What's made you smile today?

[The Panda Nut]

Absolutely. I harbour a silly wee longing for an SM. Actually owned a Dyane for a number of years when I was young, newly married and short on cash. That was full of character, some might say?

Me too, but common sense has ruled for 50 years and I have no intention of succombing now. I had several GS and GSA's and they were very good. Loved them to bits. Handling was amazing no understeer and no oversteer, just 4 wheel drifting.

 

[porta]

I’d go for a dodge challenger…but practical wise, will stick to Jeep n Fiat. Two of my mates have a 1943 Willys and the other a Hotchkiss clone. How the hell they grew to the behemoths of the Wrangler is beyond me, stick a MK1 panda 4x4 next to them and they look like matchbox cars and are much closer to the Willys in size n ethos

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I’d go for a dodge challenger…but practical wise, will stick to Jeep n Fiat. Two of my mates have a 1943 Willys and the other a Hotchkiss clone. How the hell they grew to the behemoths of the Wrangler is beyond me, stick a MK1 panda 4x4 next to them and they look like matchbox cars and are much closer to the Willys in size n ethos

Vanishing Point? always quite liked the early Chevy Camaro too. My foreman ran one with the "small" 6 cylinder engine which I would occasionally get to borrow from him if I was going to Santa Pod or to watch hill climbing.

 

[Cheest]

I’d go for a dodge challenger…but practical wise, will stick to Jeep n Fiat. Two of my mates have a 1943 Willys and the other a Hotchkiss clone. How the hell they grew to the behemoths of the Wrangler is beyond me, stick a MK1 panda 4x4 next to them and they look like matchbox cars and are much closer to the Willys in size n ethos

You must mean the four door mall Jeeps.
My Wrangler is an Unlimited or an LJ which is a TJ with 10 extra inches between the axles. It’s no bigger than my wife’s Renegade.
My F150, that’s a behemoth. Here it is compared to my old 1952 F2, which is a 3/4 ton.

The 1/2 ton F150 is longer, wider, taller. I still have a hard time parking it.

 

[porta]

You must mean the four door mall Jeeps.
My Wrangler is an Unlimited or an LJ which is a TJ with 10 extra inches between the axles. It’s no bigger than my wife’s Renegade.
My F150, that’s a behemoth. Here it is compared to my old 1952 F2, which is a 3/4 ton.

The 1/2 ton F150 is longer, wider, taller. I still have a hard time parking it.

Yes the five door ones, they’re HUGE…we take our jeeps to a local, very well known, independent that knows jeeps inside out, and goes around the world trialling them. Obviously they’re all the SWB three door wranglers and he also specialises in the XJs.

 

[porta]

Oh and there’s a bloody great ‘dually’ that takes up four parking spaces in the Co-op near us…it’s a completely stupid size for our roads, bigger than a LWB merc sprinter/iveco daily…I always laugh at the guy wehn he jumps out/down from it as he just looks the size of an action man

 

[Cheest]

My neighbor has a lifted Chevy diesel 1 ton. Unlike most small appendaged guys that own those things, he tows some large trailers for all his toys. His party barge has a pair of 300 hp Yamaha outboards and it rides on a triple axle trailer. He also has an enclosed double axle trailer for his sleds and SxS.
One of these days, he’ll get pulled over and hit with a spendy fine for running B (1/2 ton) plates on a truck that requires D (1 ton) plates.

There are 5 pickups on my street. The 1 ton, a 3/4 ton, and three 1/2 tons. My F150 is the largest of the 1/2 tons. It has a 6.5’ bed compared to the standard 5.5’ bed found on most trucks now. I also tow trailers. The previous Canadian owner installed a 2” lift and a Rough Country off road suspension on it. Don’t know if it ever went wheeling, but it looks nice.

 

[The Panda Nut]

My neighbor has a lifted Chevy diesel 1 ton. Unlike most small appendaged guys that own those things, he tows some large trailers for all his toys. His party barge has a pair of 300 hp Yamaha outboards and it rides on a triple axle trailer. He also has an enclosed double axle trailer for his sleds and SxS.
One of these days, he’ll get pulled over and hit with a spendy fine for running B (1/2 ton) plates on a truck that requires D (1 ton) plates.

