Matt's Panda 100HP
Discussion
Fishy Dave said:
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 agree with most of that, the ride is not designed with UK country lanes in mind, but I can cope with it, I'll be adding some coilovers at some point, so while it might not help the stiffness it might make it more composed. The seat adjustment is crap but to be honest, the seats are crap overall, cost cutting I suspect. I'd like a setting of stiff steering/soft throttle too, would be the perfect mix, the throttle in sport mode is too on/off. 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
The bluetooth has worked spot on with my 3 iPhones but I did have to resort to getting the Italian Mrs out to translate what was being said to me in Italian lol.
Official Radical said:
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:-)
It really is a car that you have to explain to non 'pistonheads' or people that haven't read/heard about them, or in some cases, just dont bother. I have been surprised at how well the tyres are lasting given the abuse they have been taking, but then I guess the low weight helps. You must be doing well to get through them!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.
I have gone for.......ilovequo said:
Group N Ragazon exhaust sounds Mint...
This! It's VERY loud, the silencer is tiny but I like it. I've never been one for loud exhaust but I think it suits the car. The chunky tail pipe fits just nice too.
I'll stick a video up when I get the chance.
It was all a bit of a nightmare tbh, I bought the Ragazzon group N middle section thinking it'd fit the rest of the standard pipework, I didnt want to go too go all out on the noise front to start with. Anyway, turns out you need the Ragazzon flexi section too, my garage fitted it, but it was a struggle The standard flexi was borked too which resulted in the exhaust knocking it's tits off. At this point I decided to just go balls out and got the flexi and back box, couldnt get it in time for my drive to Belgium in it but got it on asap.
Had mine for almost three years and 40000 miles now and I absolutely love it, mine has koni/eibach suspension and its pretty hard riding but its so much fun to drive and own and totally reliable too, mine is staying with me forever.
P.s mine has a magneti marelli center pipe and ulter sport back box and it sounds like a baby Ferrari!!
I like these, too... Reminds me of a badly lowered Uno Turbo I had in the early 90's. The ride was shocking in that. Can't help but wonder how bad the ride is in the 100hp. See one most mornings and the young lad driving always has a grin on his face. Wonder why Fiat have not built a new 100hp using the current Panda? Shame...
You get all (well quite a lot of) the fun of a performance car, but you can still find a place to park when things get a little tight. I love mine.
I have said it 100 times before and I will again now.... Change the rear dampers for some Koni Str.t jobbies and the ride is much, much better.
I have said it 100 times before and I will again now.... Change the rear dampers for some Koni Str.t jobbies and the ride is much, much better.
Edited by Allaloneatron on Tuesday 31st May 11:31
Brings back fond memories reading through this thread, I bought a grey 100hp with the Pandemonium pack back in 2007 off the back of the EVO review, I kept it for 5 years covering 75,000 miles and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I remember at the time the car shown in brochure had a few bits on it that made it really stand out which none of the press cars or demo cars I'd seen had, this turned out to be the Pandemonium pack, I really wanted the car as per the brochure and eventually the dealer came through for me, I think it was an extra 200 or 250 pounds more for this pack at the time which was a bargain really! Though I just don't think many dealers or customers knew it existed.
There wasn't much in the way of mods for these cars in the early days and I found it so much fun out of the box that mine stayed standard for years, eventually when the side stripes and wheels were looking a little tired, I had some custom Italian flag side stripes made in the original design, and had an Italian flag stripe going right over the car, the wheels were powdercoated white and I fitted Abarth badges/wheel centres plus Italian pressed plates. The only real engine upgrade was a BMC panel filter, note a quick mod if you want more induction noise is to remove the intake hose (1 min job), though it is much louder! in the end I found the best balance to be keeping the hose in place but drilling the airbox, a nice little bark but not OTT.
I remember the black trim well, always a pain, the quick fix for the honeycomb is either a brush or an aerosol back to black etc, I used gel on the rest.
Rear shock mount bushes elongating as mentioned a few times on here is common, though I only replaced mine the once.
Third gear syncro can go on enthusiastically driven cars, luckily mine was done under warranty but I was told to 'kurb my driving style', unfortunately they could see how many times the car had hit the rev limiter (I'd regularly change right on the limiter as found the engine very willing to rev up to it!)
Standard fit tyres were 195/45 15 Goodyear Eagle F1'S (old V design), they stopped making these a few years into ownership, so I swapped to Conti Contact Sport 2's, which were an awesome tyre for this car. Some people for cheapness or to try to improve the ride fitted 195/50's instead, but this always looked rubbish to me.
Overall mine never gave me any trouble and of all the cars I've had it's probably the one I wish I still had sitting in a garage somewhere. I loved its chunky styling and how hilarious it was to drive, and I actually enjoyed the fact no one really knew what it was or thought it was silly or funny looking, I never felt the need to justify it to anyone, you either got it or you didn't. But then I'm the sort that has little to no interest in what impression my cars may make on others!
I'll dig out some pictures of the old girl later :-) last time I did an MOT check it showed as expired on tax and mot so I'm assuming my one is no longer around :-(
I'd 100% have another though, and on balance I'd have to say it was the best car I've ever owned.
