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General General Panda thoughts

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General General Panda thoughts

Didge, I wouldn't rush into buying the first Panda that is local and in your price bracket (can't think who did that :rolleyes:)

Despite appearances there are plenty around and it pays to be patient. You'll have a long time to live with a poor choice.

If you decide what is most important to you in spec and condition, your decision should be a little easier.

I personally think keeping your GP whilst you find, buy and see how you get on with a panda for your main car would be sensible. I found that it was difficult for mum to enter and exit easily so was pleased I hadn't let go of the 500 straight away, maybe you'll find an unthought of issue too.

Good Luck in your deliberations Didge (y)

Edit

Ha Ha, my mum said the EXACT same thing too :D
 
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cheekylittlescamp said:
Didge, I wouldn't rush into buying the first Panda that is local and in your price bracket (can't think who did that :rolleyes:)

I personally think keeping your GP whilst you find, buy and see how you get on with a panda for your main car would be sensible. I found that it was difficult for mum to enter and exit easily so was pleased I hadn't let go of the 500 straight away, maybe you'll find an unthought of issue too.

Good Luck in your deliberations Didge (y)

Edit

Ha Ha, my mum said the EXACT same thing too :D
Click to expand...

Hang on, that would be an incredibly sensible thing to do.... We drive Fiats not Volkswagens.

I have no worries about the Panda in question I am buying, I know it's coming from a very good place and am very excited about it. It's definitely a top contender in terms of what I'm looking for, if I were to wait until I have the money and keep the GP, I'll probably miss this Panda (which I'm sure there are others about that I'll like but none will be quite the same I would imagine).
I'm not sure on the GP still, realistically I want something with more power and comfort for motorways which is why I'm keen to sell anyway.... I think I'll go a test drive a random Bravo/Brava and see if I'd be happy with it, that way I could get rid of the GP and still have a car I'm happy with before I plunge in with a Panda...

Maybe.... :confused: :)
 
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Didge3 said:
I'm not buying a new car :confused:



Didn't say a lot of maintenance, I mean all sorts of things, keeping it serviced etc, general running costs. That would be an advantage if I only had a Panda because it would mean I wouldn't have to run another car. If I went with the two car situation then I'd have less money for the Panda because I'd have to run/tax/insure two cars.
I'm leaning toward getting a Bravo/Brava, can get reasonable insurance on them, not sure what they're like for reliability, they're getting quite old now, can pick one up for about £800 leaving plenty money left for Panda and insurance...

Still confused. I told my Mum (still living at home) my plans.
"What on earth do you need two Fiats for?! :mad:"
Click to expand...

I can highly recommend the classic Bravo, in fact that is what my Daughter now runs instead of Charmania. :).

https://www.fiatforum.com/members-motors/306991-charmains-bravo.html

She's had a flat battery this week but otherwise it's been faultless. The only thing I would say though is don't get a 1.4 if you can avoid it as they seem to be a bit thirsty, a 1.2 is more economical and probably just as quick.
 
Thanks for advice Vern. I'm slightly impartial to your advice though :D
No I'm sure you mean well and speak the truth, I'm looking at either the 1.2 or the 1.6's because those are the ones I can afford to insure, it seems the 1.4 was an earlier model as I'm looking at the latest ones (want as low millage as possible of course)
 
Didge3 said:
Thanks for advice Vern. I'm slightly impartial to your advice though :D
No I'm sure you mean well and speak the truth, I'm looking at either the 1.2 or the 1.6's because those are the ones I can afford to insure, it seems the 1.4 was an earlier model as I'm looking at the latest ones (want as low millage as possible of course)
Click to expand...

You're nearly giving the game away. ;)

I wouldn't rule out the early ones, Charmain's got a great car for 150 Quid, that would be a big saving for you!
 
VmanC said:
I can highly recommend the classic Bravo, in fact that is what my Daughter now runs instead of Charmania. :).

https://www.fiatforum.com/members-motors/306991-charmains-bravo.html

She's had a flat battery this week but otherwise it's been faultless. The only thing I would say though is don't get a 1.4 if you can avoid it as they seem to be a bit thirsty, a 1.2 is more economical and probably just as quick.
Click to expand...

It's the one in the thread above, did you not see the link? :)
 
Didge3 said:
Oh that one, wasn't looking for a 1.4 but for 150 squids.... tempted, what's the millage though? Terribly worried about rust, enquired in the Bravo/Brava section and apparently they have issues with floor pans and subframes rusting away.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I did have to weld in a couple of patches where the floor meets the inner sills, then it went straight through its mot. Mileage was about 65,000. I'm not sure I could repeat that price if I was to look for another one though.
 
In theory, could an ordinary Panda be turned into a Bianca? I mean if you had it sprayed white (including the bumpers) would it be the same as a Bianca? Or did they have slightly different styling apart from the colour? I know it wouldn't 'become' a Bianca, but would it look the same? :eek:
 
Bianca??.... I'm sure I can tell you what to paint and what not to. Would need to be twin sunnys as well. I even have two spare bianca logos for the rear quarter...:D I also have an original bianca interior spare...:D:D
 
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I'm not going all out, I just want the general look, google images reveals some without twin sunnies so I assume these are ones people have modified too? I was just checking they didn't have any difference in bumpers, side skirts or body panels at all to normal Panda's, all I'd be doing was spraying the body, bumpers and grille.

EDIT: Well this is all in theory, I doubt I'll do it unfortunately.
 
Door mirror mounts white as well. The official bianca's in the uk had twin sunnys. Euro land had late pandas colour coded white but not called a bianca. There was a mk1 bianca model..:yum:

There was two whites used as far as I know.
 
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Most Easterly Pandas said:
Not a Bianca unless it says so on the V5C :ROFLMAO:
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Sadly not, but being that there are 5 in total in the UK (well as far as the DVLA are aware) that's unlikely to happen.

purple haze said:
Door mirror mounts white as well. The official bianca's in the uk had twin sunnys. Euro land had late pandas colour coded white but not called a bianca. There was a mk1 bianca model..:yum:

There was two whites used as far as I know.
Click to expand...

I'm basically just going for the all white look, I wouldn't bother about changing the interior or getting a twin sunny, (Ideally I'd like a mk1 grille too because they looked better IMO :D)
 
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