There are 5 pickups on my street. The 1 ton, a 3/4 ton, and three 1/2 tons. My F150 is the largest of the 1/2 tons. It has a 6.5’ bed compared to the standard 5.5’ bed found on most trucks now. I also tow trailers. The previous Canadian owner installed a 2” lift and a Rough Country off road suspension on it. Don’t know if it ever went wheeling, but it looks nice.

you should get and carry a Panda 4x4 in the back to get you home when you sink into the mud! lol

 

[vexorg]

The more they mentioned, the more I think I really dont like many american designed cars. Muscle cars were just a but too bland and boxy.

The old corvette is nice, just had a rather poor reputation ofr handling.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

The more they mentioned, the more I think I really dont like many american designed cars. Muscle cars were just a but too bland and boxy.

The old corvette is nice, just had a rather poor reputation ofr handling.

The majority are really too big with slushy handling for our roads and car parks. Still like the flamboyant extravagance of some though.

 

[The Panda Nut]

The more they mentioned, the more I think I really dont like many american designed cars. Muscle cars were just a but too bland and boxy.

The old corvette is nice, just had a rather poor reputation ofr handling.

Im more than a little drawn to the newest Mustangs. I have driven both the 2.7 and 4.0 Mustangs c 2006 vintage. The 2.7 was about what I was expecting but the 4.0 was awful. Noop would quite easily have run away from that and out performed it in everything other than top speed. It was a slug. The roads are so totally different over there though, and the distances. Their designs are just never going to cut it here for that reason. I think its why Fiats seem so good here. They are stepping away from more difficult conditions when driven in the UK so they stroll our conditions and feel so alive.

Driving the Panda over the Alps last year showed what its really made to do. I was watching a video clip yeaterday and going over the Splugen Pass then over to St Moritz. At one point I announced to my son that "The Panad really is the ideal sort of car for this sort of road". At this point we were doing the 51st hairpin bend and up at 10,000 feet. Horses for courses I think.

I like the Challengers old and new, though you can have the old one and Ill have a new one thanks. It would however be useless here in Norfolk. WHat stikes me about cars in teh US is the variety of types and styles available.

 

[Cheest]

you should get and carry a Panda 4x4 in the back to get you home when you sink into the mud! lol

Sadly, not available here. There is mud, though.

As far as cars available here in the US...meh. I've had Mustangs and Camaros as rentals. The visibility and ride leaves a lot to be desired. I liked getting Jeeps; Wranglers and Renegades, over most others. The last rental I had was a brand new Audi A6. Loved everything but the tech. As to Challengers, I'll take an old one over a new one any day. You drive it, not the other way around. The guy down the street with the 3/4 ton Dodge has a 71 Challenger in his garage.

I've spent a lot of time in Mexico over the past 15 years and I'm always amazed at the vehicles we can't get here. Especially the little pickups.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Sadly, not available here. There is mud, though.

As far as cars available here in the US...meh. I've had Mustangs and Camaros as rentals. The visibility and ride leaves a lot to be desired. I liked getting Jeeps; Wranglers and Renegades, over most others. The last rental I had was a brand new Audi A6. Loved everything but the tech. As to Challengers, I'll take an old one over a new one any day. You drive it, not the other way around. The guy down the street with the 3/4 ton Dodge has a 71 Challenger in his garage.

I've spent a lot of time in Mexico over the past 15 years and I'm always amazed at the vehicles we can't get here. Especially the little pickups.

Ill get my son to bring a US envelope when he comes next month. We can then pop one in the post for you!

