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General panda 4x4 MTJ or TA

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General panda 4x4 MTJ or TA

Ubba

Ubba

New member
Joined
Apr 29, 2015
Messages
32
Points
6
Location
Athens
Hello ppl, the last 6 months am in love with panda 4x4 and think am gonna buy one soon. From the threads and the tests in magazines i have read, i believe TA suits me better.

The problem is that here in Athens Greece diesel cars r a new thing and most new cars on the road r diesel. Especially for panda 4x4 u cant find for a TA for a test drive. Anyway 2 weeks ago i had a test drive with the diesel and in general i loved it. I was surprised with the torque of the car and the on the move acceleration. The only big NO for the diesel was the 5 speed gear box. Didnt liked it(am used in japanese cars) and for my taste made the car very noisy in highway speeds.

After returning the car to the fiat dealer we had a small descusion about the option of buying the TA one and he was staring me like an allien!!! He said that that i must be crazy of wanting a car with so bad mpg comparing the diesel one!!! The thing is that the 6 speed gear box, the 10 more hp and the quieter highway speeds tell my heart to go for the TA.

My main reason of my preferance is that my miles per year dont exceed 5000(cause motorbike).

I would appreciate all your comments.....thx alot and sorry for my poor english :)
 
You are absolutely correct in going for TA.

I had Ford Mondeo diesel and it is almost certain that it was my first and last diesel car, even though I was doing high mileage. Glad to be back on petrol, even on 1.2. :)
 
Ubba said:
Hello ppl, the last 6 months am in love with panda 4x4 and think am gonna buy one soon. From the threads and the tests in magazines i have read, i believe TA suits me better.



The problem is that here in Athens Greece diesel cars r a new thing and most new cars on the road r diesel. Especially for panda 4x4 u cant find for a TA for a test drive. Anyway 2 weeks ago i had a test drive with the diesel and in general i loved it. I was surprised with the torque of the car and the on the move acceleration. The only big NO for the diesel was the 5 speed gear box. Didnt liked it(am used in japanese cars) and for my taste made the car very noisy in highway speeds.



After returning the car to the fiat dealer we had a small descusion about the option of buying the TA one and he was staring me like an allien!!! He said that that i must be crazy of wanting a car with so bad mpg comparing the diesel one!!! The thing is that the 6 speed gear box, the 10 more hp and the quieter highway speeds tell my heart to go for the TA.



My main reason of my preferance is that my miles per year dont exceed 5000(cause motorbike).



I would appreciate all your comments.....thx alot and sorry for my poor english :)
Click to expand...


I've had the small diesel fiats previously and went for the TA. It takes a while to get used to the gearing but if you want relaxed motorway driving I have to say that with 14000 miles on the clock mine if at its best on the motorway. I did a 450 mile round trip last weekend and it was very relaxed to drive, did 48MPG at 70 mph and is very responsive. The diesel will probably be easier to drive around town due to low down torque and only being 5 speed but the TA I genuinely believe to be a more fun engine.
 
...thx ppl very helpful answers

My main source for TA preference except of articles is the following video that shows “tighter” gearbox changes than MJT and for my taste very nippy sound(reminds my bikes) !!!

w w w.youtube.com/watch?v=3aiDiNiKIrs
 
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I assume that many of your minor roads in Greece are rather like those we experience at our second home in central Italy. The six speed 'box is certainly a benefit on the motorway - the 4x4 TA will do 130-140 kph up hill and down dale all day - but that low first is really useful for picking your way up and down very rough and steep roads. Given your low annual milage and the extra cost of the diesel it would take you years to show any savings, despite the TA's thirst when pushed along.

