babbo_umbro said:

Nice one - which dealer did you get it from? - I'm in Devon so looking for best potential local deal, though we bought Mrs b_u's 1.2 Mk 3 from Perry's in Bucks.

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If you're looking to shop around, I'd recommend giving Roundswell Fiat in Barnstaple a shout. If I remember rightly you said you live in/near Okehampton in another thread? If so I guess it would be an hour for you to get there?

We got our Panda from there and I have found them to be pretty decent so far. Did some warranty work without any fuss (clutch sensor broke) and I got some service quotes from them too which were pretty good.

An alternative to the mighty Vospers empire anyway, haha!

Super Uwe said:

If you're looking to shop around, I'd recommend giving Roundswell Fiat in Barnstaple a shout. If I remember rightly you said you live in/near Okehampton in another thread? If so I guess it would be an hour for you to get there?

We got our Panda from there and I have found them to be pretty decent so far. Did some warranty work without any fuss (clutch sensor broke) and I got some service quotes from them too which were pretty good.

An alternative to the mighty Vospers empire anyway, haha!

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Thanks for that - we used to live near Barnstaple but to be honest I didn't even know there was a Fiat dealer hiding there. We bought a pair of Pandas from Vospers Exeter about four years ago (100HP still going well with 43000 miles on the clock, MJ written off on ice two years ago and replaced by 1.2 from Perry's) and the bargaining was pretty hard going - had to leave showroom with "ring us, I won't ring you" before they would cut a reasonable deal.

Over the last couple of days between being in Modena and Turin I have seen more new 4x4s than new normal pandas.

Still dont think the factory is at capacity yet!

babbo_umbro said:

Thanks for that - we used to live near Barnstaple but to be honest I didn't even know there was a Fiat dealer hiding there. We bought a pair of Pandas from Vospers Exeter about four years ago (100HP still going well with 43000 miles on the clock, MJ written off on ice two years ago and replaced by 1.2 from Perry's) and the bargaining was pretty hard going - had to leave showroom with "ring us, I won't ring you" before they would cut a reasonable deal.

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No problem! The garage also does Toyota and Hyundai as well, I think the FIAT side of things is pretty new, certainly no more than a few years old.

Just gives you another option really. Vospers have been fine and dreadful in equal measures for me personally (from branch to branch anyway), but the way I see it they can pretty much do what they like as there is no real competition down these 'ere parts for FIAT.

Deeyup and I have both sung Griffin Mill's praises in the past, who are based in Pontypridd. A bit of a trek of course but also worth considering too.

ivantate said:

Over the last couple of days between being in Modena and Turin I have seen more new 4x4s than new normal pandas.

Still dont think the factory is at capacity yet!

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Interesting to hear!

Looking at this section of the forum it seems to me that the 4x4 has generated more debate/interest than the regular Mk4 version.

Maybe it has captured the imagination more than the regular one? We'll just have to wait and see I guess!

I am tempted by the Twin Air in Cancan Red. Has anyone had experience with Fiat dealers near Oxford. I don't really want to go with Hartwell as I have had negative experiences with their Land Rover franchise.

Hi

Yesterday I took one TA 4X4 for a test drive. The average miles per gallon was just under 37. The car has 750 miles in total on its dial.

First impressions was that the dash looked cheap compared with the previous model. Seats looked better quality but the controls around the radio again looks cheap (shinny black plastic).

I am really undecided whether to buy one or not. What sort of mpg do you think I would get once a TA had been run in?

Do others agree that the dash does not look as well made as the previous model?

Derek

I can see why you say that about the dash. However that in the Mk3 is such a blob of non-descript gray plastic, that I see the more modular looking new dash design as an improvement, despite the odd rough edge and the not altogether harmonious juxtaposition of finishes. Plenty of room for a mid-life facelift, methinks...

Re the T/A economy: our local dealer was encouraging quite spirited test drives so I would not be surprised at all to see them showing lower average mpgs than you may hope for. I think the difference with the T/A mk4 is that you can actually choose how to drive it - a decision simply unavailable to the driver of a 59bhp Mk3, which is only ever going to make very gentle progress and deliver somewhat average fuel economy...

Hi

Just found the best deal so far buyacar TA 4X4 Brand New for £12,775 delivered and taxed.

That is £652 less than my local dealer offered. He is going to have to match if he wants to sell one to me.

Derek

4x4Panda said:

I think the difference with the T/A mk4 is that you can actually choose how to drive it - a decision simply unavailable to the driver of a 59bhp Mk3, which is only ever going to make very gentle progress and deliver somewhat average fuel economy...

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With my Mk3 MJ, I driven to my heart's content, and didn't have to restrain myself in the least - neither I ever felt that power wasn't enough (MJ is very torquey). I only kept my tyres at proper pressure all the time (Conti EcoMotive). And I was getting 64 MPG out of it.

