Well, the Panda is going in for a bit of work, I bought (from a 2009 panda / 8700 Km in Germany) - Gear lever complete assembly, Gear Cables and steering wheel / airbag, all absolutely as new.

Asked the dealer here to fit them all for us - that is the whole gear lever assembly, control box, everything, the new cables, and the new steering wheel and airbag.

I also want him to supply and drain and change brake fluid, which he is doing, also full rear brake service, drums off, clean inspect and replace, he is also supplying and fitting a BRAND NEW clutch cable and adjustment mechanism. As usual, the car will be fully Valet cleaned before it is returned to us. *yes, they collect and deliver !)
Here is the estimate - it will not be more - that is why we use them, main fiat dealer here... get that in the UK and I would be amazed.



And dont forget - THAT is in Euros, and VAT (IVA) is included and is 23% !!
I wont get my hands dirty at that price.

Also, I kid you not, we went to a Vehicle upholster today, we had a small tear in the side of the drivers seat (probably from someones keys !) and a small burn hole in the back seat - asked him to repair / invisible mend .. took him 25 minutes, he wouldnt take a penny ! - no way . ! - we keep on the Yacht a selection of nice British foods, cakes biscuits etc in display baskets, for special occasions, so we went back and gave him a mixed british cake pack. - again, where in the UK would you get service like that....
What a superb country this is. Honest, decent folk. (in the North !) Algarve is pants lol... too many frigging brits..

captainslarty said:

Well, the Panda is going in for a bit of work, I bought (from a 2009 panda / 8700 Km in Germany) - Gear lever complete assembly, Gear Cables and steering wheel / airbag, all absolutely as new.

Asked the dealer here to fit them all for us - that is the whole gear lever assembly, control box, everything, the new cables, and the new steering wheel and airbag.

I also want him to supply and drain and change break fluid, which he is doing, also full rear brake service, drums off, clean inspect and replace, he is also supplying and fitting a BRAND NEW clutch cable and adjustment mechanism. As usual, the car will be fully Valet cleaned before it is returned to us. *yes, they collect and deliver !)
Here is the estimate - it will not be more - that is why we use them, main fiat dealer here... get that in the UK and I would be amazed.

And dont forget - THAT is in Euros, and VAT (IVA) is included and is 23% !!
I wont get my hands dirty at that price.

Also, I kid you not, we went to a Vehicle upholster today, we had a small tear in the side of the drivers seat (probably from someones keys !) and a small burn hole in the back seat - asked him to repair / invisible mend .. took him 25 minutes, he wouldnt take a penny ! - no way . ! - we keep on the Yacht a selection of nice British foods, cakes biscuits etc in display baskets, for special occasions, so we went back and gave him a mixed british cake pack. - again, where in the UK would you get service like that....
What a superb country this is. Honest, decent folk. (in the North !) Algarve is pants lol... too many frigging brits..

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i have just figured out at those prices it would be worth paying the ferry fare and petrol to drive to your dealer from the uk and back to get that work done

they charge £120 here for a minor service and thats just changing the oil ( not even the oil filter )

Hi Jon, yes, you are correct ! - note also, the time breakdown, not to the nearest hour like in the UK,
Stuff like oil top ups they do as a matter of course if your car is in for anything, they check tyre pressures too, just all part of the service - as is the valet and windscreen clean. !
We could have a loan car but it is not worth it, they will pick it up, bring it back to the marina in a few hours,, card in hand held machine - sorted. and all guaranteed.
It is Nirvana..

captainslarty said:

Hi Jon, yes, you are correct ! - note also, the time breakdown, not to the nearest hour like in the UK, he isnt even charging for brake fluid, and it will be the real cosha stuff/.

Stuff like oil top ups they do as a matter of course if your car is in for anything, they check tyre pressures too, just all part of the service - as is the valet and windscreen clean. !
We could have a loan car but it is not worth it, they will pick it up, bring it back to the marina in a few hours,, card in hand held machine - sorted. and all guaranteed.
It is Nirvana..

