General We're in July not April

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General We're in July not April

Al D

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From a popular motoring magazine: Considering I'm getting my 4th Panda shortly and they've been faultless, think they're making it up.


"Unfortunately the Panda was rated below average for reliability in our latest customer satisfaction survey, too. Consequently those looking for a secure, reliable option should probably look elsewhere."
 
From a popular motoring magazine: Considering I'm getting my 4th Panda shortly and they've been faultless, think they're making it up.


"Unfortunately the Panda was rated below average for reliability in our latest customer satisfaction survey, too. Consequently those looking for a secure, reliable option should probably look elsewhere."


Usual motoring press BS. Our 3rd Panda should arrive next week (excluding the older ones we had 20+ years ago).


Reliable so far.....
 
Any reliability issues have to be put down to dealer incompetence.
I read too many stories here of faults that just go on and on without a proper fix done on the first visit.
In my 6 months of Panda ownership I firmly believe these cars are as good as any others and in many respects better but so far my opinion of my local Fiat dealer is grim. So the car gets the blame when the dealer should be brought to task.
 
Sadly up here in Scotland, that well known dealer that covers most marques is just about all we have. Their customer & after sales service is somewhat lacking, to say the least. They are also my local Toyota dealer in Aberdeen, but I'd rather go 40 miles north to Elgin with my GT86, to a nice family run dealer with great customer care.
 
Well the dealer you refer to are not the worst up here. The one I bought the Panda from is worse.
Have a look at page 22 of Autoexpress 12-18 of July, 're the Jag. A personal friend of mine.
 
The motoring press is run by the German government it seems ... how the VW Up is #1 is beyond me it's a horrible little appliance of a car.

And if the Germans aren't bribing them the Koreans are quick to take the remaining #1 review positions.

I'd understand if they said 'why' they're the best, but they don't
 
I'd understand if they said 'why' they're the best, but they don't

Because they don't want to look silly.
Everyone else says it's great, so they do aswell.

There are no really bad cars these days, they are all very similar and they all have their niggles.

What separates them is perception, it's what people think about the products that the press all write about, not the product it's self.

We've been drip fed this sort of stuff for years and we mostly buy into it.

You've only got to look through the window of one of those Apple stores.
Paint it white and put an i at the start of it's name and everyone thinks it's great and will que up for weeks to get the latest iturd.

But no one mentions it's all made with the same parts, from the same suppliers as all the others but this one will only work with proprietary cables, chargers and software!

Or does anyone bother to mention Apple are ready to launch the next new iturd 2 before your've even unwrapped the one you've just bought.

If it was great to start with, why doesn't anyone stop and think about why they're launching a new model so quickly?
 
Shh be quiet dont let every one know how reliable the panda really is or every one will want one. I meet so many people who dont even know what car my panda is and their ignorance is their loss. Having owned euro 4/5/6 id have the 6 anyday those bigger tyres offer so much more comfort. Got my hesitation sorted straight away at Desira Norwich under warranty and it goes like stink if pushed and surprises many im sure. 42 months old now and still looking great
20160419_075334.jpeg
 
The motoring press is run by the German government it seems ... how the VW Up is #1 is beyond me it's a horrible little appliance of a car.

And if the Germans aren't bribing them the Koreans are quick to take the remaining #1 review positions.

I'd understand if they said 'why' they're the best, but they don't

Ford at one time were the best sellers........ I could never understand why, none of the Ford's I had were any good.
 
Sadly up here in Scotland, that well known dealer that covers most marques is just about all we have. Their customer & after sales service is somewhat lacking, to say the least.
Well the dealer you refer to are not the worst up here. The one I bought the Panda from is worse.
Always been pleased with the Fiat dealer in Galashiels. Family owned business, where staff tend to stay with the company for many years. A bit too far away from Aberdeenshire, but perhaps within striking distance of Kilmarnock?
 
I wonder, will you be able to track it remotely, if it gets lost in the sewer system?

Only if you've paid the relevant subscription for a s**t service.

Gives a whole new meaning to 'pay as you go' :rolleyes:.

Ford at one time were the best sellers........ I could never understand why, none of the Ford's I had were any good.

In the '70's, they were significantly better at marketing than most other marques. I'd agree with you that the product left a lot to be desired, but the image was strong and that sold the cars. Not helped by the rest of our indigenous car industry constantly shooting itself in the foot with strikes, stoppages and shortages.

Fiat's current equivalent problem is that its after sales service is still stuck in the '70's.
 
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Never had an issue with Ford. I have only owned two, first was an Ex BT Fiesta 1.8 D Van, bought with 30k on the clock. I put another 100k on it in 4 years, the only problem I had with it, the exhaust fell off. The other was a new Focus RS Mk2 in 2009, had no issues with it, but only had it for 18 months.
I'm now considering the purchase of a Mustang GT V8.
 
Shh be quiet dont let every one know how reliable the panda really is or every one will want one. I meet so many people who dont even know what car my panda is and their ignorance is their loss. Having owned euro 4/5/6 id have the 6 anyday those bigger tyres offer so much more comfort. Got my hesitation sorted straight away at Desira Norwich under warranty and it goes like stink if pushed and surprises many im sure. 42 months old now and still looking great
View attachment 183637
My Panda 4x4 Twin Air has just clocked up 10,600 miles and runs sweet as a nut. Fabulous little go-anywhere car. The family with their Mercs, Mazdas, BMWs, and Seats that all cost the earth to run and maintain like to laugh at my Fiat badge but then they have never driven a Panda 4x4.
 
My Panda 4x4 Twin Air has just clocked up 10,600 miles and runs sweet as a nut. Fabulous little go-anywhere car. The family with their Mercs, Mazdas, BMWs, and Seats that all cost the earth to run and maintain like to laugh at my Fiat badge but then they have never driven a Panda 4x4.

Mine's four years old with over 51000 miles on the clock. It had the battery replaced after the first few months and a replacement oil seal on the rear axle after its first service - both under warranty - but has never missed a beat. Tyre wear is very light, oil consumption is negligible, petrol consumption is just about OK - we set off for its ninth journey to our home in Umbria next week. What's the problem?

(by the way, I'm an Apple Mac user since their early days, have maintained large populations of Macs and PCs - like cars there are few really poor personal computers these days but I wouldn't waste my money on a PC.)
 
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