Ingvarr said:

With my Mk3 MJ, I driven to my heart's content, and didn't have to restrain myself in the least - neither I ever felt that power wasn't enough (MJ is very torquey). I only kept my tyres at proper pressure all the time (Conti EcoMotive). And I was getting 64 MPG out of it.

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Mrs b_u's Mk 3 MJ - NOT a 4x4 though - gave 59mpg being driven pretty hard; was a good little car but I don't agree about the torquey MJ engine - had to be rowed along with the gear lever, much more than the 100HP or the 1.2 - and used to wear front tyres very quickly.

hollis said:

Hi

Yesterday I took one TA 4X4 for a test drive. The average miles per gallon was just under 37. The car has 750 miles in total on its dial.

First impressions was that the dash looked cheap compared with the previous model. Seats looked better quality but the controls around the radio again looks cheap (shinny black plastic).

I am really undecided whether to buy one or not. What sort of mpg do you think I would get once a TA had been run in?

Do others agree that the dash does not look as well made as the previous model?

Derek

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Funny you say that as I do think the new dash/buttons etc look really smart. They feel nice and solid and are (IMO) a nicer fit than the buttons in the 500 for example. One of the best features about the new Panda. But each to their own of course!

I've sat in a few Mk3 Pandas and I agree the dash is solidly built, but for me the grey is just too overpowering.

Just had a decent test run in a TA 4x4, white demo car at Vospers in Exeter, five seat option plus spare wheel. I did about 20 miles on my own and managed to include some really deep and claggy mud, though no stiff slopes.

It's a great little car and many of my comments would be at least tempered by greater familiarity.

Anyway:

Stationary. External and internal finish looks good, good straight fit lines and trim mounting. Don't like the very heavy lines/bulges of the wheel arches and I don't think I ever will, though the double kink - in then out - not noticed it till today - obviously adds a lot of stiffness to the panel. The black rubbing strips all round are also not to my taste, and I wouldn't have them on a non-4x4, but they don't look too out of place on this model. They'd be OK on black paint. I'd get used to them to some extent but I still don't like the squircles on the dash, they contribute nothing functionally and I assume their purpose is to be different from the old model; the instruments remind me of my (much liked) 131 Sport - look dated and they're not that good for instant reading - I don't think that's just unfamiliarity, they just don't seem very clear; interior in general is well enough executed but the dash is not good - the anthracite effect along the top is not too bad - I didn't notice any exposed body-colour bits, thank goodness - but the contrastingly very shiny, black knobs and buttons add to the sixties look and feel. Stalks are slightly different functionally, with a good, solid feel to them. Seats are OK, reclining adjustment's a nice touch, but I suspect they're not as comfortable as the 100HP's, the headrest seemed like a block of wood - know how Charles the First felt; I sat in a couple of non-4x4s and I think I'd find the pattern on the upholstery irritating in the brighter colours. Maybe it's only a subjective reaction but the seating/cabin somehow felt slightly less roomy/airy than either the 1.2 or the 100HP - I drove in shirtsleeves - are the doors thicker on the new model?

On the move - and remembering that my every-day car is a Panda 100HP. Car just got to 500 miles while I was driving it. A really horrible day with a mix of drizzle and driving rain and very gusty conditions with up-to-60mph winds. Much better story. I like the engine note - always there but not too obtrusive and quite pleasant - it does remind me of the real 500 - gruff and business-like - and it's easy to under-estimate the revs. I tried Stop/Start and could get used to it, though I do very little driving in heavy (in fact Stop/Start) traffic; I also drove with it switched off, which I preferred but that's mostly a familiarity issue, I think. Gearing in the upper ratios is virtually identical to the 100HP so the generally flexible nature was no surprise; the car felt really willing in fifth gear up the steep A380 dual-carriageway hill towards Torbay from Exeter; sixth felt fine as an all-day cruising ratio on the flat and on modest inclines but I wouldn't expect to keep up more than 85 or so, which is fine for this car. Very blustery cross-wind was noticeable and car swayed a bit but nothing untoward. Although first gear's really short I found myself starting in that rather than second - again probably a loosening-up and familiarity issue as I reckon second should be fine, though easing away from a stop the turbo's not doing the biz and there's a distinct lack of torque unless you open the throttle a notch and slip the clutch in second. Brakes are reassuring enough though the car in general is not as sure-footed under braking as the 100HP - not because of pitching, which can help feel under braking, just seat-of-the-pants reaction (no - not THAT exciting); the ABS cut in very promptly - I tried quite heavy but not panic braking on a couple of occasions and it set off the ABS when I didn't feel as though a lock-up was imminent - perhaps the electro-bits to do with managing 4wd are a factor here. The salesman - non-pushy and seemed knowledgeable - suggested I drove it like a diesel but I didn't come away with that impression - best from the engine was between 3000 - maybe 2500 - rpm and 5500, making it very drivable, though no real fun at the top end. The "change gear" light could be a real pain in the backside and seemed arbitrary. Air con controls similar to Mk 3, stalks a little different and the row of similar push-buttons for other functions is not that appealing; handbrake is a gimmick but not an irritant. It does roll on corners/roundabouts but that's nicely in harmony with the overall driving experience and certainly not alarming; not much steering feel but like Mrs b-U's Mk 3 1.2 so not too bad. The indicator self-cancelling seemed a bit hit-or-miss, and the audible warning could have been hidden by the "thrumminess" of the engine except that it was rather irritatingly on the bleepy side. The ride was excellent.

