New panda alternatives?

[thinfourth2]

The wife is tired of sheds with the strange noises, occasional hiccups, high road tax, 35mpg etc.

So looking at a pre reg Panda at £6900 with its cheap tax, low fuel consumption, warranty,

She doesn't like the aygo/c1/107, i10, smart car, JAZZ, micra. I don't like the twingo, corsa, KA. Neither of us have even the slightest interest in the style over substance superminis MINI, 500, IQ, A1 etc.

The intention is for her to keep it for 6 years and then it becomes my shed until it dies. So we are looking at a car for ten years.

She doesn't need anything big, fun, exciting, RWD as she has a Forester for that with its HUGE appetite for fuel. Its for getting to work and back which is about 18,000 miles a year along 20 miles of dual carrigeway and the 15 miles of urbanish roads. So nothing "sporty" as that appears to mean removing the springs and replacing them with bricks, yes Audi i'm looking at you.

Haven't tried the picanto yet but might with a 7 year warranty.

So any other ideas of a 7grand zero hassle domestic appliance car for ten years?

[Kiltox]

The previous model Picanto like mine would be an absolute steal if you could find one unregistered (I paid £5500 in March - anyone who has one left will practically give you it)

New model is a better quality product in terms of interior quality, I haven't driven one yet.

Outgoing model Rio can be had for just under 7 grand too - my dad's just bought one

[PumpkinSteve]

New Picanto?

[kambites]

The Picanto certainly has the advantage of still being under warranty when it becomes your "shed".

[Waugh-terfall]

Picanto

Generally well-specced, the new one looks pretty good, sturdy, cheap as chips and that 7-year warranty.

[Mustard]

Hyundai i20, better car than old model Kia Rio, but only 5yr warranty

My father went though a similar exercise for a 2nd economy pensioner special to supplement BMW E39 525i touring and came away with a pre reg last of the old shape Toyota Yaris T2 3dr for £7900 with 5yr warranty

[PH lurker]

Not to my personal taste but http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3224150.htm ?

This will save you nearly a grand for the sake of 3000 miles and being a few months old http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3143218.htm over the Panda you mention.

[Kiltox]

PH lurker said:

This will save you nearly a grand for the sake of 3000 miles and being a few months old http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3143218.htm over the panda you mention.

That was the price of a brand new Panda Active in March - so I think better deals may well be out there if you dig around. New model due soon too?

[PH lurker]

Kiltox said:

That was the price of a brand new Panda Active in March - so I think better deals may well be out there if you dig around. New model due soon too?

True.

[Kiltox]

Saying that, the Kia dealer I bought my Picanto from had an '11' plate car the same as mine but silver for £6500 - I'm unsure if it was delivery mileage or not but it seemed ridiculous that it was more expensive now than then

(this was last week, when Dad was picking up his Rio)

[thinfourth2]

PH lurker said:

Not to my personal taste but http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3224150.htm ?.

I forgot about the Fox

it has a truly unique engine

All the fuel consumption of a 2ltr engine with the power and refinement of a lawnmower engine

Actually thats being unfair to my lawnmower

[Kiltox]

thinfourth2 said:

I forgot about the Fox

it has a truly unique engine

All the fuel consumption of a 2ltr engine with the power and refinement of a lawnmower engine

Huh?

I always assumed it was the same engine as was in the previous generation Polo - wasn't that bad when I had a hired one of those for 4000 miles

[Waugh-terfall]

PH lurker said:

Not to my personal taste but http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3224150.htm ?

This will save you nearly a grand for the sake of 3000 miles and being a few months old http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3143218.htm over the Panda you mention.

Fox is poorly made and stupidly priced.

Panda however is genuinely good fun!

[Liquid Knight]

I'm not a fan of the new Panda and I don't want to get all BMW Mini about this but.....

How about an original Panda?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280750321223?ssPageName=...


35+mpg easilly, classic insurance, easy to maintain, cheap parts, cheap (self)servicing, character (instead of the annonimous auto-CAD blob the new Panda has become) and will not depreciate as these are becoming as collectable as 126's and will be making Fiat 500 money soon.

[Kiltox]

thinfourth2 said:

The wife is tired of sheds with the strange noises, occasional hiccups, high road tax, 35mpg etc.

[thinfourth2]

Liquid Knight said:

I'm not a fan of the new Panda and I don't want to get all BMW Mini about this but.....

How about an original Panda?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280750321223?ssPageName=...


35+mpg easilly, classic insurance, easy to maintain, cheap parts, cheap (self)servicing, character (instead of the annonimous auto-CAD blob the new Panda has become) and will not depreciate as these are becoming as collectable as 126's and will be making Fiat 500 money soon.

Might i suggest you go and read the first post

1 its a shed
2 No warranty
3 After six years of 18,000 mile per year it will be totally and utterly shagged
4 its still a shed
5 it will be a pain in the arse
6 Its still a shed
7 It will be £130 to tax it
8 No need for character as its a domestic appliance

So NO

[Kiltox]

doogz said:

What does the 7 year warranty actually cover?

Surely at upwards of 100,000 miles a gearbox is considered wear and tear. You'd imagine things like piston rings etc would be covered by that too.

The chassis, in terms of rust? Don't most manufacturers state you have to have all services carried out at a main dealer for that to apply?

The 7 year warranty has a ceiling of 100,000 miles (after the first 3 years, it is a 100,000 mile limit)

If they are going to provide a warranty for that time, I would not expect a major component such as a gearbox to fail in that time.

[Chicane-UK]

I think "Style over Substance" criticism is a little unfair on the 500. I just bought one last month as the newest / youngest car I've ever owned as I wanted a daily with warranty and low mileage but with a little character.

It's a fun drive, seems very well put together, and I'm reassured that after 1,200 miles I'm still really enjoying it even if it is a bit gutless

They are massively overpriced but I managed to get £2000 off list for a 6 month old, sub 1000 mile example.

[Liquid Knight]

thinfourth2 said:

So NO

Morning! :wave:

To be completely honnest I'd go for the new Panda as they are all much a muchness and it is at least brand loyalty.

How about a Mini First. 1100cc, £8,000-ish, should be cheap(for a BMW) to run, insure, tax and don't depreciate as much as the others due to the hype surrounding the MINI brand.

[Kiltox]

doogz said:

In that case, at 18k miles/year, it's not going to have a warranty after the 6 years, when the OP gets his hands on it.

Not that that means he shouldn't get one, just saying.

True - although it'll still have a longer warranty than anything else (apart from Vauxhall which would be equal)