The 'perfect Panda' is currently a little less than perfect

Last week I changed HT leads, dizzy cap, rotor arm, and plugs because she just wasn't running right. Thankfully, all is better now after £35 worth of parts.

Whilst doing all this, we noticed that a breather pipe from the air filter is disintergrating, so I've ordered one of those for collection tomorrow.

Over the last few weeks, the rumbling from the driver's side front wheel is becoming incredibly loud, and is now at a point of inflicting a headache after a short journey [xx(] Suspect CV joint, but I'm booked in to a Fiat specialist tomorrow for them to assess.

The brakes make for some 'exciting' experiences, and should probably be replaced soon-ish. I've done over 32,000 miles with them, and I've no idea how long they were in before I bought the car.

Last night, I met a stone pillar, and have a cracked bumper, smashed rear light unit, and slight alteration to the bodywork [!][V] I'm so annoyed with myself, and upset that I've hurt my car I was reversing at a slow walking pace, but the stone pillar was unforgiving.

Collecting a new rear lamp assembly tomorrow, which should hopefully cover the slight ripple [}], and the bumper can probably be fixed in the same way the front one was after a woman pulled out in front of me at a roundabout last year.

On top of that, she's filthy after being rained on, and has flies and other insects splattered across the front after a dash up and down the M5.

Sorry about that. Had to tell someone |)

Oh ... sugar.

Hope everything gets fixed soon.

A word of consolation: I heard that my beloved Panda was flattened at the scrappie yesterday [xx(]

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

I'm sorry you're having a bit time of it...

FWIW the rumbling might be the wheel bearing:
does the noise change when cornering left or right??
If it is, they're an awful lot of money for what they are, as I understand the whole hub at about 60 UKP, plus fitting, is the order of the day.
Hope I'm wrong.. the driveshaft would probably be cheaper.

The front brakes are usually the better for pulling to bits, cleaning, and "copper ease" on the bits that need to slide for both pads to be used when stoppingB)
Not expensive or difficult to do, but fairly mucky

John H

Sorry to hear that Steve. Hope you're ok.

Today didn't start too well.

In fact, my beloved Panda wouldn't start. This followed an incident on Monday where she refused to start on a public car-park, then with a few words of encouragement, and a bit of rocking back and forth, roared into life.

This morning however, there was nothing. Fortunately, I was parked in my garage, so managed to roll her out and get a push start up the little used road that the garage is in.

So, today has been a day for obtaining quotes and booking appointments.

Ripple in bodywork straightened out at highly recommended bodywork specialist = £40 (booked for 26 May)

Starter Motor = £71 (pattern part because Fiat price is £300+ [:0])

Bought new rear light cluster from Fiat = £30.78

Collected breather pipe = £6.78

Went over to Fiat specialist for their assessment of the rumbling noise. Sadly John, it is road wheel bearing [xx(], and also two track rod ends .

Plan for tomorrow is to order starter motor, then take off my current one.

Then book her in for wheel bearing and track rod end replacement at another garage that offered to fit the pattern parts for around £100 less than Fiat garage asked, including VAT.

So, by the end of the month, all should be fine

Except the loan - gone, again[xx(]

It always does John! B)

I'm ok Paul. Just Panda-less. I notice rrocketman has put the price of his Panda up from £500 to £700 ... I'm not pleased

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

Originally posted by steveyensen
I'm ok Paul. Just Panda-less. I notice rrocketman has put the price of his Panda up from £500 to £700 ... I'm not pleased

Click to expand...

A 71.4% increase? [:0] That's inflation

Attempted to take off the old starter motor last night but my spanners wedged [8)]

So I'm now the proud owner of a socket set I'll try again this evening...

Originally posted by PandaManPaul

price of his Panda up from £500 to £700 ...
A 71.4% increase? [:0] That's inflation

Click to expand...

I think your maths is a bit suspect, Paul.

More like:

(700-500) x 100 = 40%
500


It's still a substantial increase though

Sorry Steve. I didn't know you where interested.
It is still sort of negotiable. If you want to come and have a look you will see how much of a bargain it is. As I explained, it went up after I'd mot'd it, and it will have 6 months tax so thats a hundred for a start! I did start off at £700 but reduced it for a quick sale, but it never happened, not even a nibble. I suppose I could advertise it in the local papers, but still don't know for sure if I really want to sell it to just anyone.
But for you, a Pandamaniac, someone who will pamper it, negotiatable.

