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Panda 2012+ Chichi, the Angry Panda

Overview Gallery Discussion

Introduction

Took delivery this afternoon. She's a Twinair Cross in Tuscany Green with winter & comfort packs, reversing sensors and rear privacy glass.

Had sill kick plates, matts, boot liner & the Panda B pillar badges fitted by the dealer.

She replaces my beloved 500 Twinair Plus which is going to a good friend (the best pound for pound car I've ever owned - I'll really miss it)

Early impressions are very solid & grown up. Nice controls, great driving position and a good drive. Quieter than I was expecting too, especially given the reviews & the semi-serious rubber.

Bring on the snow!

Here are some pics:-

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I'll keep you posted :)

Cheers,
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Reactions: ben, werdna, Palio and 11 others
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Bogwoppit said:
Something unrelated entirely and not necessarily unique to the Cross but has anyone got raised eyebrows over the performance of the headlights? It could be me but they do seem rather good. Maybe it's the ride height of the off road Pandas, certainly the spec seems nowt out of the ordinary. By comparison the vRS Fabia had a pair of candles! For me yet another plus point and not one I expected.
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Really? The (dip beam) lights of my 4x4 are ****e! Put the main beam on and all u can see if the blue warning light......
 
Barely used main beam, except to know it works, it's the dip beam performance that's startling. Maybe the Fabia was pretty dreadful and only by comparison is the Cross so good.
 
Fitted some second hand genuine 2012 MY > roof bars to the Cross.

Needed minor adaptation for the unique longitudinal bars but easily sorted with a Dremel.

Also checked the tyre pressures for the first time in 1600 miles / 2 months.

43.5psi all round instead of 35 & 32! Bloody dealers!!

I've held back checking / setting because of the iTMPS gadget which needs re-setting.

Anyway, more I drive the Cross the more I love it. Perfect every day, everywhere car.

Works on longer trips too, taking three adults & luggage to Gatwick & back (440 miles) with no fuss whatsoever.

Comfortable & competent on the M Ways and easily maintains speed.

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Just a quick update as my lovely Panda hit 2500 miles this weekend.

She's been very well looked after & tackles the daily commute with ease.

I really like this car & it's typically my go to daily driver.

Economy still isn't great. Now up to 36mpg, 37.5 with the climate control air con off.

Only issues are the rear brakes (sorted with a dealer visit) & a clonk / twang from under the dash when on & off the brakes.

The Green colour makes it a target for seagull crap too :(

Keep a bottle of Autoglym quick detailer & a couple of microfibre cloths in the boot at all times & wash regularly!!

ImageUploadedByFIAT Forum1432630128.527617.jpg

Happy days :D
 
Squadrone Rosso said:
Just a quick update as my lovely Panda hit 2500 miles this weekend.

She's been very well looked after & tackles the daily commute with ease.

I really like this car & it's typically my go to daily driver.

Economy still isn't great. Now up to 36mpg, 37.5 with the climate control air con off.

Only issues are the rear brakes (sorted with a dealer visit) & a clonk / twang from under the dash when on & off the brakes.

The Green colour makes it a target for seagull crap too :(

Keep a bottle of Autoglym quick detailer & a couple of microfibre cloths in the boot at all times & wash regularly!!

View attachment 155340

Happy days :D
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Did you polish your dog too? I would have thought you'd get better mpg, I wonder is it down to the Cross being a bit heavier then your old 500 and also a small percentage of drive going to the rear? My 500 is at 13K now and with a recent Digitek oil change it seems a lot looser, I've driven the past 2 tanks in Eco mode and am achieving 48.5 on the trip for my mixed commute and general urban use - not bad I guess and if I made a bit more effort 50 is easily attainable as everyday mpg. Eco is now very usable and smooth compared to when mileage was lower and I would say is on par with a 1.2 performance wise. Hopefully your Cross will loosen up a bit but the running cost difference is really not a lot for what you get:)
 
I get the brake twang too. It gives the car a very low-rent feel :(

Earlier in the thread, someone mentioned the overly bright main beam warning light, but I find the green light on the Cross's traction control knob equally distracting. It isn't controllable via the instrument dimmer control either, so I guess the only alternative is a bit of black insulating tape on the top.
 
