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Panda Hello From London

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Panda Hello From London

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DanieleB

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Nov 18, 2014
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Hi all,

Well the time has come and I have had to admit defeat and accept that I need a daily runabout as my Piaggio MP3 is a bit too chilly for this time of year.

I'm looking for a Panda 100HP to run about town in. I have read all the pitfalls, most notably the firm ride, but I have tried a few now (all dogs) and I'm convinced its the right car for us now.

Its not my first Fiat ….. learnt to drive in a 1969 500, first car was an Uno and I've had a Tipo 16V and Alfa GTV Cup over the years. Looking forward to getting back into a small runabout now having run a Audi B6 S4 for the past few years.

So hi to all, look forward to 'adding' to the community, and hopefully finding a good 100HP soon ….. my god there are some crap ones out there at the moment :eek:

Dan
 
DanieleB said:
Hi all,

Well the time has come and I have had to admit defeat and accept that I need a daily runabout as my Piaggio MP3 is a bit too chilly for this time of year.

I'm looking for a Panda 100HP to run about town in. I have read all the pitfalls, most notably the firm ride, but I have tried a few now (all dogs) and I'm convinced its the right car for us now.

Its not my first Fiat ….. learnt to drive in a 1969 500, first car was an Uno and I've had a Tipo 16V and Alfa GTV Cup over the years. Looking forward to getting back into a small runabout now having run a Audi B6 S4 for the past few years.

So hi to all, look forward to 'adding' to the community, and hopefully finding a good 100HP soon ….. my god there are some crap ones out there at the moment :eek:

Dan
Click to expand...


Plenty of bad ones out there.


There's a nice red one for sale, over to your right on this screen.


Later ones (2010+ generally) won't have Bluetooth, like it matters.
 
Yes I have seen the ones for sale on here but they are all situated miles away from me ..... I don't normally mind travelling for my car if it's the right one, but getting lazy in my old age :rolleyes:
 
DanieleB said:
Yes I have seen the ones for sale on here but they are all situated miles away from me ..... I don't normally mind travelling for my car if it's the right one, but getting lazy in my old age :rolleyes:
Click to expand...


I hear that. I recently added a 1.2 Panda Dynamic to the existing 100hp.


One , cos of the price and two cos it was within 20 miles.
 
Hi there..I live in London and travelled up to Lincolnshire by train 3 weeks ago to pick up my 100hp (2008, 1 owner, FSH, 27k miles)..I think it's worth half a day if it means getting the right car. Look on auto trader and use the filters to filter out the rubbish (I wasn't interested in anything with over 40k miles or which had lots of previous owners). There are plenty of good ones if you are willing to spend around £4k..I paid £3999 which was a pretty good price I think as the car is immaculate inside and out. It also had just been serviced (oil & filter) and has 1 year MOT. I have just changed the air filter to a BMC sports filter and have fitted Denso iridium plugs..The old ones were still the originals I think..
Have a permanent grin when driving it..you won't be disppointed! Good luck..
 
Just be sure you are happy to slow to a snails pace for the all-too-frequent speed bumps. The Addison-Lees can get quite irate at the pace I take them. It's the only downside to a 100hp in London for me.
 
Lucio said:
Hi there..I live in London and travelled up to Lincolnshire by train 3 weeks ago to pick up my 100hp (2008, 1 owner, FSH, 27k miles)..I think it's worth half a day if it means getting the right car. Look on auto trader and use the filters to filter out the rubbish (I wasn't interested in anything with over 40k miles or which had lots of previous owners). There are plenty of good ones if you are willing to spend around £4k..I paid £3999 which was a pretty good price I think as the car is immaculate inside and out. It also had just been serviced (oil & filter) and has 1 year MOT. I have just changed the air filter to a BMC sports filter and have fitted Denso iridium plugs..The old ones were still the originals I think..
Have a permanent grin when driving it..you won't be disppointed! Good luck..
Click to expand...

I used to have the same opinion Lucio, in fact I still do, but it does get tiring when people tell you over the phone the car is in really good condition only to find upon arrival - after an hours train journey - their judgement of good conditions varies slightly to yours :bang:

Over the years I have alway bought cars that enthusiasts tend to buy, consequently the conversation over the phone and the honesty levels are far better - what I have found with the Panda is that despite it being a great little car, I would't say it has attracted enthusiasts yet, thus making the phone conversation far harder to judge.

Requesting more specific pictures might be the way forward ….. or honesty :confused:

Search continues, my criteria is more or less exactly the same as yours though.
 
Grampian said:
Just be sure you are happy to slow to a snails pace for the all-too-frequent speed bumps. The Addison-Lees can get quite irate at the pace I take them. It's the only downside to a 100hp in London for me.
Click to expand...

I have driven a couple now and I think I can deal with the ride to be honest - It was no where near as bad as I thought it was going to be (y)
 
good luck with the search. you are going to need it. the number of good 100hp are scarce.


I looked at 4 and bought the 4th. even with the 4th I travelled twice to view and the third trip to bring her home. each trip was 360 miles..... yes I am one of the nuts that will travel anywhere for the right car..

had mine for 7 months now. besides minor hiccup I'm still loving the car....

