Hi there, my first post so please excuse any errors and sorry if teh advert has been discussed elsewhere, I couldn't find it.

Have been trying to put off my urges for a classic panda for some time with every excuse I can think of but getting tempted by this one and would appreciate any opinions.

Unfortunately I cannot post URL but description as below from Gumtree advert based in Norwich-

MOT - nov. TAX - dec
Here is my little panda, had her nearly a year and has been a amazing car, she has served me well and It will be a shame to see her go... She is a very reliable car I use her everyday .
There are a few bad points - the to front headlight glasses have been smashed, easily replaceable, and a tail light out, she just had a new alternator and clutch cable.. I have also recently rust remedy and filled all of the rust spots..
She also has genuine low mileage - 71791


I'm in Colchester so its not too far away, my first excuse usually, its cheap, my second excuse and the lad selling seems sound enough on the phone.

Unfortunately I was due to go and get it friday last week but he phoned last min to say it wouldn't go into gear at standstill. He took it to the garage and they changed the clutch cable which had recently been done.

I was due to go up saturday but he phoned at last minute to say the cable had snapped and the garage felt it needed "a washer welding" where it goes through the bulkhead to stop it rubbing. Looking on your very informative and enjoyable site it appears clutch cables are very common issues and if you do not get the washer on right they do rub and snap.

He says its pretty sound underneath, he has treated surface rust as can be seen, no known issues and he was driving daily but has been handed down newer car by Uncle so getting rid.

Do I take a chance or pine a bit longer regretting a missed opportunity?

Thoughts and what to look for if I go to pick it up would be much appreciated.

Hi, welcome to the Forum, you're certainly asking the right people.

How much is he asking for this Panda and which model age is it?

Thanks,

its a 1987 750L i think, alledgedly powder blue but looks white in pics so maybe a respray unless the blue is very light?. Its only £250, seems bargain and a no brainer but would like it to get me back from Norwich, be useable and not another "project" that I struggle to get round to and clutters up my crowded driveway annoying the wife and never being road worthy.

Been to see a couple and was happy to pay around £500 for a bit of fun run around but very few seem to come up locally. Lots north west or south west for some reason.

Thanks for reply.

Here she is.

Door looks like its seen better days and is a common rust problem on Pandas...
I think the blue is supposed to be that light but someone else will probably more sure of it than me...

Another 750L though, well worth saving. My Panda is my first and also a 750, they're great fun and use next to nothing in petrol Not the most grunt worthy cars in the world so don't be scared to rev it if you need to get anywhere in a hurry.

Thanks for thoughts,

I reckon even if it goes wrong beyond my abilities to fix I'll get my money back for someone else to do up.

My sensible head is trying to talk my heart out of buying it.

Cheers,

Geoff

Ps I'm sick of working night shifts.

Gwoods78 said:

Thanks for thoughts,

I reckon even if it goes wrong beyond my abilities to fix I'll get my money back for someone else to do up.

My sensible head is trying to talk my heart out of buying it.

Cheers,

Geoff

Ps I'm sick of working night shifts.

Click to expand...

Parts that you can get hold of are cheap, most things can be fixed with some sellotape and lolly pop sticks, rust is the only thing to be remotely scared of and if you can weld or know of someone who can that's easily sorted.
I was scared of buying my Panda since I sold my 2006 nothing wrong with it Grande Punto in exchange for a 1992 Panda...
I've owned the Panda almost 5 months, nothing has really gone wrong, it starts everyday, it gets me to where I need to be everyday without any hassle and it costs me a damn sight less to run than my Punto did

At present I've got a 54 plate panda with autobox, bought with my head when I needed a new car for work (community nurse so needs to be reliable) but really wanted a classic. Its great though, 50+ mpg, £105 tax and cheap insurance so can't complain.

Unfortunately it doesn't make me smile when I drive it and still want car with personality. I'd keep the classic for second car, been quoted £86 a year to insure with Lancaster for 3000 mile social use, so worth the few quid a week for tax and insurance.

