Unfortunately I was not fully aware that the car did not have an emergency spare wheel, only an inflation can, which when used renders the tyre useless for prolonged use.

I complained when I collected the car from the dealer & offerd to pay the option price to change to an emergency spare wheel. I was told that I would have to pay the full price for the spare wheel £180 as I didn't order the option with the car. Anyone else had the same experience.

I have no experence of this, but it is very disappointing and just the sort of thing to kill stone dead any repeat sales.

Why can't they just sell it for the proper price and have a happy customer?

But then, they don't really value happy customers...

I've only got the inflation can gadget as well, although I was aware of this when I bought my new Panda. It was available from the docks which meant I didn't have long to wait for delivery, but it also meant that I couldn't make any changes to the spec. I would have preferred a spare wheel, but like you I didn't want to pay £180 when I could have had one for £50

Having said that I am delighted with my car, it's the 1.2 Easy and came with alloys, fog lights and comfort pack. I'll just have to hope I never get a puncture - I can just about cope with changing a wheel, but the instructions for the inflation gadget look quite complicated!

Sorry to hear of your experience with the dealer - I too don't have a spare wheel, just an inflation kit, but that was also what I ordered.

You might want to give a website like mytyres.co.uk a try and order a complete steel wheel/tyre. I used their website to order winter tyres and they were very good. I think they are still updating their website for the new Panda, but basically a standard fit 14" Conti with steel wheel can be picked up for less than £100 including delivery. Certainly a lot less than £180, jeez!

Now admittedly that would be a full size wheel which probably won't fit very well (if at all) in the boot, but I guess if you can get going again using the inflation kit then you could swap over to a like-for-like full size wheel once you get back home.

Another idea anyway...

That wasn't the only problem with the sale, I have re-contacted the dealer & waiting to hear what they are prepared to do. Luckily I paid by credit card so it may be necessary to go down that route.

Hmm, sounds ominous! Hope you have some luck anyway.

By the way, your car has got the Easy wheel trims - I didn't know you could spec them for a Pop?

Didn't know there were different trims, it just arrived that way. Another of my complaints, I was told the car would come with the door trims, as you can see it didn't. The dealer has agreed to retro fit FOC, but they are stuck on, not via pre formed holes as per the factory fit. Not a happy chappy. BTW the trims are on back order until God only knows!!!

Yeah I just noticed them as one of the Easy's extra features over the Pop is that it has its own special steel trims. Wouldn't surprise me if they fitted the wrong wheels by the sounds of it!

Just sounds like the dealer has made a dog's dinner of it then. Do you have anything in writing confirming what the order should have been? Fingers crossed you have.

No, but two witnesses heard what was said & they have admitted responsibility verbally.

Ulpian said:

I have no experence of this, but it is very disappointing and just the sort of thing to kill stone dead any repeat sales.

Why can't they just sell it for the proper price and have a happy customer?

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They are, a factory order is completly different to a dealer order! I can't see why your moaning so much about it.

stearman65 said:

That wasn't the only problem with the sale, I have re-contacted the dealer & waiting to hear what they are prepared to do. Luckily I paid by credit card so it may be necessary to go down that route.

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You ordered a car, signed the order form and didn't check the spec before. Not sure what the other issues are, but if like this one you won't have a leg to stand on as the fault isn't on Fiats side.

Thought of visiting a scrappy and paying £20 for a spare from a scrapped Fiat. They're all vertually the same.

I'm not blaming Fiat, it's the agent who is at fault & there could be differences to the wheels on the current car to one from a scrap yard such as off-set. There is also the fact that a jack & wheelbrace is not supplied, so if a puncture is too severe for the gas can to deal with, you can't even get the wheel off to take it to a garage. I'm sure if the road safety organisations were aware of this they would outlaw the practice of not supplying a basic spare wheel.

stearman65 said:

I'm not blaming Fiat, it's the agent who is at fault & there could be differences to the wheels on the current car to one from a scrap yard such as off-set. There is also the fact that a jack & wheelbrace is not supplied, so if a puncture is too severe for the gas can to deal with, you can't even get the wheel off to take it to a garage. I'm sure if the road safety organisations were aware of this they would outlaw the practice of not supplying a basic spare wheel.

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It's common practise and nothing in need of outlawing tbh.

If it is a blow out thats what a recovery agent is for, and if the car is in a dangerous possition then it can still be limped on a flat to safety

Hows it the agents fault out of interest? Did they say it came with one then?

They are, a factory order is completly different to a dealer order! I can't see why your moaning so much about it.

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Not moaning - thank you - just pointing out that Fiat doesn't have the greatest reputation in the sales department, and I was indicating that the fact that the car isn't equipped with a proper spare should have been mentioned before sale. Many people still reasonably assume that cars come with spare wheels. I woud also think that £180 is worth taking exception to, especially as a new steel wheel and tyre could be bought for less.

Buying a new car is a very fraught business for most people and a salesman should ideally cover all aspects of specificaton before the deal is done. That's part of his job and makes for a happy customer - my original point.

The salesman responsible here didn't go into adequate detail, so I believe the OP has a reasonable cause for upset, even if it wouldn't hold up in a court.

Suppose I can see where your coming from about salesman not going through the spec, and surpirsed they don't try and push the option, more money for them if they do.

With regards to the £180. Steel wheel probably £60, tyre £40-60, jack £40-60 & other tools etc another £40-60 ish. All in £180 isn't too bad when you go into the details.

in my view if your buying the car you select the options and spec from new not the agent so you should know well in advance of the car being delivered what spec your getting, if you can see 100% something selected is missing then dont sign the bit of paper stating the car meets the spec ordered, even without checking the online configurator in this day and age its safe to assume on the basic spec car you dont get a spare unless you add it to the option list

My car wasn’t new but I asked if a spare would cost me £60 as listed as an option. He said it would probably be about £300 because it has to include a moulded item to hold the tools. So I’ve ordered an unused space saver on eBay for £100 and there is a well in the boot floor that it should fit in. I’m not sure about the other tools though.

I bought a jack set from a breakers with all the tools for £10. I have a spare set for standard car hanging around too that anyone interested can have for the postage. Jack set for the 4x4 was £30 off eBay from a 500X. You need the bigger jack to get the lift height needed for the 4x4. A standard 15" steel wheel with a 175/60 15 tyre will fit in the wheel well. A 175/65 tyre will go in off the wheel but not when fitted and inflated. As an under-sized tyre it would need to be subject to the same speed reduction as a space saver, but should I hope provide better safety. In due course I will let you all know.