I don't think you said what colour you are after
 
I hear you Daniele. In fact I asked the garage that was selling it to take additional photos (of the seats, carpet in drivers footwell etc..) and only after I was 100% satisfied did I take the trip to Lancashire to pick it up. Luckily it was as described. It was a 'family' garage and the owner seemed an honest enough guy when I spoke to him on the phone. In fact it was better than I expected. I had previously been to see one about 35 miles from where I live and it was awful..worn carpet with a big hole under the clutch pedal, hole in drivers seat, back seats covered in dog hair, pretty tatty and faded cabin and the seat was bottomless when I sat in it (probably not helped by the fact that the owner and her partner were not exactly on the slim side if you know what I mean!)..so I made sure that I made sure my one was a goodun before I made the trip (y)
 
GunMetalPo said:
good luck with the search. you are going to need it. the number of good 100hp are scarce.





I looked at 4 and bought the 4th. even with the 4th I travelled twice to view and the third trip to bring her home. each trip was 360 miles..... yes I am one of the nuts that will travel anywhere for the right car..



had mine for 7 months now. besides minor hiccup I'm still loving the car....



I don't think you said what colour you are after
Click to expand...


I really like red but I would be happy with a grey one. Basically the only one I will not consider is black.
 
Lucio said:
I hear you Daniele. In fact I asked the garage that was selling it to take additional photos (of the seats, carpet in drivers footwell etc..) and only after I was 100% satisfied did I take the trip to Lancashire to pick it up. Luckily it was as described. It was a 'family' garage and the owner seemed an honest enough guy when I spoke to him on the phone. In fact it was better than I expected. I had previously been to see one about 35 miles from where I live and it was awful..worn carpet with a big hole under the clutch pedal, hole in drivers seat, back seats covered in dog hair, pretty tatty and faded cabin and the seat was bottomless when I sat in it (probably not helped by the fact that the owner and her partner were not exactly on the slim side if you know what I mean!)..so I made sure that I made sure my one was a goodun before I made the trip (y)
Click to expand...


Speaking to a garage at the moment in Nuneaton, which is an ok journey. Grey, 32k, full service history, £5k ..... That's a tad more than I wanted to spend but buying from a Fiat approved garage is obviously part of the premium price. I have already asked them for further photos of the obvious places, thinking of making the trip some time next week perhaps.
 
DanieleB said:
Speaking to a garage at the moment in Nuneaton, which is an ok journey. Grey, 32k, full service history, £5k ..... That's a tad more than I wanted to spend but buying from a Fiat approved garage is obviously part of the premium price. I have already asked them for further photos of the obvious places, thinking of making the trip some time next week perhaps.
Click to expand...

I got mine from a fiat dealer so paid a premium. I also knew how much the car was taken in for as part of a part exchange.

luckily for me the sales guy was a car enthusiast. when talking arranging a viewing and obtaining details about the car he talks about "detailing" "beading" it should be ok. nothing was too much effort. we eventually did a lot of things through whatsapp. he sent me pictures of every area of the Car from multiple angles.

to be fair the previous owner really looked after if. it was like a new car bar a few stone chips.

I really like red too but too worried about it fading and colour match issues if and when bits need to be repainted. I've always been into white cars but think the panda looks great in grey.

Hopefully you will be in a 100hp soon enough. but with more and more being written off there won't be many good ones left....
 
GunMetalPo said:
I got mine from a fiat dealer so paid a premium. I also knew how much the car was taken in for as part of a part exchange.

luckily for me the sales guy was a car enthusiast. when talking arranging a viewing and obtaining details about the car he talks about "detailing" "beading" it should be ok. nothing was too much effort. we eventually did a lot of things through whatsapp. he sent me pictures of every area of the Car from multiple angles.

to be fair the previous owner really looked after if. it was like a new car bar a few stone chips.

I really like red too but too worried about it fading and colour match issues if and when bits need to be repainted. I've always been into white cars but think the panda looks great in grey.

Hopefully you will be in a 100hp soon enough. but with more and more being written off there won't be many good ones left....
Click to expand...

Yes its a good point about the red fading, for some reason red seems to be the worst colour for this for all makes of car ….. but they do look great in red :)

Yep hope to be in one soon, when the time finally arrives I will post it up.
 
I found a "lovely" Red 100HP when I was looking. Photos on the dealers site looked ok and it was decent mileage.
Fortunately it wasnt too far from me so I went to have a look.

It had been in a supermarket prang and the drivers front wing had been repaired/resprayed.
Whoever had done the work did a brilliant job, but it was too good.
The wing looked too new in comparison to the rest of the car which had faded.
Shame cos it was actually a lovely motor.
 
Did you see the one in Nuneaton? Looks good on the ad on autotrader. I wanted a grey one but the one I found and bought was blue. Wasn't too keen at first but it's really grown on me..the only colour I wouldn't have bought is red..my wife said I'd look like postman Pat in it :D (not too keen on white either)
 
Panda actually looks great in all available colours. fiat covered all the bases with main colours..

obviously I preferred grey and gave up the chance to have a matching white car with the Mrs
 
Lucio said:
Did you see the one in Nuneaton? Looks good on the ad on autotrader. I wanted a grey one but the one I found and bought was blue. Wasn't too keen at first but it's really grown on me..the only colour I wouldn't have bought is red..my wife said I'd look like postman Pat in it :D (not too keen on white either)
Click to expand...

Not yet Lucio, I haven't had the time to get up there ….. hoping for next Tuesday with any luck !!
 
GunMetalPo said:
Panda actually looks great in all available colours. fiat covered all the bases with main colours..

obviously I preferred grey and gave up the chance to have a matching white car with the Mrs
Click to expand...

Agreed, apart from Black IMO.
 
Yellow fades a bit too. My anaemic custard, err Vanlla Yellow, car is definitely a few shades lighter on the outside. It's a lot more fun than its predecessor (a 1.4 Tdi Polo)... :)
 
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