Panda Hello from Ireland and a Diesel Panda!

[agavins]

Hi,


I have been lurking around the forum, reading posts and sucking up all the useful information contained within since my wife and I started looking for a new car in June this year.


It was my wife who suggested the diesel Panda as an option to me as I commute around 90 miles per day and we needed something frugal, relatively modern, cheap to tax and reliable.


I ended up flying down to London and getting an early 08 car (70bhp) from a main dealer in Canterbury and spending the weekend making my way back to County Cavan in Ireland, with a pit stop in Manchester


This is our first Italian car and I have to say we absolutely love it! It has been uber frugal (averaging 68 mpg over 5 fills), reliable and simple to work on.


It sits on (now after the Debica wore to the metal on the front in 9-10,000 miles!) Winter Falken tyres, is silver in colour and I like it so much we are genuinely considering selling our Nissan Navarra and going for a Cross....

I have tried to attach a pick of our little Panda - hopefully its attached. Glad to be a member of the forum and thanks for all the assistance provided so far!

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Welcome to the Forum, cracking looking Panda

 

[Wee Smurf]

Hi :wave: and welcome to the forum. Good choice of car for the wee twisty roads around Cavan. I'm sure it's really at home there. I too have the winters on mine. Definitely makes it feel more grounded when it gets a bit cooler. I run Michelin Energy in the summer and would recommend them. I'm sure the Cross would be an excellent addition to your fleet. I would love one myself.

 

[ytareh]

Definitely. 70 and not 75bhp ? I would have thought an 08 was a 'late' .Mind you over the last two tanks I've checked mileage at the pump and got 68mpg BOTH times ! ( This would have included some city miles so I still claim a Panda on the right roads driven reasonably gently is capable of 80 mpg plus )
My Panda has also eaten through 60-70% of the insides of my year old tyres in perhaps 16k miles .Small diesels are heavy on front tyres and Pandas loose tracking at site of a pothole ...But I do feel on balance this is the most reliable , economical vehicle I've owned bar none .

 

[agavins]

Morning all!


Thanks for the welcome Most Easterly, she does look rather nice - especially when clean


Hi Wee Smurf, ahh sure you are only up the road from myself! It does run well on the local twisty stuff - bit heavy on the nose, but the let go is all vey progressive. Just out of interest, which winter tyres did you go for? Have always tended to swap over to winters since moving over and have usually gone for Falken - I find the are the right mix between price, performance an longevity. Had a set of winter Falkens on the Navara for the past 3 winters (and 1 summer ) and they have done much better than the Bstones that were on before. Love Michelin, but v expensive here in Cavan I find....


Hey Ytareh, hep, had to check out the BHP myself. Dealer says its 70, Parkers says its 70 and it takes the pre-euro 4/5 oil filter and I can't see the DPF anywhere. In my experience, that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't a 75 however as manufacturers d funny things.... It is a vey early 08 registration (4-5 January I think).


V V impressed with the MPG - not sure about 80, but it may be possible. I drive a combo of country lanes and fast A and B road, with only occasional motorway and/or town -usually with only me in it also - so I should get good miles. Will certainly have go with some more fuel efficient tyres in the summer. Have seen 71/72 MPG with the Debica (f or g rated for efficiency from memory) so it could be possible.


Cheers


Aus

 

[ytareh]

I didn't know tyres had an economy rating ! Beware the Multijet can bite in wet ,especially flooded conditions ...and if tyres not wearing evenly ....( If you check my old posts you can read more )
67.7mpg this week mostly with MAF Disconnected .Have stuck it back in this week for peace of mind .Seems to run better without , more throttle response .

 

[Wee Smurf]

For the past 9 years I have used Continental WinterContacts but I was that impressed with the Michelin Energy that I decided to try out Michelin Alpins this time around. They worked out at £240 for 4 which I thought was pretty good. The Continentals were a similar price. But I'm a bit fussy when it comes to tyres. As far as wear the Michelin Energy tyres are excellent and I've still got plenty of tread after two summer seasons on them (approx 18k miles). I do tend to swap front to back and replace all 4 tyres at once. I also keep a check on pressure with my TyrePal and top up at home on cold tyres when necessary. I add an extra bit of air when it gets cold as the pressure can drop a lot when parked up all day.