I remember at the time the car shown in brochure had a few bits on it that made it really stand out which none of the press cars or demo cars I'd seen had, this turned out to be the Pandemonium pack, I really wanted the car as per the brochure and eventually the dealer came through for me, I think it was an extra 200 or 250 pounds more for this pack at the time which was a bargain really! Though I just don't think many dealers or customers knew it existed.
There wasn't much in the way of mods for these cars in the early days and I found it so much fun out of the box that mine stayed standard for years, eventually when the side stripes and wheels were looking a little tired, I had some custom Italian flag side stripes made in the original design, and had an Italian flag stripe going right over the car, the wheels were powdercoated white and I fitted Abarth badges/wheel centres plus Italian pressed plates. The only real engine upgrade was a BMC panel filter, note a quick mod if you want more induction noise is to remove the intake hose (1 min job), though it is much louder! in the end I found the best balance to be keeping the hose in place but drilling the airbox, a nice little bark but not OTT.
I remember the black trim well, always a pain, the quick fix for the honeycomb is either a brush or an aerosol back to black etc, I used gel on the rest.
Rear shock mount bushes elongating as mentioned a few times on here is common, though I only replaced mine the once.
Third gear syncro can go on enthusiastically driven cars, luckily mine was done under warranty but I was told to 'kurb my driving style', unfortunately they could see how many times the car had hit the rev limiter (I'd regularly change right on the limiter as found the engine very willing to rev up to it!)
Standard fit tyres were 195/45 15 Goodyear Eagle F1'S (old V design), they stopped making these a few years into ownership, so I swapped to Conti Contact Sport 2's, which were an awesome tyre for this car. Some people for cheapness or to try to improve the ride fitted 195/50's instead, but this always looked rubbish to me.
Overall mine never gave me any trouble and of all the cars I've had it's probably the one I wish I still had sitting in a garage somewhere. I loved its chunky styling and how hilarious it was to drive, and I actually enjoyed the fact no one really knew what it was or thought it was silly or funny looking, I never felt the need to justify it to anyone, you either got it or you didn't. But then I'm the sort that has little to no interest in what impression my cars may make on others!
I'll dig out some pictures of the old girl later :-) last time I did an MOT check it showed as expired on tax and mot so I'm assuming my one is no longer around :-(
I'd 100% have another though, and on balance I'd have to say it was the best car I've ever owned.
What's it like for longer journeys, comfort-wise? I have a bad back, and find that my boring old passat makes long journeys very pleasant, however isn't much fun on the twisties.
Also, what's the real world fuel economy like? (yes boring question, but if I were to have one, it would be a daily for a long-ish commute)
Also, what's the real world fuel economy like? (yes boring question, but if I were to have one, it would be a daily for a long-ish commute)
The Ulter Sport backbox is actually really good. I have this one on my 100HP which is now up for sale on the classifieds and Autotrader.
It's a little larger than the standard tip but looks beefy not OTT. I have found it to be quieter than standard and does seem to pull better with it on.
There is a pics of mine from the rear on the advert. It's a white 38k 2008 up at £3600 if want to see the pic.
Cheers
It's a little larger than the standard tip but looks beefy not OTT. I have found it to be quieter than standard and does seem to pull better with it on.
There is a pics of mine from the rear on the advert. It's a white 38k 2008 up at £3600 if want to see the pic.
Cheers
Another 100HP owner here.
Bought off a work colleague after he drove over a rock in the road and the insurance Cat C'd it.
Total 'damage' was a bent flange on the downpipe from the cat, a destroyed post car O2 sensor and a bent lip on the front of the engine stabiliser bracket (the reason for the insurance writing it off is because the bend bracket meant a new subframe).
I just hammer the him back into place, fitted a new cat and O2 sensor and it was all fixed. Then I went with a full Raggazon Group N exhaust and KW Inox V1 coilover, but I have to cut and shut the rear section of the exhaust as it doens't adequately clear the rear beam now it's lowered.
Just in the process of colour coding some Fiat 500 Abarth 17" alloys for it.
Bought off a work colleague after he drove over a rock in the road and the insurance Cat C'd it.
Total 'damage' was a bent flange on the downpipe from the cat, a destroyed post car O2 sensor and a bent lip on the front of the engine stabiliser bracket (the reason for the insurance writing it off is because the bend bracket meant a new subframe).
I just hammer the him back into place, fitted a new cat and O2 sensor and it was all fixed. Then I went with a full Raggazon Group N exhaust and KW Inox V1 coilover, but I have to cut and shut the rear section of the exhaust as it doens't adequately clear the rear beam now it's lowered.
Just in the process of colour coding some Fiat 500 Abarth 17" alloys for it.
After reading this and hiring a bog standard Panda on Holiday in Greece last week, I'm pretty set on selling my 9-3 V6 and getting a 100hp Panda. Had a Panda as my first car when I as 17, rolled it and subsequently forgot how fun it was to drive around! Just debating whether to do it now or wait til I've got another years no claims in September...
Anyone want a Saab?
Anyone want a Saab?
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