And - joy of joys - I found some really glutinous mud in the woods near Haldon. No slope but six inches of water in places sitting on very cut up and uneven ground with anything from three to six inches of water-logged mud in places. Suspension coped admirably and the car felt really stiff and compact; I stopped with the wheels in ruts and a mixture of mud and water up to the sills and the car just pulled away - in first - as if on dry asphalt, either with wheels straight or on full lock.

Overall, I was impressed enough to suspect that any of the few niggles would fade with familiarity or be forgiven because of the nature of the beast - a true small Fiat, ready for whatever you could reasonably ask it to do - I'm already thinking of journeys we could make in Umbria that would be impossible in most other vehicles.

Oh - fuel consumption. Salesman reckoned he'd seen a best of 45 mpg at a steady 70 up the main road from the south. I reset the trip B counter when I set out and it was reading 28.8 mpg when I handed the keys back, slightly reluctantly.

Good review there B-U.

I agree with you totally on the clocks. Not clear at all, but much better than a VW UP which are totally obsucured
Driving my 500 I think what a masterpiece of design the clocks are. Big, clear, and all in one circle. Why don't they do this with more cars (my old C1 was like this too, Great!)

Top speed in 1st in the 4x4 Panda TA is 20mph. It's 27mph in my 500 TA.
I don't know what speed 2nd in the Panda is. Did the salesman say to start off in second gear? I think that 20 mph top speed is still too high as a crawler gear, and suspect it still should be used to start off?

The TA does take a little getting used to. I can see where the salesman is coming from saying drive like a derv, and I'd say he's right but a little further up the rev range. I find from about 2k to 4k rpm driving you can make pretty rapid progress in a relaxed manner.

They are great fun to drive, but 28mpg is not great though is it?:chin:

When I first looked at the latest panda (not 4x4) I really didn't like the interior. The square/circles or the gloss black plastic. I thought the gloss black looked cheap and would easily mark and date and I thought round control would basically just work better.

I also thought the actual size of the fan/heater controls just seemed small and awkward.

Having said all that I think it's grown on me slightly. I think the gloss plastic doesn't look as bad now and the actual display for speed/etc. seem clear and it works better with the display on with the orange and black rather than when it's just switched off and dark.

To avoid the small controls which I really don't like I've spec'd the climate which I think adds a better look to the controls.

I looked at the citigo/up and just had the same reaction I always have to VW interiors...yawn....functional but dull.

I know there's a lot of talk about how expensive the panda is but when I looked at the skoda version of the up (I don't like that plastic smile on the front of the up) it still ends up about £10k for what you'd really want (well, I'd want).

Anyway, thanks for the review good to keep reading more reviews.

I'll be interested in the real mpg of the twinair, my current old style panda does 48-51 mpg and I'm hoping the twin air will do 45mpg on my mixed motorway/country road run.

Some nice photos of the 4x4 (and a trekking) in this french review:

http://blogautomobile.fr/panda-4x4-lintrepide-172997#axzz2JOi76rCs

AtheM said:

I am tempted by the Twin Air in Cancan Red. Has anyone had experience with Fiat dealers near Oxford. I don't really want to go with Hartwell as I have had negative experiences with their Land Rover franchise.

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I'm originally from Oxford & the Parents are still there. We didn't wanna give Hartwell the business for the Parents 500 purchase because of experience with their Vauxhall & Ford franchises.

There's 4 possible nearby options that avoid Hartwell:

Mellors of Challow - not 100% sure if they can order new Fiat's, but they did servicing on my Mk1 Punto that i owned a few years back & were decent enough. It was quite an old-school outfit (hand written invoices etc) but if that doesn't bother you, might be worth a go.

JayBee Motors, Banbury - Only just got the Fiat franchise but bought a Renault from them a few years back. The car was very problematic and whilst not perfect, they could've been a hell of a lot worse and the errors made seemed purely accidental.