Its just should this be the one? I'm more of a tinkerer than a welder mechanics wise.

Tinkerer is enough for most things. If you don't fancy welding check sills round the jacking points (under back end of the doors) and back end of sills where the suspension mounting points are. Then get a look at the seams under the rear arches and rear seat belt mounting points just above them. Those are the bits that tend to rust in a MOT fail weldy sort of way, most of the rest is cosmetic. You'll be very lucky to find one with decent doors at that sort of budget so don't let that put you off.
Good luck.

Yeah I would pay that for one to use as spares.
But you must remember that older cars like a bit of 'fettling'.
New cars tend you run for years and then cost fortunes

Didge3 said:

I think the blue is supposed to be that light but someone else will probably more sure of it than me...

Click to expand...

Yes there was one before on Ebay that colour.

Yes it's Chiaro's colour - it suits the Panda and can look almost white in photo's. Here's one from Stanford - there are others scattered around in my photo gallery.

I know this one gas been around recently, I think it was Dave asking if it was Zippy attached to the front grill. But is this the same car @MEP went to look at for Mr Haze a long while back as it was close to him?? I remember the discussion then about it being white in some photos and blue in others..

Palio said:

Yes it's Chiaro's colour - it suits the Panda and can look almost white in photo's. Here's one from Stanford - there are others scattered around in my photo gallery.

Click to expand...

This reminds me I have yet to upload a single picture from Stanford...

I thought this might have been the same blue as Chiaro. Also reminds me that I need to think about doing my roof rails in the same chequered ones that are on Chiaro...

Hi any memories of the outcome of the discussion/viewing? Is it still for sale as its on last legs and potential death trap/money pit, as much as a panda could be.

Guess its a trip to Norwich, thanks for bits to look out for.

Will let you know how it goes.

https://www.fiatforum.com/auction-watch/313638-not-what-seems.html

Click on the Gumtree ad and it gives 750L Norwich. Looks like the same one to me.

If you are able to do repairs yourself, it may be worth a look but with only 6-9 weeks MOT left, you are taking a big risk on the amount of welding that might need doing.

What's your budget? If you spent £250 on this you could easily spend another £300 plus sorting it, whereas if you had a budget of £500 you will be able to find one in better condition with a year's MOT. The sums add up to the same but with much less of the hassle.

I bought Firecolour last summer (a 1994 Fire) for £500 off Gumtree following a tip off from a forum member here. Had been garaged all it's life, 22,000 genuine miles, new battery and years MOT. All it needed was a service, new tyres (old ones perished) and minor fettling with change of suspension tie arms. It's just sailed through another MOT although I changed the cambelt (risk management) and the drive shaft gaiters (outer split, inners leaking). Apart from that, she's a reliable daily driver.

It may be worth you waiting rather than grabbing the first that comes along.

Bougainvillea Rosso said:

https://www.fiatforum.com/auction-watch/313638-not-what-seems.html

Click on the Gumtree ad and it gives 750L Norwich. Looks like the same one to me.

Click to expand...

That's the tread I was talking about! I new MEP had gone to look it for Mr Haze but couldn't find the thread as I was looking through 750 threads and not "not what it seems" threads :bang: glad we now list number plates on auction watch!

Well done for finding it

There's G 91 GVG on Gumtree in Kent, asking £675. If it's not too far, you may be better looking at something like that but don't carry any more than £500 with you

Don't forget, everything is negotiable and pricing cars like this is only done on the Bangernomics method, they haven't started to reach classic status yet apart from in the close circle of this forum and the Panda events.

firecolour said:

There's G 91 GVG on Gumtree in Kent, asking £675.

Click to expand...

Normally, I'd agree... -- and I hate to put a spanner in the works... -- but it also appears as "breaking" in one of the Panda Killer's ads on eBay....

So I'd be just a tad wary of this particular example....

Edit: Here's the thread....