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General Steal of the decade...

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General Steal of the decade...

SB1500

SB1500

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Hi folks, sharing this with you as I would be very happy to hear of any fellow FF member taking advantage of this as much as I might myself... I am teetering between notions of coming back to Fiat... from various Pandas, Abarth 595s and the odd 500 in a nice spec...

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but... <certain car supermarket>... the car supermarket has screwed up massively. They are selling a 2019 Cross as a City Cross and the saving to be had is about 3k. I doubt anybody from there will be crawling the internet to find this soon enough for it to be corrected anyway... but the Michelin mud and snow tyres gave it away, as does the little drive select knob in the centre console.

www.motorpoint.co.uk

2019 Fiat Panda City Cross (1362110) | Motorpoint

View this 2019 Fiat Panda City Cross (1362110) in black for sale at Derby! We have great finance and offers available and thousands of cars in stock across the UK!
www.motorpoint.co.uk www.motorpoint.co.uk

As much as I felt like booking the plane and paying the fee to get it sent up to Glasgow... I'm still seriously thinking about moving from my yacht of a car back to a little Fiat. But this, being a top spec rare no longer produced model, definitely should get into the hands of someone on FF in my good opinion.

...unless I am wrong, and it is in fact, somehow a City Cross. But I think this might be a very very tempting outlier in todays joke of a used car market. Part of me thinks I'd be stupid not to reserve it, take a loss on my Avensis (which is the only real option out at this stage) and consider it made up with the saving here ... good idea?
 
I think you’re right, it’s got the selector on center console…it is a steal
Can’t enlarge pics and on phone but screenshoted it and delved in…
 

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Marcus Daly said:
Shows you how times—or rather, prices—have changed, that’s pretty much what I paid for a fully-specced 4x4 new in 2020.

Disappointingly sloppy job on the interior cleaning, but that’s Motorpoint for you, pile ’em high and sell ’em cheap.
Click to expand...
I reckon if they're selling them this cheap! (at their expense) it might be a good deal, out of the 3k saved, I'd be able to get it a valet! lol
 
Herts Hillhopper said:
Someone even added an ‘AWD’ badge to the back to be clear :)
Click to expand...
I saw that!

I'm seriously considering it. They'll vastly under value my Avensis and the money I put into it (£645 on 4x new Michelin's, £250 AGM battery etc this year alone). But is this level of 'saving 3k' enough to effectively justify that ... 👀
 
Herts Hillhopper said:
my first Panda was a 2005 4x4 at a year or two old being sold by a trader who priced it as if a 2WD. I jumped, was hooked and have had three more since (one, brand new). Beware :)
Click to expand...
I'm sitting here trying to imagine the difference on long journeys' again and that to convince myself to buy...... I could have it so fast! Reading Fiat's press release from when it was released...

www.media.stellantis.com

THE NEW FIAT PANDA CROSS: A CAR LIKE NO OTHER

Based on the successful and hugely capable FIAT Panda 4X4, the new FIAT Panda Cross offers even more capability, attitude and fun. 'Torque-on-Demand' all-wheel drive, Electronic Stability Control, Electronic Locking Differential and Hill Descent Control all standard. New Terrain Control selector...
www.media.stellantis.com www.media.stellantis.com
 
Wow! Thanks @Dangerinleyland - spam as much as you want!

I didn't realise this was so common. Loving that green one in particular. It means there's less of a rush for me I suppose to jump on the one I originally posted...

I'm just trying to work out the logistics now of selling my Avensis... The dealers here won't give more than 8k - 8.5k. I owe 8.5k to settle it. Problem being I spent £850 on it this year on tyres / new battery and I'd ideally like to make that back and not lose it. Privately, in theory, that should be easy. Have any of you ever sold a car that was around 10k and how did the buyer finance it? I can't imagine anyone will be looking too far for an Avensis, would those who do have that sort of cash.. ? Also, can one finance a car on the basis of buying mine privately, with mine having outstanding finance until I pay it off to settle it, would someone's loan be approved on that basis?

Practicality...
So the other factor being 'big journeys'. The Panda, whilst punching remarkably above its weight, is not a 'long journey' car. I suppose no car in the class is technically. That never stopped me from driving to Dublin / GB Mainland when I needed to. I suppose I can't say I do any 'long journeys'. Exceptions being the coastal route here, and the way to Belfast which is 70 miles / nice big open roads and 1.5 hours if even. Hardly really big trips.