Brother used to joke Panda would fit in his boot on his old Range Rover.. The new RR is significantly bigger. I will try and get another Panda RR pic. Thought this would make you laugh as I suspect your Truck would dwarf the Rangie.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I have recently decided to stop taking statins. I have been feeling quite awful for months, most of the time in fact since my kidney operation last year. I was only saying to my better half that I reckon Ive only felt just about OK, just about, 1 day in 90 since that date. Today I have walked the dog and Mrs fro a couple of miles, got rid of the hedge I took out last autumn, cleaned out the green house and started sowing this years plants. I just said to my Mrs that I am feeling substantially better. I now need to revisit the doctors and inform them what I have done.... I hate those visits. My neighbour had the same issues with loss of energy and muscular power combined with quite sever muscular aches. It was he who suggested my symptoms sounded simialr to his, He was told he was 1 in 100,000. I suppose we can together say anyone else in Breckland will be oK as we are now the 2 in 100,000. Is that 2 lots of 100,000? Any way I just said to my Mrs I had forgotten almost entirely what normal felt like. So today is a big smiley day as while not perfect I feel a whole lot more like normal.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Hoo Kinray!! Is taken them over a year, and dozens of emails, but British Gas, under threat of the ombudsman, have finally today correected our electricity readings..... and bills well nearly, so we are within £20 of agreeing with them. Why thse monumentally stupid people dont get that with the solar panels comes a digital certitied meter and a continuous, let alone quarter by quarter view of our electricity consumption that we can print out or display graphically, or down load to excel to calculate our consumption by the minute to three decimal places. Why I wonder do these dozy idiots think they can get away with short changing anyone armed with facts. We have 3 meters now. They have still changed the reading dates to their favour in relation to price change points in spite of MRs taking readings, backed by photgra[hs of the meter on teh day of the price changes, but WE BOTH SURRENDER and we shall accept their still incorrect bill as we are utterly sick of them and their stupidity. It is after some 16 months within £20. What they dont realise is I have been wanting to visit them with a pick axe handle and reolve their position in my normally iunderstanding way. Its only my Missus having hidden it that has stopped me. Another relative, a chartered accountant said this week they appear to have under charged him and not by even what I consider a large amount, but more than that. He has moved suppliers and paid his £bill of under £5 and has the £2500 put aside incase the dozy ******** wake up. He undertsands the corporate fiscal implications of their ineptitude more than do I. His prediction based on his accounancy skills is tthat they are heading for a BIG problem. They are too arrogant to admit they had a screwed system for accoiunting and billing. I cant face going elsewhere for our supply as we would have to deal with BG again and the thought makes me fee physically sick. I might be long dead before they get it. The other up side of the day is the best solar power day this year. We have also overpaid BG by £170 so can recalculate our monthly bill down to around £40 which is bearable. I just wonder how many inaccurate bills they have sent out that have not been challenged. I may still pass the papers to the ombudsman and demand compensation for the stress and the substantial amount of time and effort it has taken to ge them even to within £20 let alone to an accurate bill.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Hoo Kinray!! Is taken them over a year, and dozens of emails, but British Gas, under threat of the ombudsman, have finally today correected our electricity readings..... and bills well nearly, so we are within £20 of agreeing with them. Why thse monumentally stupid people dont get that with the solar panels comes a digital certitied meter and a continuous, let alone quarter by quarter view of our electricity consumption that we can print out or display graphically, or down load to excel to calculate our consumption by the minute to three decimal places. Why I wonder do these dozy idiots think they can get away with short changing anyone armed with facts. We have 3 meters now. They have still changed the reading dates to their favour in relation to price change points in spite of MRs taking readings, backed by photgra[hs of the meter on teh day of the price changes, but WE BOTH SURRENDER and we shall accept their still incorrect bill as we are utterly sick of them and their stupidity. It is after some 16 months within £20. What they dont realise is I have been wanting to visit them with a pick axe handle and reolve their position in my normally iunderstanding way. Its only my Missus having hidden it that has stopped me. Another relative, a chartered accountant said this week they appear to have under charged him and not by even what I consider a large amount, but more than that. He has moved suppliers and paid his £bill of under £5 and has the £2500 put aside incase the dozy ******** wake up. He undertsands the corporate fiscal implications of their ineptitude more than do I. His prediction based on his accounancy skills is tthat they are heading for a BIG problem. They are too arrogant to admit they had a screwed system for accoiunting and billing. I cant face going elsewhere for our supply as we would have to deal with BG again and the thought makes me fee physically sick. I might be long dead before they get it. The other up side of the day is the best solar power day this year. We have also overpaid BG by £170 so can recalculate our monthly bill down to around £40 which is bearable. I just wonder how many inaccurate bills they have sent out that have not been challenged. I may still pass the papers to the ombudsman and demand compensation for the stress and the substantial amount of time and effort it has taken to ge them even to within £20 let alone to an accurate bill.

