Our Easy TA is now 18 months old and just coming up to 17,000 miles. We spent the last few days looking round at possible replacement vehicles. Won't bore you with the full list but in short we could not find one . Firstly the price of comparable cars seems to bave shot up, the stuff we considered as comparable was between 12 and 15 grand and none of it appeared to us to match the overall versatility of the Panda. I am probably preaching to the converted but the whole exercise was a real eye opener. The only down is the local dealer but I have located a very good independent so that's ok too.

Geoff.

I know, just been through it myself.

I considered a new Fiesta, but the price is eye watering for one with an Ecoboost engine, the cheaper ones are pretty poorly appointed.

I fancied a Mito too, but the "barn doors" and the lack of room in the back put me off, the ride isn't up to much either.

Kia's etc look better than ever, but still have that Tic Tac box feel about them.

The Mazda 2 wasn't too bad, a bit blue rinse, they had 0% finance and build quality wasn't too bad, shame the image isn't up to much.

Pick of them though was the Up/Mii/Citygo.
They remind me of the how the original mini handled and went.

In the end, I went for the TA 4x4 Panda, it's truely unique!

I am sure Panda is best car in class. Up is ****, twingo, well, its ok, but panda is better, picanto??? Maybe new i10 but I am not sure. Panda is great car.

I went for a Honda Jazz. Full on practicality and decent build quality.
I thought about another Panda but after 46,000 utterly trouble miles in a Chevrolet Spark with nary so much as a squeak I didn't feel like going back to Fiat.

Geddes said:

I went for a Honda Jazz. Full on practicality and decent build quality.
I thought about another Panda but after 46,000 utterly trouble miles in a Chevrolet Spark with nary so much as a squeak I didn't feel like going back to Fiat.

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That's totally fair enough. Fiat are still way off the mark quality wise, I don't blame you.

Suzuki Swift?

If you can wait there is a host of new cars coming this year.
But the Panda is still a very good drive. I think Suzuki is replacing the Swift next year, if that matters. It is a great drive though. And I also think VW is introducing a jacked up version of the Up soon. Still, when I drove the Up, although I was impressed by the refinement, I was totally uninspired by the (for me) uncomfortable front seat and the insipidity of the whole rather anodyne driving experience - no fun you see!
I want a bit of fun in a drive

Ulpian said:

If you can wait there is a host of new cars coming this year.
But the Panda is still a very good drive. I think Suzuki is replacing the Swift next year, if that matters. It is a great drive though. And I also think VW is introducing a jacked up version of the Up soon. Still, when I drove the Up, although I was impressed by the refinement, I was totally uninspired by the (for me) uncomfortable front seat and the insipidity of the whole rather anodyne driving experience - no fun you see!
I want a bit of fun in a drive

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Think the swift has just (last 6 months) had a very minor facelift. Was a totally new model less than 4 years ago too.

Suzuki has embarked on a replacement drive for their whole range. There is an Alto replacement coming late this year, plus a new small crossover in the autumn, and next year - I think that's right - a new Swift arrives. It might be 2016 though, so don't quote me.
A new Vitara thing is coming sometime too, and as for the Jimny, well, it's obsolete but has a niche all it's own as a real rufty-tufty off roader, so it still sells to some mountain people.

I went looking at the Swift, I like the look of them, space in the back isn't great though.

I tried two dealerships.
One had no demos and they tried selling me a used Corsa that was older, with more miles than my trade in!

The other had no sales reps!
Just a boy washing the forecourt fodder who didn't know when one would turn up!

Both service desks looked a bit too harrassed for my liking, too many customers huffing and puffing, looking p*ssed off, though one dealer was a shared dealership with VX, so I guess that would account for that service desk.

Another consideration was the Citroen DS3, it wouldn't have figured really, but on a 3 year PCP deal, I could bag up the parts that drop off and hand them back with what's left of it at the end.

Same here, starting to look at a replacement, have 2 kids on the way, need a bit more room, didnt realise when I bought it I couldnt legaly carry more than 2 in the back. Thought it came with 3 seatbelts. Wifes got the bigger car so the search is on...

catnash said:

same here, starting to look at a replacement, have 2 kids on the way, need a bit more room, didnt realise when i bought it i couldnt legaly carry more than 2 in the back. Thought it came with 3 seatbelts. Wifes got the bigger car so the search is on...

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500l?

Cant see me driving a 500l will have to be 2nd hand low mileage.

catnash said:

Cant see me driving a 500l will have to be 2nd hand low mileage.

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We just bought an ex demo 1.6 trekking for £13.5k... Put down £1k deposit, and it works out as £180/month on 4yr pcp deal... Bargain.

milesperhour said:

We just bought an ex demo 1.6 trekking for £13.5k... Put down £1k deposit, and it works out as £180/month on 4yr pcp deal... Bargain.

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That's a good deal!

Funny how Fiat have got around their poor reputation for designing
large cars (apart from the wonderful 130 coupe, anyone else remember
that one?) by making rather large versions of their smallest car

I read that over half of MINI production is now the hideous Countryman



Chris

Moultoneer said:

I read that over half of MINI production is now the hideous Countryman

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The Countryman looks a lot better now the Paceman has appeared...

New Renault Twingo with engine in the boot? Rumoured to be around the £8.5k mark, released later in the year.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/renault/twingo/85741/new-renault-twingo-2014-arrives-geneva

Oga said:

New Renault Twingo with engine in the boot? Rumoured to be around the £8.5k mark, released later in the year.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/renault/twingo/85741/new-renault-twingo-2014-arrives-geneva

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I'm finding that car very intriguing (and there'll be the SMART for4 as
an alternative choice...)

When they appear in the showrooms, I'll be along to measure up

Boot space may be a show-stopper as I need to fit my folding bike,
plus other clobber. But I've never had a rear-engined car, and with the
89HP turbo engine, it looks like a bundle of fun :devil:

I wonder (assuming success) if it'll persuade Fiat to try rear engines again?



Chris

Moultoneer said:

I'm finding that car very intriguing (and there'll be the SMART for4 as
an alternative choice...)

When they appear in the showrooms, I'll be along to measure up

Boot space may be a show-stopper as I need to fit my folding bike,
plus other clobber. But I've never had a rear-engined car, and with the
89HP turbo engine, it looks like a bundle of fun :devil:

I wonder (assuming success) if it'll persuade Fiat to try rear engines again?



Chris

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Have you seen it with the seats down, Moultoneer? All but drivers folded flat, it's really good use of the space. There's a 360 interior view with seats up and down on the Renault website.