But, if I did need a big-ass car for Ikea or moving house, I could hire one, right? Even for a long trip. Even to go to England, fly over, hire a car - I'm a few hundred better off than the ferry ticket including car... For the price of a ferry ticket, I could possibly have quite a fancy car on a bigger trip. Am I talking sense or going to extremes to justify moving back to the Panda?

The other thing is, back in '21, I had a brand new Mercedes CLA Premium <courtesy car> with about every feature under the sun, and then some (like the fancy interior lights) and it was such a phenomenal experience, I wasn't blind or ignorant to that. But come two months in I was sort of over it.. you know? I got rid of my 17' Panda because I thought I was missing out on the DS3 with a (relative) tonne of features, I also then wanted a bigger car / more features in the Avensis. But if that satisfied me I'd not be thinking about the little Fiats at all surely. I feel like now, I know what I'm missing and still like "Bring on the Fiats"
 
I have done quite a few long journeys in my TA. When I first got it, I had to do a trip of 180 miles or so repeatedly. The car is good as gold for such a trip, and perfectly happy to cruise along at 70 in 6th gear, but I find the driver’s seat uncomfortable after more than an hour or so.
 
My old Mk2 cross was the go to car for longer journeys as it sipped fuel and kept up, or passed, traffic. It’s been all the way round the Hebrides, Scotland and the Lakes in general, Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.
We only usually stopped halfway and that’s for bladder and to roll smokes rather than deadleg. I’m 5’ 10” by the way. Although I suspect our big trips now will have more stops as the arthritis kicks in. I haven’t yet used the 2019 Mk3 cross for any length of time as we’ve now got much bigger dogs!
 
SB1500 said:
Wow! Thanks @Dangerinleyland - spam as much as you want!

I didn't realise this was so common. Loving that green one in particular. It means there's less of a rush for me I suppose to jump on the one I originally posted...

I'm just trying to work out the logistics now of selling my Avensis... The dealers here won't give more than 8k - 8.5k. I owe 8.5k to settle it. Problem being I spent £850 on it this year on tyres / new battery and I'd ideally like to make that back and not lose it. Privately, in theory, that should be easy. Have any of you ever sold a car that was around 10k and how did the buyer finance it? I can't imagine anyone will be looking too far for an Avensis, would those who do have that sort of cash.. ? Also, can one finance a car on the basis of buying mine privately, with mine having outstanding finance until I pay it off to settle it, would someone's loan be approved on that basis?

Practicality...
So the other factor being 'big journeys'. The Panda, whilst punching remarkably above its weight, is not a 'long journey' car. I suppose no car in the class is technically. That never stopped me from driving to Dublin / GB Mainland when I needed to. I suppose I can't say I do any 'long journeys'. Exceptions being the coastal route here, and the way to Belfast which is 70 miles / nice big open roads and 1.5 hours if even. Hardly really big trips.

But, if I did need a big-ass car for Ikea or moving house, I could hire one, right? Even for a long trip. Even to go to England, fly over, hire a car - I'm a few hundred better off than the ferry ticket including car... For the price of a ferry ticket, I could possibly have quite a fancy car on a bigger trip. Am I talking sense or going to extremes to justify moving back to the Panda?

The other thing is, back in '21, I had a brand new Mercedes CLA Premium <courtesy car> with about every feature under the sun, and then some (like the fancy interior lights) and it was such a phenomenal experience, I wasn't blind or ignorant to that. But come two months in I was sort of over it.. you know? I got rid of my 17' Panda because I thought I was missing out on the DS3 with a (relative) tonne of features, I also then wanted a bigger car / more features in the Avensis. But if that satisfied me I'd not be thinking about the little Fiats at all surely. I feel like now, I know what I'm missing and still like "Bring on the Fiats"
Click to expand...
I drive Norwich to Manchester in my TA and it demolishes this journey as well as any other car I have ever had. Long jouneys dont phase it!
 
SB1500 said:
Have any of you ever sold a car that was around 10k and how did the buyer finance it?
Click to expand...
Private sales at this price point aren't easy to achieve. There aren't many folks who'd take a £10k punt on an unknown car without a warranty and the usual dealer protections; those that there are won't be looking to pay you much more than you'd get by selling it to WBAC. My advice is not to try going this route; if the numbers don't work for you with a dealer trade in, I'd suggest just leaving things be.

