Panda 100HP or MINI Cooper S
Discussion
Right, I need some simple advice:
The E46 touring is starting to cost money, this combined with winter fast approaching means that i'm planning to sell it along with the Midget and consolidate into one fun but practical car. I dont need the space of the touring (although have loved it) and budget is approx 4k.
I've narrowed down that my next car will either be a Panda 100HP (looking at approx 45k, 2007plate) or a MINI Cooper S (approx 60k, 2003 plate).
Now, i know the MINI dosent get a good rep on here, but i've driven my wifes 02 Cooper and previously ran a 57 cooper for 3 years as a company car which was superb. I had almost convinced myself to go MINI but this weekend i borrowed one of the firms feet of Fiat 500s (1.2). Its taken me to Newcastle and back up the A19, along with some very hard driving on the local country roads, its been good fun, comfy, fast on the back roads and given an incredibly 48MPG average over the 300miles I've done this weekend.
Pro's and cons go something like this:
Mini - better build quality, faster, looks better. Although poor on fuel, more to run in general, more common, we already have a cooper and maybe a 'his and hers' is a little too much!
Panda 100HP - Great fun, Cheap to run, 5 door, good on fuel. Although im not convinced on the styling and i dont know if everyone else things they're as cool as i do.
I don't do many miles per year (approx 12k) and commute is a mixture of A and B roads, although I do like to be able to just throw all my stuff in the back and go away for the weekend so it must be usable.
Which would you go for - and why?!
Cheers!
The E46 touring is starting to cost money, this combined with winter fast approaching means that i'm planning to sell it along with the Midget and consolidate into one fun but practical car. I dont need the space of the touring (although have loved it) and budget is approx 4k.
I've narrowed down that my next car will either be a Panda 100HP (looking at approx 45k, 2007plate) or a MINI Cooper S (approx 60k, 2003 plate).
Now, i know the MINI dosent get a good rep on here, but i've driven my wifes 02 Cooper and previously ran a 57 cooper for 3 years as a company car which was superb. I had almost convinced myself to go MINI but this weekend i borrowed one of the firms feet of Fiat 500s (1.2). Its taken me to Newcastle and back up the A19, along with some very hard driving on the local country roads, its been good fun, comfy, fast on the back roads and given an incredibly 48MPG average over the 300miles I've done this weekend.
Pro's and cons go something like this:
Mini - better build quality, faster, looks better. Although poor on fuel, more to run in general, more common, we already have a cooper and maybe a 'his and hers' is a little too much!
Panda 100HP - Great fun, Cheap to run, 5 door, good on fuel. Although im not convinced on the styling and i dont know if everyone else things they're as cool as i do.
I don't do many miles per year (approx 12k) and commute is a mixture of A and B roads, although I do like to be able to just throw all my stuff in the back and go away for the weekend so it must be usable.
Which would you go for - and why?!
Cheers!
valverguy said:
100hp Has to be one of the best hot hatch chassis around, Better than the mini's i'd say, however the lack of actual power may (or may not) be an issue. You can certainly drive them at 10/10ths alot easier imo.
Best Hot Hatch Chassis around!!!!!! Really?The chassis and suspension setup is rubbish. Good fun - but rubbish.
Buy the MINI, I say this after owning a 100HP for 10k miles.
They are good fun, well equipped and I think they look fab, but the MINI is the better car although I expect it will cost significantly more to run.
My younger brother had the 100hp then sold it to buy a Cooper S.
He summarised it as Mini is faster but less involving, Panda is great fun but not really fast enough.
I drove the Panda and it is a riot but you are foot to the floor to get anywhere. How long it would take the abuse would be a concern.
He summarised it as Mini is faster but less involving, Panda is great fun but not really fast enough.
I drove the Panda and it is a riot but you are foot to the floor to get anywhere. How long it would take the abuse would be a concern.
Not had a Mini but would consider them a different league to the 100HP. I ran my 100HP from new to 35k miles, and loved it. Yes the ride was terrible really but it was great fun and as someone has said can be driven at 10/10ths so much more often than properly fast cars. It's also pretty practical!
I even tracked mine twice and although it was the slowest car by some margin (other cars were a Nissan GTR, M3 CSL and R8!!), it was great fun.
I even tracked mine twice and although it was the slowest car by some margin (other cars were a Nissan GTR, M3 CSL and R8!!), it was great fun.
The Mini is a quicker car all round as mentioned. I think its boring though. Ive driven a Panda 100hp before and it was a laugh throwing it around corners. I haven't driven a MCS but the Panda is the more exclusive option i'd go 4 that.
Edited by MrMcMikey on Tuesday 28th August 07:47
I have a panda (4x4) as a daily drive. Bought it for the big snow 2 years ago and got to like it very much so kept it on....it's been superb, totally reliable and practical.
