Evening all
After 7 1/2 years with me (and so 9 1/2 years old), I have taken the plunge and chosen to replace my little red 4x4. It had covered 135,000 mostly trouble free miles, and been a hoot to drive around in, both on- and off-road. I had a few big bills -- clutch being the biggest, but also avoided a lot of others with most of the routine maintenance and some bigger jobs too being done by me. This meant I could share some of the tricks learned along the way (fixing the heater control lights and tailgate switch amongst them, which seem to have been helpful to many here)
Although sound in the body and good in the engine department, pretty well every rubber bit holding the engine, gearbox, propshaft and rear diff was failing. And that was the 'crunch' point: the rear diff supports are very very expensive, the propshaft itself was in need of overhaul (failed centre mount but also, after a worn internal seal, the 'spider' at the engine end was not in good shape either), and it had developed an annoying tendency to misfire if demanding too much of it below 2000rpm. The drivers seat was starting to fray too...
Thinking 'can I fix it' or should I move on, during an 'online flick' through Autotrader I spotted something I couldn't resit...
So, what replaces the 2005 Panda 4x4?
Well, the answer's obvious: a new , white Panda 4x4, with the Multijet this time. Nine months old and 6k on the clock, it was the dealer's demo model at a good price. It's great. Smoother, faster, more comfortable, has aircon (really the only thing missing from the previous car). 57mpg so far as well. And even TopGear like it. Bring on the snow.
See - not 'goodbye' - I'll still be here, but now in the ranks of the 2012+ Pandas, just over the way... Maybe see you there?
Pete
After 7 1/2 years with me (and so 9 1/2 years old), I have taken the plunge and chosen to replace my little red 4x4. It had covered 135,000 mostly trouble free miles, and been a hoot to drive around in, both on- and off-road. I had a few big bills -- clutch being the biggest, but also avoided a lot of others with most of the routine maintenance and some bigger jobs too being done by me. This meant I could share some of the tricks learned along the way (fixing the heater control lights and tailgate switch amongst them, which seem to have been helpful to many here)
Although sound in the body and good in the engine department, pretty well every rubber bit holding the engine, gearbox, propshaft and rear diff was failing. And that was the 'crunch' point: the rear diff supports are very very expensive, the propshaft itself was in need of overhaul (failed centre mount but also, after a worn internal seal, the 'spider' at the engine end was not in good shape either), and it had developed an annoying tendency to misfire if demanding too much of it below 2000rpm. The drivers seat was starting to fray too...
Thinking 'can I fix it' or should I move on, during an 'online flick' through Autotrader I spotted something I couldn't resit...
So, what replaces the 2005 Panda 4x4?
Well, the answer's obvious: a new , white Panda 4x4, with the Multijet this time. Nine months old and 6k on the clock, it was the dealer's demo model at a good price. It's great. Smoother, faster, more comfortable, has aircon (really the only thing missing from the previous car). 57mpg so far as well. And even TopGear like it. Bring on the snow.
See - not 'goodbye' - I'll still be here, but now in the ranks of the 2012+ Pandas, just over the way... Maybe see you there?
Pete