The reality is that you're going to drop somewhere between £2k and £4k if you trade the Avensis in at this point. Unless you've a strong suspicion of something nasty in the pipeline, I'd stick with what you have. You've recently spent quite a few bob on it; why give the value of that to someone else?

There are not many cars that are as trouble free as a Toyota, and much as I love Pandas, Fiats aren't one of them. There are several active threads about 4WD Pandas with issues; the common factor is that 4WD specific parts are both seriously expensive and difficult to source.

Another thought is that there seem to be quite a lot of these around at this sort of money. If they really were the steal of the century, they wouldn't be there - particularly not in the current used car market.

Sorry if this comes across as being negative, but I wouldn't want to see you drop a lot of money and end up with a problem.
 
Last edited:
jrkitching said:
Private sales at this price point aren't easy to achieve. There aren't many folks who'd take a £10k punt on an unknown car without a warranty and the usual dealer protections; those that there are won't be looking to pay you much more than you'd get by selling it to WBAC. My advice is not to try going this route; if the numbers don't work for you with a dealer trade in, I'd suggest just leaving things be.

The reality is that you're going to drop somewhere between £2k and £4k if you trade the Avensis in at this point. Unless you've a strong suspicion of something nasty in the pipeline, I'd stick with what you have. You've recently spent quite a few bob on it; why give the value of that to someone else?

There are not many cars that are as trouble free as a Toyota, and much as I love Pandas, Fiats aren't one of them. There are several active threads about 4WD Pandas with issues; the common factor is that 4WD specific parts are both seriously expensive and difficult to source.

Another thought is that there seem to be quite a lot of these around at this sort of money. If they really were the steal of the century, they wouldn't be there - particularly not in the current used car market.

Sorry if this comes across as being negative, but I wouldn't want to see you drop a lot of money and end up with a problem.
Click to expand...
It’s more “surprise” than anything else as they were retailing at £17k + last week
 
jrkitching said:
Private sales at this price point aren't easy to achieve. There aren't many folks who'd take a £10k punt on an unknown car without a warranty and the usual dealer protections; those that there are won't be looking to pay you much more than you'd get by selling it to WBAC. My advice is not to try going this route; if the numbers don't work for you with a dealer trade in, I'd suggest just leaving things be.

The reality is that you're going to drop somewhere between £2k and £4k if you trade the Avensis in at this point. Unless you've a strong suspicion of something nasty in the pipeline, I'd stick with what you have. You've recently spent quite a few bob on it; why give the value of that to someone else?

There are not many cars that are as trouble free as a Toyota, and much as I love Pandas, Fiats aren't one of them. There are several active threads about 4WD Pandas with issues; the common factor is that 4WD specific parts are both seriously expensive and difficult to source.

Another thought is that there seem to be quite a lot of these around at this sort of money. If they really were the steal of the century, they wouldn't be there - particularly not in the current used car market.

Sorry if this comes across as being negative, but I wouldn't want to see you drop a lot of money and end up with a problem.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply @jrkitching - I appreciate it. The loss is just too great, for sure I have put a tonne of investment into this car that would never be able to be recovered when selling. My best bet likely is to keep it and just see what Fiat does in the future (as well as Toyota I suppose - though they lack the ownership pride I had with my Fiat's). My cars quite unlikely to go wrong, even with the dreaded BMW sourced diesel, it's serviced twice a year with the genuine oil as well.

I was totally unaware of the Panda 4x4 issues, but I know that most if not all of the later examples come with the TwinAir engine which I haven't even began to re-read into to see the latest thoughts on that. Last I remember people posted a lot about oil loss issues on quite new engines and changing guidance from Fiat about the correct oil spec.

Dropping the money is the first problem I have here - which is likely unavoidable.
And over paying for a Panda / Fiat of any sort.
Then I suppose the issues with the 4x4 components, (or as I read on another thread, on a 500 / 595C the roof parts) - it seems the little things that make these cars unique and worth owning, might be a headache to live with in practice :-(
 
porta said:
It’s more “surprise” than anything else as they were retailing at £17k + last week
Click to expand...
All of a sudden the market's gone 'donk' I think. Valued mine of WBAC yesterday, because idly musing. Waaaay down on a month or two ago.
 
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