SH4RKY
Health warning - blatant sales pitch follows.....
I am going to sell my 53reg Panda Dynamic soon as I am going to inherent my late Grandad's treasured Felicia and family politics dictate that I need to run the Skoda whilst at least Grandma is alive. I don't want Mtambo (yes like most forum members cars he has a name) to stand unused for any length of time as that kills cars, especially as I always garage my cars so the Skoda will be no different which of course means Mtambo sat outside exposed to the elements.
Mtambo has just had his second full timing belt and tensioner changed, plus water pump and anti-freeze at 100,808 (but no head gasket see my threads about whether this was necessary) and has been serviced annually at 97257, 93002, 88267 and prior to that 86783 (all at garages all stamped in the service booklet plus bills). Current miles are a whisker under 102K. There are of course invoices/bills prior to that but not sure how relevant that is now however Mtambo has had his first timing belt at 46K aswell as a new sump (they seem to rot), wishbones, drop links and a new radiator which was all before my time.
In addition to the planned maintenance, I have recently had blue print front discs and pads aswell as the rears shoes adjusted together with the handbrake tightened and had both front wishbones replaced to eliminate a clonking noise which had nothing to do with the clonking (it is the dog bone part that now needs to be replaced).
Mtambo has the usual fare of genuine Fiat alloys which are slightly curbed, plus manual central locking - more reliable than the remote, PAS, e/w, CD, you know the norm. Plus there is a set of winter tyres bought from MikenHelen (currently stored correctly too) aswell as a set of Fiat 500 rims with Bridgestone B250 tyres on (these are on the car now as the alloys had tyres on which I didn't recognise so didn't want to take any risks). I have have bought a set of genuine Fiat locking wheel nuts. The gearbox gaitor has split and whilst I have bought a new replacement part I haven't had the courage to fit it despite the forum threads. The driver's window also makes a slight scrapping noise as it dissappears into the door (could this be cured with WD40 anyone?), currently in the hot weather I just stop the window before it goes all the way down and if needed open the passenger side window too for extra ventilation.
Mtambo is bright banana yellow and a bright blue trim to match (er if blue and yellow ever match) and he is still is very smart and bonny. He has a few stone chips and scratches some which were on when I bought him, some which regretably I have added to, but that still doesn't stop him being 100% reliable and hugely fun to drive (does anyone remember the late great James Hunt who admitted driving his Austin A30 van on the limit was more fun that driving a F1 car). Tax and tested too till Dec 13. Like all forum cars he is loved and cherished, why would you be a forum member if that weren't the case and if my Grandad's Skoda hadn't clouded the water I wouldn't be selling (Edit no 2 - that sentance sounds ungrateful and calous which of course it isn't meant to be - if it weren't for my Grandad I would be a petrol head at all)
I'm after £1000 for him which includes with all the spare tyres, the gearbox gaitor, a spare alternator, spare wishbones. I will need one week or possibly two to change my personal plate with DVLA onto the Skoda which I haven't got yet but should do very soon. You can also have the 100HP springs and shockers that I was going to fit to him to make sleeker which I have just bought from Mike n Helen too.
I of course have 2 keys both of which gets used so no worn key syndrome, the V5C in my name at my address, Mtambo is HPI clear as I wouldn't buy a car which has been crashed as my car is used to ferry me and my son around (hence my user name). Let me know if you would like pictures. I get 43mpg in town and 54mpg on dual carriageways doing 60mph (at my age I am more interested in 60mpg rather than 80mph)
BLATANT SALE PITCH OVER
Have you also seen the diesel Panda up for sale for £1600 on the forum too, that too would be a good buy me thinks, but please whatever you do don't buy a Clio dci as that does carry a serious health warning, they lunch their engines, turbo's injectors, everthing electrical goes wrong like the PAS doesn't work whilst your driving, the windows work when you locked the car and are shopping leaving the car open to all sorts of unsavoury folk, I know I had one for 18 months and 37K (approx the mileage you are thinking of doing) and it was painful and a touch frightening even as a bloke not knowing if the car could be relied upon. HTH
Neil
