The sale of goods act 1979 states that items for sale must be Fit for purpose. This poses the question is the Fiat Panda Cross fit for purpose when sold without a spare wheel but with a 'Fix & Go' latex repair system. The Cross is advertised and sold as a vehicle with go almost anywhere ability. However, other than on the highway if you get a puncture you're likely to be helpless. The 'Fix & Go' system only has limited ability to seal punctures and off the highway you're unlikely to get a pick up truck from Ciao Fiat, or anywhere else to come and collect you.

It's an interesting thought that I had the opportunity to ponder after getting a puncture in the sidewall of my 1 week old Cross. I managed to get the car back to the dealer before the tyre completely deflated. The dealer could not source the correct tyre (Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons) and seriously offered me a Bridgestone with different tread pattern, though still all season which they could get by the end of the week. If I insisted on a Goodyear it would be the end of April. I told them to forget it and would source a tyre myself. I ordered it from Lovetyres yesterday afternoon, it was delivered at 9am this morning and the dealer fitted it this afternoon. I asked about a new can of latex to replace the one I used. Apparently they don't stock it but have placed one on order for me.

Hence my thoughts about cars and the Cross in particular with the Fix & Go system. Are they fit for purpose?

I have an older Panda Cross which has a spacesaver spare wheel. I'm going to check the overall tyre diameter and the PCD of the bolt holes to see if it will work on the new Cross.

On the plus side I am delighted with the new Cross. I like the colour because it makes me smile whenever I see the car, and feel it is a very grown up and mature drive. Compared to the older model it feels bigger and more solid. Side by side, however, they are surprisingly similar in overall dimensions. The TA engine is characterful and takes a bit of getting used to but over the first 400 miles the trip computer says I'm getting 48.5mpg. This is so far ahead of other users that I wonder just how much driving style and conditions affects the economy of the TA. My usual commute is 25 miles, 20 0f which are at a steady 50 to 60mph on an A road with the rest on country lanes. There is no traffic to speak of.

If I can find out how to post a picture or two I'll show both side by side.

I doubt the SoGA will help here, so you'll have to blame the idiots in the EU for their ridiculous focus on an unrepresentative carbons and MPG test for new cars. Even losing a not particularly heavy thing like a wheel makes a measurable difference and manufacturers will take any opportunity they can to get to a smaller carbons number. Buy a space-saver and a jack and be done with it I think....

I am convinced that the driving environment affects MPG hugely. When I drive on the flat - as I did last week coming back home over a 150 miles of flat, 50-60mph A-roads with some 30-40 in towns - I got nearly 49mpg. But driving to and from the office up and over the North Downs and the Greensand Hills from one side of Surrey to the other and it drops to about 40 MPG on average. The first of those hills climbs about 800ft when the engine is pretty cold and does terrible things to the MPG readout. I pick up some numbers going down the other side, but never enough to get back to where I started. Then the same over the North Downs too. And repeat at night. Still 41 average over my 4000 miles so far is actually pretty good, considering Dad's old MkII Cortina 1600 Ghia with the same 85bhp managed only about 24mpg in 1970!

I don't think the off-road argument will hold water. When I used to off-road, we always carried a can or two of tyre-weld even though we had a spare. It's hard (and dangerous) to jack a car in the soft stuff. Also in 35 yers of motoring I think I've had to change a wheel at the road side about 4 times.

Sorry you've had all the hassle with the puncture.

Did you buy the car new? Did they tell you the spare wheel was a £50 option? Did you decide that it wasn't worth it?

Hope I don't sound facetious, I think its an industry-wide problem and I don't like it but I think the best that could be hoped for is another line of tiny print on the adverts saying "If you get a puncture you're probably screwed (model shown includes spare wheel (£50))" or a public service film saying "Got a car? Then make sure you've got spare wheel".

Whether they advertise the car as "go anywhere" or just "go to the shops" if you live in a rural area you'll still be scuppered if you don't have a spare.

I don't like the trend but it seems like an industry "problem" (not for them but for their customers) rather than Cross specific. If you come up with some kind of plan to persuade them to reverse the trend then give me a shout and I'll be the first to put my name down.

Like I said, sorry to hear about your hassle and glad you're liking the car,
M

Thanks everyone for the interesting thoughts. I wasn't really suggesting the Cross was not fit for purpose but just pondering the thought. The RAC claim that more than two thirds of new cars are now sold with tyre repair kits rather than a spare wheel (full size or space saver). The Fix&Go website is impressive with it's claims and I think they are probably right that in 97% of cases punctures in the tread area of the tyre can be treated such that you can recover the car to home or a garage. The puncture I got was unlucky - a hawthorn in the sidewall. After my disappointment I'm prepared to give the fix&go a fair trial. It would be interesting to hear from other users who have used the kit successfully. Of course it's our nature to report failures and not successes.
Driving in Norfolk is different to the Weald R1NGA. I certainly don't have the steep hills that you have especially up the North Downs escarpment. I'm off to the Peak District later this week and it will be interesting to see how the economy changes.

I have found 50 to 65 mph on the flat hits the Cross economy sweet spot. I have had a best of 52 mpg mooching along at 60 on the flat. 70-80 mph sees a low 40s figure and my 5 mile crawl to Salford Quays sees an average of 37 mpg. Coming up to 4k miles now and will exceed this at the weekend as I am off to London for the second time in 2 weeks - mostly at a steady 50 mph thanks to the roadworks on the M6?

Bogwoppit said:

I have found 50 to 65 mph on the flat hits the Cross economy sweet spot. I have had a best of 52 mpg mooching along at 60 on the flat. 70-80 mph sees a low 40s figure and my 5 mile crawl to Salford Quays sees an average of 37 mpg. Coming up to 4k miles now and will exceed this at the weekend as I am off to London for the second time in 2 weeks - mostly at a steady 50 mph thanks to the roadworks on the M6?

Click to expand...

Yeah, I reckon that's about right. 70 tops or the mpg starts to dip.....

Just heard an advert for the breakfast show on 5live tomorrow morning (Sat 7th March ). One of their articles is having the AA or RAC on about how cheesed off they are at having to sort out boatloads of cars that aren't supplied with a spare wheel. Obviously its not just here its being discussed.
M