Hi All,
I'm after a bit of advice on servicing my Panda. I recently did the oil and filter and found that the small plastic thing with the spring attached that locates the filter is broke. Does any one know where I could get one from and or a part price/number?

I am also looking at doing the diesel filter on the car and have read that a special tool is required: This Is it worth while getting this or is there something better, cheaper? (Not a hammer and screwdriver though!)

Also the aux drive belt (Not the cam chain) could do with changing. Is this a simple thing to do or does it require a special tool? I have changed a belt and tensioner on a TDDI Mondeo if its similar to that?

Any help/advice appreciated

I've got a 57 plate MJ and I changed the fuel filter using a laser 4274 tool. I could justify this as I like having the right tools and my son's Vectra also has the same filter.
The MJ was 4 years old and 40,000 miles when I changed the filter and the old filter was absolutely clean. The Vectra by comparison was black but it had a few more years and miles.
However I reckon that the filter condition may depend on how the car is used. My MJ gets lots of use and I fill the tank full and let it get quite empty before I fill it again. About 10 days to a tank. Hence the fuel doesn't "age" or grow bacteria etc, or it could be because I always use supermarket diesel and their tanks are emptied and replenished at an alarming rate.
I'd be interested in the state of your filter when it comes out.
I'd recommend the correct tool, although others will say just hit it with a screwdriver. Make sure the top is full screwed down, they can need a bit of jiggling to get them on fully, but it doesn't require a lot of force.
You can bleed the fuel out of the filter housing before unscrewing the top by using the lower bleed point, use a small bore pipe on the outlet so you don't drop diesel onto the alternator.

A filter wrench, something like
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/clarke-cht657-14-self-adjusting-oil-filter-wr
Should get the top free without the need for violence.

As it's a drop in element rather than a cartridge you shouldn't introduce any air into the fuel system as most of the diesel stays in the housing, but it's worth topping up the housing with some injector cleaner once the new element is dropped in, just to be sure.

Thanks for the tips.
Any one got anything on the aux belt at all? Hoping to get a look at it this Saturday if the weather improves!