Russ

Originally posted by John H

Originally posted by PandaManPaul

price of his Panda up from £500 to £700 ...
A 71.4% increase? [:0] That's inflation

Click to expand...

I think your maths is a bit suspect, Paul.

More like:

(700-500) x 100 = 40%
500


It's still a substantial increase though

Click to expand...

Ok :I

But in my defence, I'm a journalist, and as a rule, we don't do maths! [)]

The plot thickens.

Had the devil's own game trying to remove the old starter motor. What with water pipes all over the place, it was somewhat difficult. However, my Dad came down to help me , and fit the new one with me. He drove the 5 hours down, removed the old one at 3am, then had 5 hours sleep |)

But the one we bought, despite what the book said, wasn't the correct one [xx(] The solenoid was in a different position, and the holes were the wrong size [!]

However, a store 25 miles away did have the right one. So my Dad drove us over there in his car, fitted the new one for me, then went home. Which is 246 miles away B)

Today, it's in having wheel bearing and track rod ends replaced, and the tracking set up. Only it's taking longer than expected because they're having trouble getting the parts [}]

So I've got a horrid K-reg Escort 1.6LX [V] I know I see my car through rose-tinted spectacles, but I really do prefer my Panda to this Escort. I despise the Ford's gearbox, clutch, seat, seating position, and dimensions.

I want my Panda back [8)]

Beginning of the end for the Panda, then...


BTW - congratulate your Dad from me.

I would prefer the Panda to any old Ford, any day. Although I might choose a Consul Classic but it would have to be a good one!


Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

Originally posted by John H
Beginning of the end for the Panda, then...

Click to expand...

Never! [:0]

She'll be better than ever soon

But I need to look at something else. On the way back I went to use the horn, only to discover that there was no sound, and the fuel and temperature needles went to full, and I had a few lights illuminate on the dash, so there's a short to sort out somewhere [xx(]

It's odd, because everything worked when I took her in, and now it doesn't. The garage say they had no need to mess with the battery or other wires, so I'm not sure what's going on. The radio doesn't work either, so there's a live feed problem going on.

BTW - congratulate your Dad from me.

Click to expand...

Will do!

The horn has +12 all the time direct from fuse 3.
It's operated by the push providing an earth, which is routed a bit circuitously via the brake fluid sensor (which you will have disturbed), the two screen washer motors, and finally to the block behind the passenger headlight.

This earth route is also shared by all the instrumentation - it joins at one of the three connector blocks under the speedo...
black wires and more black wires to (probably) the second connector on one of them.

Your Blackpool illumination effect is most likely to be either the wiring to the brake fluid level switch, or that earth block*, again .

The horn draws a lot of current and a dodgey earth can't provide enough - so you get +12 where it should be earth.


Let us know how you fare.


John H

clarification:
* I mean the one behind the passenger side headlight.

Thanks John

I'll have a look again later and let you know.

Yesterday afternoon / evening / night, I spent trying to get the horn to sound again.

And there's good news and bad news.

The horn sounds now without lighting up the dashboard, and the fuel needle only flickers a tiny amount, and doesn't sweep the gauge as it did before. Therefore, the car is driveable again.

However, my radio is dead [xx(]

I'm seeing my Dad again in about a fortnight, so we'll have a look together

Had a bit of a suprise though when I went to place the negative lead back on to the battery, and as I put it near the terminal, there was an almighty crack and a flash.

However, after taking out the line fuse to the radio, the cracking and flashing ceased, so I can live without it for two weeks and sing to myself [8)]

As for fixing the horn problem, I'm not entirely sure what I did that worked. But I took both terminals off the horn, took it off the mounting, put it all back together, dropped the dash shelf, inspected the wires around the ignition switch, that sort of thing, and it seems to have fixed it for now

Update:
Got the radio working (hurrah!) Turned out to be the switch we had put in had packed-up. Put in new switch.

But then I only had one of the two speakers working.

Took out the headunit and discovered a wire had come loose. Fixed that and I've got both speakers functioning.

Then, last Friday, the top hose started to play up. On Sunday, it gave up the ghost all together, so it's now wrapped up in a special hose tape, and I've spent a bit of time bleeding the system and scalding my fingers.

New top hose is on order, but has to come from the factory B) Now have to wait 2-3 days before it arrives.

My local friendly Fiat dealer got the top hose in two days, fitted it, filled her with anti-freeze, and bled the system, so all is well That was yesterday afternoon.

Took her out today and everything is perfect

Very happy again now

Glad all is well Paul!

Repair on the rear corner's a good job