I'd be interested to hear comments from diesel 4x4 owners on tyre wear - we used to have a 2wd MJ and it eat front tyres, whereas the TA is proving to be very easy on them.
 
babbo_umbro said:
I'd be interested to hear comments from diesel 4x4 owners on tyre wear - we used to have a 2wd MJ and it eat front tyres, whereas the TA is proving to be very easy on them.
Click to expand...
Although it might be related to 4x4 MJ but with any diesel especially with heavy engines, the front tyres do wear out quickly.
 
babbo_umbro said:
...comments from diesel 4x4 owners on tyre wear - we used to have a 2wd MJ and it eat front tyres, whereas the TA is proving to be very easy on them.
Click to expand...
My diesel 4x4 is at 16000 miles, on the original tyres (which are the Continental CrossContact Winter tyres) and the wear is pretty even really - fronts have worn more than rears (as might be expected) but still several mm left both ends

Comments about TA being more relaxed at speed because of 6 speed gearbox - not sure how much difference this makes, as the 'extra' gear is really the super low first (to allow offroad climbing), and then 'normal' 5 speed box. My 4x4 MJ at indicated 70mph is doing 2700rpm.
 
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philboo said:
The diesel will probably be easier to drive around town due to low down torque...
Click to expand...
Generally, yes. But it can be a bit irritating, especially in heavy trafic at at over 30 but under 40mph. Fourth gear is too low but fifth too high at that sort of speed, which means a fair amount of shuffling between the two. (Gear shift light will come on to show 'change up', but then shows 'change down' if you go into fifth). 30mph and less is very happy in fourth, and 40mph and above, fifth is fine.

But, very easy to get high 50s or better MPG.
 
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Here's an interesting site that reveals the mph per 1000rpm for the Panda 4x4 (not sure where they get all the numbers from though)
http://www.automobile-catalog.com/
Search the database for the 4x4 TA and the 4x4 Multijet to see

MJ:
1000rpm speed:
(km/h/mph)
I:
7.2 / 4.5
II:
13.7 / 8.5
III:
21.3 / 13.2
IV:
29.9 / 18.6
V:
40.1 / 24.9

twinAir:
1000rpm speed:
(km/h/mph)
I:
5.3 / 3.3
II:
10 / 6.2
III:
16.1 / 10
IV:
22.2 / 13.8
V:
28.2 / 17.5
VI:
33.5 / 20.8

From which, 3000rpm equates to 74.7mph in the MJ (or 70mph = 2811rpm) and 62.4mph in the TA (or 70mph = 3365rpm). One that basis, the TwinAir is lower geared than the diesel?
 
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… made some calculations for annual cost comparison between Panda 4x4 TA & MJT…

Facts: Today exchange rate (since most of u r from UK) is 1 € = 0.739 £
Panda 4x4 TA Basic model price in Greece = 10309 £
Panda 4x4 MJT Basic model price in Greece = 10375 £
Today average Petrol UK gallon price in Greece = 5.186 £
Today average Diesel UK gallon price in Greece = 4.141 £
My annual Milles r about 5000
Average REAL TA fuel consumption from forum users is about 41 MPG
Average REAL MJT fuel consumption from forum users (not 100% sure) is
about 55 MPG
Annual TA fuel consumption cost = 632.4 £
Annual MJT fuel consumption cost = 376.4 £
Annual road tax TA = 79.8 £
Annual road tax MJT = 109.3 £
Panda 4x4 TA Basic Insurance cost 233.1 £
Panda 4x4 MJT Basic Insurance cost 286.5 £

annual cost of TA except service is 945.3 (78.7 per month) and for MJT is 772.2 (64.3 per month).

…Sooo…. happiness leaving with TA will cost me extra about 14.4 £ per month.

… not so bad, think am gonna soon go order it !!! :D
 
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Petrol lt price in Greece is £1.141
Diesel lt price in Greece is £0.911

The price of Cars in Greece by all manufactures have a discount of old car recall (for environmental reasons) and many of the dealers make an extra discount( cause economical crisis)on the car catalog price. Nevertheless not sure why r not obliged to have an old care to recall to get the discount.

The prices of TA & MJT r so close in Greece cause dealers have stock of MJT & 0 TA(none buy it).

The Basic Cars price before and after all the discounts : MJT £12489 -> £10375
: TA £11565 -> £10309
 
Well going against the consensus a bit but I won't be getting another Twinair.
Economy is a joke except on the motorway, gearbox and engine combo just doesn't seem to work for me.
 
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