so bought a pair of Koni Sport adjustable dampers from Larkspeed £90 each and it's transformed the car from skittish to composed on a bumpy road. Well worth the money & the 1/2 hour per side it took to fit.
Ok, its a totally different car from the Jag, but it goes well enough from the lights on my latest short commute, loves being chucked down a twisty lane and most importantly can fit my clubs and 3-wheeled trolley in the boot.
JFReturns said:
They're okay. 70mph is a tad over 3,000rpm if I remember correctly but overtaking up inclines required a drop to fourth and spanking the nuts out of it! It's more economical at 60mph too, 70 sees it drop to less than 40mpg.
Thick skin required to own one! To us petrol heads they're utterly cool, but to 'normal' people they're granny cars!
That's not too bad, my ST170 sits at around the same at 70, but you can overtake in fifth. the economy is certainly a lot better! I'll start having a look, maybe try and test drive one. Thick skin required to own one! To us petrol heads they're utterly cool, but to 'normal' people they're granny cars!
JFReturns said:
They're okay. 70mph is a tad over 3,000rpm if I remember correctly but overtaking up inclines required a drop to fourth and spanking the nuts out of it! It's more economical at 60mph too, 70 sees it drop to less than 40mpg.
Thick skin required to own one! To us petrol heads they're utterly cool, but to 'normal' people they're granny cars!
I couldnt agree more on the thick skinned comment, again, bit like the Fabia, only those who knew a bit about cars knew what they were. In fact, I've just had some 'comments' on facebook about it from a car mate so even people who do have a idea about cars dont always know about them. Thick skin required to own one! To us petrol heads they're utterly cool, but to 'normal' people they're granny cars!
I cant comment on the motorway driving too much, the rear tyres are Eagle F1's, they appear to be the loudest tyres in the world. They were even noted on the last service, but they've still got 5mm tread on so I'm loathed to throw them away. As soon as I get above about 50mph they are louder than everything else tbh but the revs arnt too high, I suspect to make swift progress you'd need to wind it up a bit. One of the bonuses for me though is 80 feels like 120 so it takes some effort to get into silly speeds (not impossible mind
)I'm 2 months into ownership of a '05 Panda 4x4. Not the same car I know, but I'm absolutely sold on Pandas!
I used to drive a SLK200 exclusively, but needed something with more praticality (for wildlife rescue) and managed to find a Panda 4x4 (which are pretty fecking rare here in Ireland). Nippy enough to be honest, in 60hp form. I browse ebay looking for abarth 1.4 engines to swap, but again, practicality brings me down to reality.
I used to drive a SLK200 exclusively, but needed something with more praticality (for wildlife rescue) and managed to find a Panda 4x4 (which are pretty fecking rare here in Ireland). Nippy enough to be honest, in 60hp form. I browse ebay looking for abarth 1.4 engines to swap, but again, practicality brings me down to reality.
Great thread to read, I inherited my wife's smart forfour 1.1l when we got married and I swear, I've never had so much fun in a car in my life and the cornering was great! Sadly I live in the country so sold it before it fell apart on the rough roads. Definitely considering a panda 4x4 though.
I love mine to bits. And coming back from an RX-8 it's a damn sight cheaper to run (although anything would be...)
As previous posters have said although it's a practical car, it's not a sensible one! Mine's done everything - the commute, long family trips, holidays, removals etc. I've even competed autosolos in it - there's always a few eyebrows raised when other competitors see 'Fiat Panda' on the entry list, but for a standard car it's surprisingly competitive - more down to the short, wheel-at-each-corner platform.
Most people take the mick when they see it, then shut up once they've been in it...styling is certainly an acquired taste. Costs in the last 12 months have been limited to MOT without advisories, and offside rear wheel bearing (ironically the one that takes least load?!) New front boots will be required soon, thanks to a lack of TC and personal restraint:-)
As previous posters have said although it's a practical car, it's not a sensible one! Mine's done everything - the commute, long family trips, holidays, removals etc. I've even competed autosolos in it - there's always a few eyebrows raised when other competitors see 'Fiat Panda' on the entry list, but for a standard car it's surprisingly competitive - more down to the short, wheel-at-each-corner platform.
Most people take the mick when they see it, then shut up once they've been in it...styling is certainly an acquired taste. Costs in the last 12 months have been limited to MOT without advisories, and offside rear wheel bearing (ironically the one that takes least load?!) New front boots will be required soon, thanks to a lack of TC and personal restraint:-)
My wife bought one from a PHer last year, we flew up to Glasgow and drove it back home to Bath via family in Norfolk. Noisy bump stops were easy to fix by mounting them the wrong way up, drilling a self-tapping tec screw up through the hole in the spring platform and into the rubber of the bump stop. The exhaust is rusty, but at its MOT it only failed on a rear brake pipe (special order from Italy, grrr) and a couple of wheels bearings which were easy to change.
It's a red, 56 plate with about 70k miles from memory. The ride is awful on our local lanes, but on main roads it's acceptable, performance is great for a little car and economy is fine. Paintwork is thin with a number of panels showing signs of UV discolouration, a bit of a mop and polish needed I think. The Bluetooth is reluctant to work with a modern phone and lowering the seat lowers the base only, making the base of your spine quite uncomfortable if you try to go too low. We took it on track for one session which was a bit of a giggle but I was hoping for a more playful back end. It would be nice to combine the firmer steering from Sport mode with the normal throttle map.
Would I buy one? No, sorry, but my wife likes it and the practicality of the 5 door and how physically small the car is proves handy. When I do moan about the little 100hp I have to remember that it was a £10k car when new which is/was remarkable value.
Cheers, Dave
It's a red, 56 plate with about 70k miles from memory. The ride is awful on our local lanes, but on main roads it's acceptable, performance is great for a little car and economy is fine. Paintwork is thin with a number of panels showing signs of UV discolouration, a bit of a mop and polish needed I think. The Bluetooth is reluctant to work with a modern phone and lowering the seat lowers the base only, making the base of your spine quite uncomfortable if you try to go too low. We took it on track for one session which was a bit of a giggle but I was hoping for a more playful back end. It would be nice to combine the firmer steering from Sport mode with the normal throttle map.
Would I buy one? No, sorry, but my wife likes it and the practicality of the 5 door and how physically small the car is proves handy. When I do moan about the little 100hp I have to remember that it was a £10k car when new which is/was remarkable value.
Cheers, Dave
I sold our first 100hp to a mate a few years ago and who still has it and loves it. My daughter learned to drive in our second one as they are actually a similar price to the standard pandas to insure. We took it on a sprint day recently and it was great fun! Cheap to run and cheap parts. Back box on ours is going to need replacing soon so interested in what others have, although worried a sporty exhaust will adversely affect the insurance given my daughter is on the policy.
Mr Peel said:
What exhaust have you chosen? Mine will need doing before too long and I'm keen to get something a touch noisier for sensible money.
Yes, I would like to know as well. Mine is looking rather flaky and will need to be replaced soon enough.Edited by Allaloneatron on Friday 27th May 13:30
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