Hi all,
I hope you don't mind me tarting myself out here, but I trust people like you on forums like this a lot more than other 'official' sources.

My friend and I are driving our 22 year old FIAT Panda 769cc from London to Cameroon as part of the charitable Africa Rally. We'll be going down through Europe then through a dozen African Countries in four weeks, clocking up around 9,000 miles on the way!

We've already done a weekend run up to Perth in Scotland, clocking up 750 miles over the two days, so it looks like we've got a good reliable one. You can check out our blog and some photos at www.theclueless2.com

As the experts on all things Panda, what sort of problems do you think we'll encounter on our trip? Any advice how we can prepare our little car to cope?

Thanks fort your help,

Hayden

Oh dear.....you have not read the other bits about rallies on this site...

I'm doing a rally from here to Timbuktu leaving boxing day...In a 20yr old Nissan Micra. Not a Panda!!! Sorry if this is going to sound bad...but...i dont think you will get much support here unless you bring the car back in one piece...Being a older/rare Panda even less support.
French, german and jap cars are popular in Africa...Fiats..err no..so no spare parts = one defuct car!!

We tend to love our cars which are getting harder and harder to find....Yep maybe a sad bunch of w@nk*rs but to kill a car we love just does not sit well with me...Hence im killing a Nissan for charity!!!

Kev

Will the Panda be coming back to the UK

Need to fix wiper before you go. Dosen't look much cop in the rain if it don't park properly.

Is that rust free dors i see!!

Like Purple Haze has said. Make sure she comes back in one piece.

I think we need our resident panda advnturer to come along and advise with africa... he was only out there a few weeks ago! Good luck with the trip too!

Superb engine the FIRE 769cc, very willing

Mmmmmmm. On the one hand I wanted to say wow another D reg Panda. A rare beast on UK roads. Poppi our D reg 1000CL has done her fair share of charity runs (Italy, Ireland & Scally Rally) but has always made the return journey home to where she belongs.

On the other, I see from your web site you are planning on leaving your Panda in Africa (if I've read your site blurb correctly). One word . . . why !

The idea of raising money is very commendable but please don't let the Panda see out her days where she won't be cared for and parts are very hard to come by (the same as rocking horse p00 and hen's teeth are)

Anyway, rant over so pass me a ladder so I can get off this high horse

Such a waste

Most Easterly Pandas said:

Such a waist

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Waste ?

mandapanda said:

Waste ?

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Yeah, thats what I said

Most Easterly Pandas said:

such a waist

Click to expand...

Cheeky, you edited it

mandapanda said:

Cheeky, you edited it

Click to expand...

:nerner:

Hoo hum....Just checked your website and saw you took a Micra on your last rally...same as mine...

So Panda not coming back...hmmm should have tested the water on here about that...
There has been alot said on the forum in the past about Pandas used in rallies...i'm sorry to say none of it good!!!...The car seems to run ok so i guess you will take it no matter what...OR...i will buy a Micra for you to take and you give me the Panda!!...

kev

And I get the drift that our Kev isn't joking, and I'll even throw in sponsorship

Most Easterly Pandas said:

And I get the drift that our Kev isn't joking, and I'll even throw in sponsorship

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Early Mk 2...and a 750!!!....Wot can i say...

I mean half the fun is bringing the car back also. Jims always managed it.

Most Easterly Pandas said:

I mean half the fun it bringing the car back also. Jims always managed it.

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Jim...:worship:....Legend

Hi flying mouse. I was due to do this myself so I'm aware that you will be leaving the car behind to be auctioned off. Unfortunately, I had to pull out this year after a spate of bad incidents in my family had to take priority.
When I told this lot on here I was considering doing it next year in a Panda, I recieved a similar reception to yourselves, and was also advised to get a Micra.
As I am also a 750 Panda owner I do understand there viewpoint, so if I can do next years run it will be in a Micra, or something similarly dispensible.
Whatever you go in I wish you a safe and enjoyable trip.

Look on the positive side, they imported the car from Italy so it's a left hand drive model that will hopefully get a new home in Africa. It's not being scrapped, just relocated to another continent for a very good cause. Perhaps Ben could donate a couple of FIAT Forums stickers to remind the new owner to join the best Panda Forums on the Planet.

Welcome to the forums and good luck with your journey.

to both your points... if FIAT wanted to be in Africa and thought their was a market for their cars then they would have sold out there. there will be no spares whatso ever and it will get eaten by lions.

As your rasing money for charity.. you might only raise £300. you'd get that for the bloody car!!!

Whatever the uncertainties surrounding the fate of Fiat Auto, the Italian group has clearly embarked on a global product offensive. South Africa, and indeed Africa in general, is a relatively small market for Fiat whose major markets are Italy and Brazil which together account for 60% of cars sold. Nevertheless, the group has importers and representatives in nine sub-Saharan African countries, as well as a subsidiary in Egypt and a presence in Morocco and Tunisia. They also export to Reunion and it is interesting to note that the group probably enjoys a larger market share in South Africa than it does in Western Europe.

That's perhaps due to Fiat's long history in South Africa where, until the end of 1980, it produced the Fiat 128, 131 and 132 model ranges at the Fiat Rosslyn plant.

Alfa Romeo was also present in South Africa until the end of 1985, producing the Giulietta, Alfetta, Alfasud and Alfa 33 models at its plant in Brits. The Fiat 128 pickup, developed locally in South Africa, was also produced at Brits during this period, while Fiat X19s, Alfa 6s and GTVs were all imported for the local market.

The Fiat Uno was produced under an agreement with Nissan SA from 1988 until 1998 when Fiat Auto returned to South Africa as Fiat Auto South Africa (FASA) and took over production. Since its launch, 113,000 Unos have been produced and sold in South Africa.

Today, FASA is the sole distributor of Fiat and Alfa products in South Africa. The entire Alfa range is imported, but the Fiat 178 'world car' (badged locally as the Palio, Siena and Weekend) is produced on the Fiat production line at Nissan's Rosslyn plant under an assembly contract that will run until 2008. Over two-thirds of all FASA vehicles sold in South Africa are locally produced.

Fiat have invested around R400m in South Africa. Making full use of the provisions offered by the South African government's Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP), Fiats' export strategy programme fits into its global sourcing network. Taking full advantage of MIDP's import duty rebates for local-content exports, Fiat exported R1bn of locally manufactured right-hand-drive cars, and components such as catalytic converters and leather seats, last year.

http://www.fiat.co.za/home.jsp
http://www.fiatclub.co.za/