T H White, Cirencester - Another recent addition to the Fiat network. Never used them or even been there but they're a long established company that also sells agricultural vehicles and Land Rover, Izuzu and Subaru aswell as Fiat/Alfa (and Abarth coming this year). I can't imagine Izuzu or Subaru put up with shoddy customer service from their franchises, so might be a good bet.

Grays Garage, Warwick - We used Grays for the purchase of my Parents 500 TA Lounge and they were excellent. Knowledgeable and not at all pushy. Kept in contact during the order process, but only phoned when they had something worthwhile saying. Professional and thorough on handover, phoned to make sure everything was ok after collection & were apparantly very helpful when the 500 threw a wobbly last week & wouldn't start & my Mum phoned them to ask if there were any known faults like this reported to them. We dealt with Jane for the purchase, though the whole outfit seems staffed with people who actually want to be there, rather than just go there daily for abit of money. Good, old-fashioned customer service was how my Dad summed it up, which is why Grays got our custom.

One further away recommendation would be Pewsham Garages near Chippenham. That's where i've taken my Stilo for servicing/work and they're much the same as Grays. Small showroom, no fancy frilly bits, just decent, honest service. We'd have gone there for the 500 but Grays were open later on a Sunday when the parents were initially looking, so to allow us time to get from Oxford, we figured Grays the best option at the time & following the good service on the initial visit, saw no reason to look elsewhere to place an order.

Best of luck.

AtheM said:

I am tempted by the Twin Air in Cancan Red. Has anyone had experience with Fiat dealers near Oxford. I don't really want to go with Hartwell as I have had negative experiences with their Land Rover franchise.

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I'm originally from Oxford & the Parents are still there. We didn't wanna give Hartwell the business for the Parents 500 purchase because of experience with their Vauxhall & Ford franchises.

There's 4 possible nearby options that avoid Hartwell:

Mellors of Challow - not 100% sure if they can order new Fiat's, but they did servicing on my Mk1 Punto that i owned a few years back & were decent enough. It was quite an old-school outfit (hand written invoices etc) but if that doesn't bother you, might be worth a go.

JayBee Motors, Banbury - Only just got the Fiat franchise but bought a Renault from them a few years back. The car was very problematic and whilst not perfect, they could've been a hell of a lot worse and the errors made seemed purely accidental.

T H White, Cirencester - Another recent addition to the Fiat network. Never used them or even been there but they're a long established company that also sells agricultural vehicles and Land Rover, Izuzu and Subaru aswell as Fiat/Alfa (and Abarth coming this year). I can't imagine Izuzu or Subaru put up with shoddy customer service from their franchises, so might be a good bet.

Grays Garage, Warwick - We used Grays for the purchase of my Parents 500 TA Lounge and they were excellent. Knowledgeable and not at all pushy. Kept in contact during the order process, but only phoned when they had something worthwhile saying. Professional and thorough on handover, phoned to make sure everything was ok after collection & were apparantly very helpful when the 500 threw a wobbly last week & wouldn't start & my Mum phoned them to ask if there were any known faults like this reported to them. We dealt with Jane for the purchase, though the whole outfit seems staffed with people who actually want to be there, rather than just go there daily for abit of money. Good, old-fashioned customer service was how my Dad summed it up, which is why Grays got our custom.

One further away recommendation would be Pewsham Garages near Chippenham. That's where i've taken my Stilo for servicing/work and they're much the same as Grays. Small showroom, no fancy frilly bits, just decent, honest service. We'd have gone there for the 500 but Grays were open later on a Sunday when the parents were initially looking, so to allow us time to get from Oxford, we figured Grays the best option at the time & following the good service on the initial visit, saw no reason to look elsewhere to place an order.

Best of luck.

JTD_Liam said:

Grays Garage, Warwick - We used Grays for the purchase of my Parents 500 TA Lounge and they were excellent. Knowledgeable and not at all pushy. Kept in contact during the order process, but only phoned when they had something worthwhile saying. Professional and thorough on handover, phoned to make sure everything was ok after collection & were apparantly very helpful when the 500 threw a wobbly last week & wouldn't start & my Mum phoned them to ask if there were any known faults like this reported to them. We dealt with Jane for the purchase, though the whole outfit seems staffed with people who actually want to be there, rather than just go there daily for abit of money. Good, old-fashioned customer service was how my Dad summed it up, which is why Grays got our custom.

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I'd agree 100% with this.... Even though we ended up not buying a new Panda (because of the lack of availability of the Dualogic TwinAir, at the time...), Grays were utterly fantastic throughout the whole process... -- from ordering; keeping us updated; right through to cancellation.... They're an independent, family-owned firm: and it shows...!

Can't beat family run dealers.