I'm sure the brake clonk/twang from behind the dash is that damned connecting bar that Fiat fit to RHD models to link into the LHD pedal set-up going through the bulkhead into the engine bay. My Parents 500 had an occasional clonk from there too, though the Panda's sound a bit worse.

Autocar magazine ripped lumps out of the new Jeep Cherokee for it (they had the same noise), and i'm starting to realise why.
 
A couple of things.

Having had a multitude of Italian cars, the bright blue full beam indicator isn't an issue at all.

For non xenon lamps, headlamp performance is fine too.

I'm sure the twang is fixable too. Probably just needs grease as it didn't do it when new.

Very minor issues, certainly not detracting from an otherwise superb all round car.
 
Happy first Birthday to Chichi the Panda.

In for a service today. 1 year mandatory check + optional oil change so £132 all in.

Not bad for 6510 miles of motoring.

Love pretty much everything about the car and so glad I opted for the various optional packs.

Gripes are limited to the clutch pedal rubber delaminating (my work shoes), clutch pedal squeak / twang and the binding rear brakes (looked at once before).

I'd like a little bit more room for my left knee and I now agree about the dipped headlight performance so new bulbs are on the cards.

It's picked up only one stonechip and the silver rear skid panel took a clout care of a careless driver so is being replaced at her cost.

Overall, excellent car. Super happy. Good job well done FIAT :D
 
Squadrone Rosso said:
Happy first Birthday to Chichi the Panda.

In for a service today. 1 year mandatory check + optional oil change so £132 all in.

Not bad for 6510 miles of motoring.

Love pretty much everything about the car and so glad I opted for the various optional packs.

Gripes are limited to the clutch pedal rubber delaminating (my work shoes), clutch pedal squeak / twang and the binding rear brakes (looked at once before).

I'd like a little bit more room for my left knee and I now agree about the dipped headlight performance so new bulbs are on the cards.

It's picked up only one stonechip and the silver rear skid panel took a clout care of a careless driver so is being replaced at her cost.

Overall, excellent car. Super happy. Good job well done FIAT :D
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Awwww, makes you get all teary hearing a love story like this :)
 
Squadrone Rosso said:
No fault found on either issue, not aware of the damper fix :(
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Grrrr! How come we are reading of just about everyone else getting fiat acknowledging the problem, and yet our local dealers (griffin mill wanted me to buy new pads!) seem to not be bothered in going out of their way to try and resolve this issue? We really need the part numbers and technical bulletin numbers. :(
 
Upgraded (?) the headlight bulbs today with Halfords Super Brilliance +130% bulbs.

A simple job to do, no more than 10 mins being extra careful.

No more horrible springy clips like on the Alfas I've owned. Such a nice design.

Anyway, will report back tomorrow on the brightness(y)
 

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Well, I'm happy to report there is an improvement. The aim is still the same for starters (not higher to dazzle drivers) but the light is whiter and gives longer / wider coverage.

Can't say I really noticed much of a difference on full beam but only had that on for a few seconds.

Overall, for £30, well happy.
 
I think it's pretty clear that I love my Panda, as I did the 500 before it.

It's weird, I drive "better" cars (Alfa V6 Brera & V6GT for example...no longer owned) but I never feel short changed getting back in small Fiats.

We had our first weekend away in my wife's new GT86. Fabulous car, brilliant on the road and really comfortable. Surprisingly good on fuel too.

Anyway, back in the Panda this morning. No complaints at all. Brilliant little car(y)
 
Squadrone Rosso said:
I think it's pretty clear that I love my Panda, as I did the 500 before it.



It's weird, I drive "better" cars (Alfa V6 Brera & V6GT for example...no longer owned) but I never feel short changed getting back in small Fiats.



We had our first weekend away in my wife's new GT86. Fabulous car, brilliant on the road and really comfortable. Surprisingly good on fuel too.



Anyway, back in the Panda this morning. No complaints at all. Brilliant little car(y)
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So you kept the Series 4 then, good man! Maybe you need to shorten your name to just 'Rosso'
 
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