 

[agavins]

Hi Ytareh. Yep Tyre Labelling was introduced in 2012 I think - you can get more info at blackcircles (search for EU Tyre Label). Tried to upload link but it looks like I need to post a couple of more times before I can do that!

The Label is supposed to measure Economy (+- 7% at best), Wet braking and Noise. Quite a useful indicator for helping to choose tyres I find - within reason.


I would *love* to get my MAF sensor off to give it a good clean (did it on a Jag X Type once and it transformed it), but it has a pair of strange bolt heads on it - I presume tamper proof - may start a new message and post a picture of them. The only way I can see to open them (without a special tool) is to cut a groove with a grinder and then screwdriver.


Is removing the MAF making such a difference on the Panda because its faulty/dirty or is that just the way it is with them on Panda JTD's?


Cheers


Aus


PS - Yep my tyres wore on the inside more than the out - so I have had the tracking done - I will be keeping a v close eye on them

 

[agavins]

Hey Wee Smurf,


I used the Conti Winter Contacts on a Diesal Subaru Legacy over a couple of winters - good tyres - nice and neutral, with good grip. Had them on that bad winter 4 years ago - our road was sheet ice for 6-7 weeks (live up on the top of Lough en Lea) and they did us proud. Scariest bit was dodging the cars sliding backwards down the road at you.....


Would love to have a go with Michelins again, they were fab on the Saab I used to run. I tend to fit my own tyres and can get trade, so I was able to get the Falken winters for €40 per corner (and change ). Of course, the down side is a lot of swearing and freezing changing the darned things over. For some reason, I never seem to get to work on cars in the dry and warm


Wow, well impressed on the mileage you are getting on the Michelins also! May have to seriously have a look for my summer set


Cheers


Aus

 

[Wee Smurf]

Fair play changing the tyres yourself. I must admit that I've become lazy as I've got older and now take the "load the boot up with the other set of wheels and get someone else to change them over" approach. I'd much prefer to pay someone a tenner than have the bother and it's quicker anyhow even taking into consideration taking the child seats out of the car.

What Saab did you have?

 

[agavins]

Did a couple of courses on fitting and proper repair and have picked up a manual changer, keeps me out of mischief at weekends..... Have had a 95 2.3t and my wife had the 93 2.0 hot, loved Saab's

 

[Sweetsixteen]

Tried to change a tyre myself once ( tyre, not wheel) and gave up. It's obviously a skill beyond my ken.
Local tyre depot wants £10 a wheel to change from summer to winter rubber. That's £80 a year to go from summer/ winter/summer. I bought a set of new winters on Punto wheels (14" - same as my summer size) for £80 and swapped wheels myself. Good saving. Guy I bought them from had just had them fitted and wrote off his Punto same day.
Only little hiccup is, they're directional, so can't do my usual swap around as they wear.

 

[Wee Smurf]

Did a couple of courses on fitting and proper repair and have picked up a manual changer, keeps me out of mischief at weekends..... Have had a 95 2.3t and my wife had the 93 2.0 hot, loved Saab's

They're a bit more modern than the 900.

 

[Wee Smurf]

Tried to change a tyre myself once ( tyre, not wheel) and gave up. It's obviously a skill beyond my ken.
Local tyre depot wants £10 a wheel to change from summer to winter rubber. That's £80 a year to go from summer/ winter/summer. I bought a set of new winters on Punto wheels (14" - same as my summer size) for £80 and swapped wheels myself. Good saving. Guy I bought them from had just had them fitted and wrote off his Punto same day.
Only little hiccup is, they're directional, so can't do my usual swap around as they wear.

You can still swap directional tyres front to back. That's what I do when I'm getting them put on each year so the overall wear is evened out.

If you mean that your car is one which tends to wear the inside edge of the fronts, you'd always have to remove the tyres from the wheel and swap sides over anyhow directional or not as the inside will always be the inside no matter what side they're on unless you turn them around on the wheel if you get what I mean.

 

[Sweetsixteen]

Wear is fairly even, with a bit of outside edge scrubbing, but both nearside tyres wear faster than the offsides - legacy of granite chippings and heavy cambers here. Tyres were so cheap though that I'll not bother swapping nearside to offside later. I'll just replace when needed.

 

[ytareh]

Is removing the MAF making such a difference on the Panda because its faulty/dirty or is that just the way it is with them

I just unplugged the electric block connector (you have to slide the bit underneath first )