Hi.
Well after being able to take some pension money I have settled on a 2014 Panda 1.2 Lounge. I'll have it at the end of the month. A deposit was left for the deal.
I was really impressed on the test drive, no odd noises nice feel to the doors and roomy for its outside dimensions. Has to be 100 times better on fuel than my 16 year old Rover 75, 2.5V6 auto which I'll hold onto as a project.
I'll post up some pictures of the car at the end of the month.

murphyv310 said:

Hi.
Well after being able to take some pension money I have settled on a 2014 Panda 1.2 Lounge. I'll have it at the end of the month. A deposit was left for the deal.
I was really impressed on the test drive, no odd noises nice feel to the doors and roomy for its outside dimensions. Has to be 100 times better on fuel than my 16 year old Rover 75, 2.5V6 auto which I'll hold onto as a project.
I'll post up some pictures of the car at the end of the month.

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Hope you enjoy your new purchase.

What's the mileage? Also, what made you pick the 1.2 over the TA85? Just asking as I've just done something similar (no pension involvement though, just savings). Got a 2012 TA85 Easy at £5000 from the dealer with only 11000 miles on it.

AndyCalling said:

What's the mileage? Also, what made you pick the 1.2 over the TA85? Just asking as I've just done something similar (no pension involvement though, just savings). Got a 2012 TA85 Easy at £5000 from the dealer with only 11000 miles on it.

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Hi.
Its 19,000 miles with an additional 1 years full warranty. I've had two previous Fiats, one an Uno with the 999cc fire engine and also a 1242cc 51 plate Doblo. Both engines were remarkably quiet and smooth. I've found that the 875cc TA cars go for more money too, the technology of the 1242cc is well proven and this car will hopefully last me 10 years, the TA is an unknown quantity but TBH there wasn't one available anyway.

Yea, can be more expensive. I expect that's why yours is a bit newer than mine (though more miles on it, I think a got a great deal there). Certainly not so many around on the second hand market. Still, the TA has been around for a good number of years now (on other models before the Panda) and no reports of issue so here's hoping. I was tempted to get a 1.2 which I also tested. That one had issues though, according to the RAC man, so I went with the dealer option. I was rather limited as I did not want white, or black, or red really, and an Easy as minimum, so an awful second hand shopper. Got a nice turquoise in the end (would have gone for a purple too) but getting a touch-up stick is not so easy! Loving the zero tax too and it's nice to know I'll be able to nip in to London without worrying about congestion charges.

I expect you'll have that ESP/Hill Start option as standard on the 2014 model? Nice, mine just has the breaking distribution thing. Any other interesting options on yours? I did get reversing radar which I am dead pleased with and height adjustable drivers seat (together with a 3 person 60/40 rear seat split and, for some reason, electric wing mirrors). I expect you'll have a bunch of extra nice stuff with a Lounge model. Very tough to find second hand in my area. Perhaps tougher than a TA85.

The good thing about the 2012 Easy in the UK is that it has the 6 speaker set up like the Lounge. The current Easy only has the 4 speaker set up, as the Pop has been reduced to radio only now whereas it used to have the same CD player unit as the Easy in 2012 so 6 speakers was used as the differentiator instead.

Tip: Check out the eq advice in the following thread for a much better radio experience:

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/223912-make-your-pandas-standard-stereo-sound-better-try.html

I know a professional lady near here who has an 09 plate 500 twinair that she has had from new, and it has been totally trouble free for 97000 miles. On that basis I am looking at a 4X4 twinair, with the standard 6 speed box which should perform well.

petercresswell said:

I know a professional lady near here who has an 09 plate 500 twinair that she has had from new, and it has been totally trouble free for 97000 miles. On that basis I am looking at a 4X4 twinair, with the standard 6 speed box which should perform well.

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That's good to hear
I'm intrigued by the TA and have a sneaky admiration for Fiat with this little unit. TBH a friend of mine put me off saying that it wasn't proved and was greedy, he is knowledgeable but not always correct
There was only one TA I saw advertised but it was over my budget anyway and in red, this one at least stands out in its different colour.

Here we go...................... It's brilliant.

murphyv310 said:

Here we go...................... It's brilliant.

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That's a really handsome spec. Congratulations on that choice. [emoji106]

murphyv310 said:

Hi.
Well after being able to take some pension money I have settled on a 2014 Panda 1.2 Lounge. I'll have it at the end of the month. A deposit was left for the deal.
I was really impressed on the test drive, no odd noises nice feel to the doors and roomy for its outside dimensions. Has to be 100 times better on fuel than my 16 year old Rover 75, 2.5V6 auto which I'll hold onto as a project.
I'll post up some pictures of the car at the end of the month.

Click to expand...

Nice car enjoy[emoji6]

I strongly recommend you get on to the dealer and say your taking delivery will be dependent on there being some touch up paint of the correct colour supplied with the car. They seem to be extarordinarily slack about paint and exceedingly slapdash about the numbers allocated to each colour, making repeated use of the same number for different colours. I have just bought a new Panda in 567 mediterranean blue and the touch up paint is unavailable. I haev a Bravo in 487B Nottuno blue or as sold Cool Jazz blue. The paint code does not seem to exist.

The cost of resolving the need for paint is substantial and will involve an expert paint fators and buying a litre of paint.

I have just emailed Fiat customer services to ask for some help, but on the balance of my experience so far having bough 4 lots of paint with the correct number from 4 different dealers in UK and Europe at c.£27 each!!! I still have no matching paint. Alternatively you could just go to B&Q and get a can of white emulsion and use that!!!!!

I hope and prey that Fiat will help with this issue as I am certain that it affects ALL their customers. You might of course just be lucky and find your colour is one they do supply. I hope so. Its too late after the event though.

Or you could just not ding it.

Great colour. Looks fab. Enjoy!

Ketts norwich will use a machine to get the colour right and supply spray or tin for £14.99. Most motor paint specialists can do this. My paint code is wrong on my panda but with lots of seaching i have now found my proper colour code 854 azurro..

Hi.
There was a small scratch on the sill when I went to view the car, it was repaired perfectly prior to collection, there is a little touch up on the back bumper, the match is bang on but it could have been done better, it's hard to see though so I'll leave it. There is a little glass jar of paint in the glove box, obviously from a mix so I think that should do nicely.
My old Rover goes on Sunday so thereafter will add some useful touches to the Panda and get time to do some driving and enjoy the experience.

Hi.
Well I'm really enjoying driving the Panda, going from a 16 year old car to one under 3 years is a revelation.
My likes are: Easy to get into and out of as Anne & Myself both have knee and back problems.
Nice upright seating position with good visibility.
Very quiet engine and low road noise.
Stereo has good sound
Nicely built, lovely interior and good paint quality.
Fuel consumption trip has never been reset and the average is 50.5mpg.
Good load space with seat down.

Not so good:
A little bit bumpy on our awful roads.
Don't like the way the engine speeds up with the sensor thingy on the clutch.

Other than two small issues the Panda has to be the best small car I have driven.

I've already fitted LED's to the DRL/Sidelights, copper slipped the screws in the inspection hatch, fitted LED's to the interior and boot lights.
Next will be to fit LED number plate lights and fit night breaker H4's to the headlights, remove the wheels and copper slip the centres of the hubs and wheel bolts, look for a spacesaver spare too.
Once the weather warms up I'll be waxoyling the underside, exposed panels and back torsion beam.