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your right THIS IS CUSTOMER SERVICE. you will be guaranteed to return there next time.
only time i have anything near this was when we got her indoors a second hand hyundai amica, took to local "main" dealer. full service & body inspection, oil, filter, plugs, new brake pads at front. tracking done 2 new front tyres.. all inc vat £210

went back a few weeks later to get timing belt done as had 54k on clock that was £185

They are darn good prices Jon ! - he would be down on my 'good' list. Not a 'stealer'
Some of the prices folks have posted here are just out of this world. What is more frightening is we have several generations in the UK who think arrogant, ignorant, thick and ridiculously expensive dealers are NORMAL. !!! and ACCEPTABLE... !!!
I have said it before, and I mean it, I love the brits (apart from when they are on holiday or speak with a brummy accent lol ) - but I wouldnt go back to the UK for a gold clock.
I have seen the light. !
The levels of service I am talking about are everywhere here. small shops who care about customers, real iron mongers, repair shops for anything. small cottage industries thriving because the local council wont let the big boys move in and ruin it. !
Main streets in villages FULL of shops, butchers bakers, fixers, menders, hardware, electrical every damn thing. If you are a lady they will carry the bags to the car in most small shops. And this is NOT a rose tinted view, we have been here over 5 years !.

Well I'm off for a kipper tie after all that!

Added to list when car went it, I wanted the gearbox oil changed (15 euro inc oil !!) also asked mr head mechanic person to check all battery terminals and grounds, alternator wiring and starter, remove clean and refit - which he did - no charge as the car was on the ramp.. it has to go back for a lower engine torque arm - (on friday) he is only charging for the arm as he says it is 10 mins to fit.. When I asked about engine oil, he told me to get Pingo Doce supermarket fully synth at 19 euro !! incredible ! for 5 ltrs, 10/40 - A3 and SL - he will change it on friday along with filter, it was done just before I bought it by a non fiat garage (as was the gearbox oil) so as they have probably used chip pan oil I will treat what they put in as flushing oil - they dont tend to spend money these sellers lol... They also have a proper paint shop and I might get them to give the rear bumper a coat as it is chipped in a couple of places.. (Paintwork is really cheap here as there is a lot of demand, not rot or dmage, but usually sun fading so little preparation.
It really is incredible service... they have a law re airbags though, if he was to change the airbag, he has, by law, to fire off the old unit.. I asked him if it was an issue if I brought it without the old airbag.. - not a problem he winked..
Just no horn on drive up.. not a worry.. the audible warning device was in the passenger seat - my bride...

(I am reselling old wheel /airbag, perfect unit, but has a slight ink mark by the look of it on the edge of the airbag) or someone has tried to clean it - dunno- wife says its fine but I like it mint so got a complete wheel / bag off a 2009 8k model.that a German gentleman had caused considerable damage to the rear end.....

Cap'n, methinks your thread may be sailing very close to a Policeman's Ball sketch.


Aye, Portugal - it's like England in the Forties. You can get a haircut, two decent meals out, a day at the pictures, four new tyres, a Sprintex supercharger conversion, three bags of dry-cleaning done (and done properly mind) a patio set the full DVD box-set of 'Lovejoy' and four tanks of Red-Diesel............and you've still got change out of a Euro.


The rest of us have to try and figure out the Bulgarian for "I will pay you less than five pounds please" when we want the car washed.


It was sunny here today by the way. I worry the paint will fade if this lasts another 6000 days.

AB100 said:

Cap'n, methinks your thread may be sailing very close to a Policeman's Ball sketch.


Aye, Portugal - it's like England in the Forties. You can get a haircut, two decent meals out, a day at the pictures, four new tyres, a Sprintex supercharger conversion, three bags of dry-cleaning done (and done properly mind) a patio set the full DVD box-set of 'Lovejoy' and four tanks of Red-Diesel............and you've still got change out of a Euro.


The rest of us have to try and figure out the Bulgarian for "I will pay you less than five pounds please" when we want the car washed.


It was sunny here today by the way. I worry the paint will fade if this lasts another 6000 days.

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Too true, and it is ! - true - ,,,, "Kids 'o' today, they just won't believe ya'

Technologically, they are way ahead of the uk, health, transport, banking, road networks, utilities, telecomms - what is totally different is the culture, it is not a 'greedy bast&rd' look after no 1` culture. The Family is extremely important too. They dont like stupid laws, they dont like stupid H&S regs that go too far ... they dont pay scroungers to sit on their fat ass's all day long.
I suppose it is 40's values with the latest tech.
People buy something to last, - including service work ! - if you go to Oporto or Lisbon, it is different, as is the Algarve, the marketing met are brain washing the great unwashed into a need it now live on credit existence,, but, at least it is a lifestyle choice for any brits that want to get out of the cultural cess pits of many areas of the UK..

"He were a grand baker were our dad, used to burn all loaves and call 'em Hovis..."