Panda 2012+ Chichi, the Angry Panda

Yes, the edge is the same specification. I took the manual in with me

Hopefully it won't be needed as my TA 500 used zero oil after the first 1000 or so miles where I only added 250ml to bring it back to max.

Thanks

Been out & about today, near the sea









Still no snow

Great looking car!

Just won a set of genuine roof bars to use on the longitudinal bars. £80

Well, almost two weeks in and nothing but positives to say about how the car looks & drives.

Sadly, no snow but plenty of sub zero temperatures. Major plus points are the heated front screen, super quick bum warmers (shame they don't do the lower back too), the hight upright driving position /ground clearance & the frankly superb feeling of solidity. It's quiet too, a lot quieter than the 500.

Ok, the plastics are hard but that's to be expected but the general ergonomics & in cabin stowage space is great.

Seat comfort is excellent (over short journeys to date) & leather in lays in the doors are tidy. The boot is fantastic. Perfect size & shape.

The Blue & me actually works, radio 2 sounds great & the Satnav integration via the 68r port is brill.

All the controls are excellent in terms of touch, weight & feel.

Minor downsides are the economy at only 35.3mpg over the first 178 miles (will get better as my 500 TA did), a more cramped than my 500 footwell when wearing my size 10 Magnum work boots & the positioning of the heated seat switches.

Rear legroom is tight too, tighter than the 500 when the front seat is in my position but access is great.

Overal, a brilliant daily driver that I'm happy to drive anywhere & park anywhere.

Now, where's the bloody snow!?!?!?

Quick update.



Chichi hit 300 miles this morning and got her second tank of fuel.



MPG to date is a low 33.3mpg, a good 8 - 10 mpg short of what my 500 gave on the same route. Hope it gets better (my 3.2V6 Q4 Brera gives 23mpg on the route).



The engine doesn't feel tight either and has plenty of go.



Oil level is still to the maximum mark. Hasn't used a drop



I've ordered a genuine Fiat 4x4 badge for the tailgate as I think it looks a little bare as it is



http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=231132946526

Need to sort the roof bars out.....



Cheers,



Simon

Squadrone Rosso said:

Quick update.



Chichi hit 300 miles this morning and got her second tank of fuel.



MPG to date is a low 33.3mpg, a good 8 - 10 mpg short of what my 500 gave on the same route. Hope it gets better (my 3.2V6 Q4 Brera gives 23mpg on the route).



The engine doesn't feel tight either and has plenty of go.



Oil level is still to the maximum mark. Hasn't used a drop



I've ordered a genuine Fiat 4x4 badge for the tailgate as I think it looks a little bare as it is



http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=231132946526

Need to sort the roof bars out.....



Cheers,



Simon

Click to expand...

Yeah, I bought the same badge. Looks good, like fiat put it there

Chichi was momentarily white today as cleaned her for the first time in just over 4 weeks of ownership!

Pre wash, wheels with AG Acid Free cleaner, snow foam, two grit guard bucket wash, AG Autogloss rinse, fluffy towel dry, Hoover the interior, dress the tyres, job jobbed.



Also fitted a genuine Fiat 4x4 badge - makes the rear look less bare



With the other 4x4 we own

Snow foam is a great idea! Looking good with the 4x4 badge ! Will have to order one of those! As for the breara takes me back to mine in 2006 never got left alone with it! People were constantly giving me a business card to give them first chance to buy it from me! Or when you come out of the supermarket always people looking inside! Gorgeous car!

Duffish said:

Snow foam is a great idea! Looking good with the 4x4 badge ! Will have to order one of those! As for the breara takes me back to mine in 2006 never got left alone with it! People were constantly giving me a business card to give them first chance to buy it from me! Or when you come out of the supermarket always people looking inside! Gorgeous car!

Click to expand...

We got an Alfa GT, also a great looking car. Still, its nearly 8 but got no idea what to replace it with....

We've got a V6 GT too but it lives a sheltered life & is seldom used. Ditto the S4 Spider

The Alfa GT is an itch I wish I'd scratched a few years back. I still keep an eye on the classifieds for a Stromboli grey with red leather and that magnificent Busso V6. One day.

The GT is a great car and has been faultless with the exception of the front suspension weakness inherited from the 146 & 156

It's even got my name on it (my initials are GT).

And lo, it is written...

The GT is stylish & a nice car to be in but it's dynamically compromised, even with a slippy diff. Our V6 sounds brilliant though.

The Brera is much nicer. Fast, comfortable, composed, Q4 grip and so on.

Purists will say it lacks the Busso is powered by GM but objectively, I'd take the newer engine for strength, reliability & flexibility.

Anyway, back on topic. Took out rather excellent Panda to a Piston Heads meet this morning. Averaged 27mpg over 60 miles....lol.

You'd have got better mpg in the GT lol

gar074 said:

You'd have got better mpg in the GT lol

Click to expand...

I didn't take the Panda much over 90.....at those speeds the GT would have given the same as it.

But, had I taken the GT, it would have given me 18mpg:slayer:

I also thought the back of the Panda looked a bit bare, I didn't know Fiat made a 4x4 badge so I bought the numbers and letter from my local Halfords ie, two 4's and one X , and made it myself. It was a cheap option that seems to have worked just fine.

Hit 760 miles this morning.

Not a drop of oil used. Fuel economy continues to disappoint at 33mpg / 230 miles a tank.

Cleaned her again on Saturday. Looks brill. One tiny stone chip on the bonnet need doing but Tuscany Green paint sticks are unobtanium from what I understand.

For those with heated front screen, have you removed the warning sticker off the screen?

Cheers,