Panda 1.2 any owners / advice?
Discussion
Going to look at one of these in a bit for my girlfriend. My knowledge of Fiats in general is absolutely zero. Anybody got any advice on what to look for / common faults etc?
It's a 1.2 Dynamic.
Cheers
ETA: Can't actually find that much on the net surprisingly. Thought these were quite popular.
It's a 1.2 Dynamic.
Cheers
ETA: Can't actually find that much on the net surprisingly. Thought these were quite popular.
Edited by vtecyo on Saturday 4th October 13:11
Absolutely great car, it is superb in the traffic, narrow and with a high seating position. Also very practical. I also like the way it drive, the not so great grip manages to get entertaining any twisty road. Lovable. I run one a 2008 one as a third car. It is an emotion. I had some electrical issues and changed the fuel pump but I will get another without even thinking.
My wife had the 1.2 dynamic in her new grande punto and in the 3 / 4 years ( 50k ish ) it had one sensor fault. I would have another happily.
I do agree that for reliability go Japanese ,but sometimes the value that can be had from fiat is hard to beat. These reasons are partly why we have a Subaru and a fiat. I love Japanese cars ( especially Subaru ) and the fiat was fantastic value. It has not been quite perfect but no worse than the german cars I have owned and better than the french.
The FIRE 1.2 is a well proven easy to maintain and correct unit where parts are cheap and plentiful. If the price is right go for it, as long as its not had the hardest life ever!
I do agree that for reliability go Japanese ,but sometimes the value that can be had from fiat is hard to beat. These reasons are partly why we have a Subaru and a fiat. I love Japanese cars ( especially Subaru ) and the fiat was fantastic value. It has not been quite perfect but no worse than the german cars I have owned and better than the french.
The FIRE 1.2 is a well proven easy to maintain and correct unit where parts are cheap and plentiful. If the price is right go for it, as long as its not had the hardest life ever!
I have a 2010 Panda Dynamic Eco - I bought it when it was six months old and use it as a 3rd car for driving to the station, tip duties etc.
Pros:
- 50mpg+ easily achieveable
- Easy to park
- Good driving position and high gear stick location
- It has the essential equipment bits such as air con, remote locking, CD, folding seats etc
- Cheap to buy (£5k at 6mths old with 500miles on the clock
- Cheap tax (£30pa)
Cons:
- Slow acceleration
- No Bluetooth or aux-in
- Servicing is annual and quite expensive at main dealers (I spent more servicing the Panda than I did my Cayman over the same 3 years!)
I've had no reliability issues in 3 and a half years. It's needed new tyres and brake pads plus routine servicing.
For what I need, it's a great little car. It fits into the smaller spaces at the station and helps keep my 911 ding free.
Hope this helps
Pros:
- 50mpg+ easily achieveable
- Easy to park
- Good driving position and high gear stick location
- It has the essential equipment bits such as air con, remote locking, CD, folding seats etc
- Cheap to buy (£5k at 6mths old with 500miles on the clock
- Cheap tax (£30pa)
Cons:
- Slow acceleration
- No Bluetooth or aux-in
- Servicing is annual and quite expensive at main dealers (I spent more servicing the Panda than I did my Cayman over the same 3 years!)
I've had no reliability issues in 3 and a half years. It's needed new tyres and brake pads plus routine servicing.
For what I need, it's a great little car. It fits into the smaller spaces at the station and helps keep my 911 ding free.
Hope this helps
Wot 'e said ^ ^
SWMBO has had one for the past two+ years and I actually like driving it. It has a zest for life missing in many other cars. It's not quick by any measure, but feels brisk enough around our local lanes; it is unstoppable in deep snow with Goodyear Ultragrips all round and it's only the 2WD version!
Handling is pretty good, with lift-off oversteer available if you really provoke it, but because it has limited grip, it all happens in slow-motion and is great entertainment.
As a motorway car, it is fairly quiet and comfortable at 65-70, but runs out of breath very soon after that; on a private airfield perimeter, it will indicate a heady 90mph on the optimistic speedo... It is not great in cross-winds, either.
SWMBO has had one for the past two+ years and I actually like driving it. It has a zest for life missing in many other cars. It's not quick by any measure, but feels brisk enough around our local lanes; it is unstoppable in deep snow with Goodyear Ultragrips all round and it's only the 2WD version!
Handling is pretty good, with lift-off oversteer available if you really provoke it, but because it has limited grip, it all happens in slow-motion and is great entertainment.
As a motorway car, it is fairly quiet and comfortable at 65-70, but runs out of breath very soon after that; on a private airfield perimeter, it will indicate a heady 90mph on the optimistic speedo... It is not great in cross-winds, either.
Had a 1.2 500S on hire a month or two back. Slower than watching paint dry on the motorway. Frustratingly so. Having to drop to 4th on the motorway for hillier bits. Just no. Perhaps with 100bhp it'd be better. It handled okish and was a doddle to park. Otherwise get something more powerful.
I agree with all the positive reports above. Had a 2007 1.2 Eleganza from new until May this year as our general commuter / school run / shopping car. No major problems at all. The only time she let us down it turned out to be the transponder in the main (remote locking) key fob. Switched to the spare key and the issue went away! A surprisingly fun car to drive I still miss it in many ways and would buy another without a doubt should we need something similar in the future. Incidentally, if you can stretch to an Eleganza I would - the climate control in mine easily out-performed everything else I have experience of, including some from much more prestigious marques!
Thread update.
She bought it. Seemed like a very nice honest little car. Owned by a little old couple (or so the Saga insurance letter in the glovebox would have you believe
) so it appears to be in very good nick. £40 to fill up and it's actually quite a hoot to drive. She'll probably only put about 4k miles a year on it so absolutely perfect. City steering is a very weird sensation too.
She bought it. Seemed like a very nice honest little car. Owned by a little old couple (or so the Saga insurance letter in the glovebox would have you believe
) so it appears to be in very good nick. £40 to fill up and it's actually quite a hoot to drive. She'll probably only put about 4k miles a year on it so absolutely perfect. City steering is a very weird sensation too.996TT02 said:
Like most Fiats, they will be great. For the first 4 years. Then they won't be.
My wife's old Punto with that engine survived to 11 years old with no servicing after the 5th year with no significant mechanical problems bar an intermittent power steering issue. That's a damned slight more than could be said of most "premium" cars of a similar age that I know of. Woefully underpowered and absolutely foul to drive, but it was (depressingly) difficult to kill.
996TT02 said:
Like most Fiats, they will be great. For the first 4 years. Then they won't be.
Buy pretty much anything else (except perhaps French) as an option, but best go Jap, something like a Yaris for reliability.
Rubbish. I've run an 06 1.2 4x4 panda as a daily alongside my e92 m3 for the last 4 years, taken it from 16k to 58k, in all that time it's been nothing other than absolutely faultless. Not quick (to say the least) but character full, enjoyable to drive and ridiculously good in the snow & ice. Buy pretty much anything else (except perhaps French) as an option, but best go Jap, something like a Yaris for reliability.
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