This is an absolute scandal! almost daily you hear of someone having problems like this, it was on the TV just this morning, The toll it takes on people's health, mental health in particular, is horrendous and yet no heads ever seem to roll over it.

 

[The Panda Nut]

This is an absolute scandal! almost daily you hear of someone having problems like this, it was on the TV just this morning, The toll it takes on people's health, mental health in particular, is horrendous and yet no heads ever seem to roll over it.

I am going to ask for compensation for the time wasted and the stress. I estimate Mrs P Nut has spend at the very least 40 hours dealing with these idiots. Its pretty clear their computer system keeps changing the given meter readings from what has been properly and accurately supplied and altering them so the original reference reading and the current readings are used to plot a straight line and reapportion the readings on a given date this varies considerably its not a straight line. We use more on some days and certianly more in winter. In spite of telling them they just ignore us. Im also going to write to the CEO and tell him what I think of British Gas in short words. My relative who has apparently been undercharged offered to make up the difference from his gain. In the light of how we have been treated they stand NO chance of getting any help sortingh out the mess they have made of his account. I may well print out our hourly consumption which I have back to 4/11/22 and graph it and calculate exactly the amount we have used and send them each days graph and post it wihtout a stamp. It woiuld be around 1500 pages. I think its one for BBC watchdog. ]

When I worked for the Council in Norwich I remember being told to restructure a department, just a few weeks after I joined, I was overwhelmed. I was then told that when I was given a job to do I had to do it, and get it right or "dont come back this afternoon" It wasnt an idel threat either. I think that was harsh, but in my time at work you did your job and if you made a mistake you put it right and as quickly as possible. I dont expect perfection in a service, but I do expect the service to be within reason, as describes and accurately billed. British Gas it seems have a few people including those at the top who patently get paid for doing nothing or doing ridiculous stupid and idiotic things. If they worked for me their feet wouldnt touch the floor on their way out. They are som pathetic its not worth gettimng cross, but I will get even. How many people don't check the bill, and how many cant cope with the stress. I think BG are deliberately and systematically ripping their customers off. As you say its scandelous.

 

[Cheest]

Ill get my son to bring a US envelope when he comes next month. We can then pop one in the post for you!
View attachment 439715
Brother used to joke Panda would fit in his boot on his old Range Rover.. The new RR is significantly bigger. I will try and get another Panda RR pic. Thought this would make you laugh as I suspect your Truck would dwarf the Rangie.

I could probably fit that in the trunk of the DeSoto.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I could probably fit that in the trunk of the DeSoto.

You may not refer to a Panda as "that"!
Pandas have feelings you know!

Take a giant stride for the New Fiat Panda.

 

[FiatMatt94]

Got up really early this morning & refitted the airbag module after getting it back yesterday & everything is now all good with no lights on the dash so have took it out today to double check it's all good which it is so Luigi is now all fit & healthy again, I've decided that next year I'll be dropping the rear subframe & re painting it as it's still alright but starting to look a bit scabby in areas, I'd rather keep an original part than put in a poor fitting pattern part a few years down the line, I have some upcoming plans for the Panda

1) my dad is going to be giving me a set of 131 Mirafiori Sport wheels he's got laying around so they'll look quite good on the Panda in gunmetal with a set of 185/60/14 tyres on them, he's told me I'm not having the centre caps though as they're rare so will have to get my own
2) redo the Panda badge on the badge as it's wearing away a bit, thinking red to go with the roof bars & mirror covers