The wife was looking for a new car last month and looked at mini's....due to my good experience with fiat I talked her into going to the fiat garage to look at 500's....within an hour we had a deal done on a new abarth for £13k. Fantastic piece of kit and very well equiped....she loves it. So do I for that matter!!
The wife was looking for a new car last month and looked at mini's....due to my good experience with fiat I talked her into going to the fiat garage to look at 500's....within an hour we had a deal done on a new abarth for £13k. Fantastic piece of kit and very well equiped....she loves it. So do I for that matter!!
I have a panda (4x4) as a daily drive. Bought it for the big snow 2 years ago and got to like it very much so kept it on....it's been superb, totally reliable and practical.
The wife was looking for a new car last month and looked at mini's....due to my good experience with fiat I talked her into going to the fiat garage to look at 500's....within an hour we had a deal done on a new abarth for £13k. Fantastic piece of kit and very well equiped....she loves it. So do I for that matter!!
The wife was looking for a new car last month and looked at mini's....due to my good experience with fiat I talked her into going to the fiat garage to look at 500's....within an hour we had a deal done on a new abarth for £13k. Fantastic piece of kit and very well equiped....she loves it. So do I for that matter!!
Panda, Panda, Panda, Panda....
They are such a HOOT to drive, proper grin at 30mph on some twisties car. Remap it or stick a turbo on if you need to but they are great out of the box! I was VERY tempted by it to replace the BINI but an iQ 1.33 won as him indoors preferred it! Currently driving a Colt CZC Turbo, that is brilliant fun too...
Not much boot to stick stuff in on a BINI...
Kate
They are such a HOOT to drive, proper grin at 30mph on some twisties car. Remap it or stick a turbo on if you need to but they are great out of the box! I was VERY tempted by it to replace the BINI but an iQ 1.33 won as him indoors preferred it! Currently driving a Colt CZC Turbo, that is brilliant fun too...
Not much boot to stick stuff in on a BINI...
Kate
I went from a Panda 100HP to a Mini JCW (one of the newer, turbocharged cars). The Panda is great fun but the chassis is not one of the greats. On bumpy B-class roads it can get more than a touch unruly. The Mini is much faster and much more competent, if not more fun. My Panda got around 33 - 34mpg, so it wasn't that economical. I'd still recommend the Panda, it was a hoot, but don't buy one expecting it to be the best handling small car you have ever driven....
Have owned a 100HP for 2.5 years now. Excellent fun, cheap and has been faultless. Does 100 miles per day across country and it's perfect for that. However, the ride is "interesting", but can be partially tackled with some KONI investment. Fuel consumption is not great (around 38-40mpg at legal speeds), but all other running costs are minimal. Practical rear seats and boot, can be converted into a van as required (takes my mountain bike easily).
Due to the ride, a test drive is very much needed before decisions can even be considered.
Due to the ride, a test drive is very much needed before decisions can even be considered.
Edited by Dan Friel on Wednesday 29th August 21:31
I get 45 mpg out of mine in normal use, 40mpg if I'm caning it. It's a brilliant little car, albeit with slightly odd looks, but the handling is brilliant. Yes, it is bouncy, to the point it is tiresome in normal driving, but I'd imagine a Cooper S would be similar.
As for Cooper S', I've only ever driven them on track (was an instructor for a while). They handle brilliantly (better than Panda, but not hugely more), and are a lot quicker than the Panda (obviously), but I can't stand the toy box dashboard, bits of trim tended to fall off, and while the Panda's figures are a lot slower, it *feels* a lot quicker, which makes it more fun in my book for road use.
Cheap too - I have an 08 with 36k that I bought for 5.5k with 18k miles 2 years ago.
As for Cooper S', I've only ever driven them on track (was an instructor for a while). They handle brilliantly (better than Panda, but not hugely more), and are a lot quicker than the Panda (obviously), but I can't stand the toy box dashboard, bits of trim tended to fall off, and while the Panda's figures are a lot slower, it *feels* a lot quicker, which makes it more fun in my book for road use.
Cheap too - I have an 08 with 36k that I bought for 5.5k with 18k miles 2 years ago.
I've not driven either so can't really give a qualified opinion on either, but having driven both a Cooper and a Panda (albeit a 1.2) I have to say the Fiat was the car that put the bigger smile on my face. Also they're much less common which I think adds to the cool factor a little bit.
In true PH fashion though, have you considered a Suzuki Swift Sport? I seem to remember that VBH off 5th gear quite liking them. About 120bhp in a 1100kg car. Should be good for a giggle and a bit quicker than the Fiat without the thirst of the MCS. I'd have thought in terms of reliability too they're pretty well screwed together.
In true PH fashion though, have you considered a Suzuki Swift Sport? I seem to remember that VBH off 5th gear quite liking them. About 120bhp in a 1100kg car. Should be good for a giggle and a bit quicker than the Fiat without the thirst of the MCS. I'd have thought in terms of reliability too they're pretty well screwed together.
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