I have just bought a 57 reg Panda. No roof bars, and I have hit a brick wall trying to find a set. Plenty of transverse around, but to me, they just do not look right. I have spoken with Fiat, and they have told me that it is not possible to install longitudinal bars as the infrastructure is not in the car, and longitudinal bars are manufacturer installed! Holes are in the roof, though, but they are for transverse bars. I have been told that the holes I need are under the strips on the roof!


There are a couple of people on the bay selling longitudinal bars, but one does not have a full colour range - no black, and the others are quite expensive. There must be another suitable alternative. If there isn't, someone is missing a trick! I did find an Italian site, but everything was in Italian. I do not speak Italian, so difficult to know the technicalities of attaching them to the car.


The other question is how do they actually fix onto the roof if they are not being manufacturer installed, and have come off another car, maybe without the original fixings?

I have looked everywhere for these bars, even the scrap yards, and needless to say, I was contacted by two scammers. Unfortunately, our local scrapper went up in flames this morning!


Does anyone have any suggestions where I might find some, or a compatible other alternative? Should I find a set that has been rescued from another car, will they go onto mine? Fiat has said they will not? Is this actually the case?

They're usually snapped up quick at a premium. I think the only cheap ones are the Alessi ones on Ebay. It's a rarity to find them in the scrap yard.

But your local dealer isn't too knowledgeable either. They can be supplied after market but they're expensive that way and there's no reason why they won't fit. You just need to remove the plastic bungs and it's a straight fit.

Wee Smurf said:

They're usually snapped up quick at a premium. I think the only cheap ones are the Alessi ones on Ebay. It's a rarity to find them in the scrap yard.

But your local dealer isn't too knowledgeable either. They can be supplied after market but they're expensive that way and there's no reason why they won't fit. You just need to remove the plastic bungs and it's a straight fit.

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I have been looking at these, and visited their website. They are white and I haven't been able to determine what they are made of. They state they are painted, but I am wondering if they can take a coat of black paint that wont start peeling or worse. Then, it becomes a question of find the right sort of paint....! Any thoughts....?

suedonym said:

I have been looking at these, and visited their website. They are white and I haven't been able to determine what they are made of. They state they are painted, but I am wondering if they can take a coat of black paint that wont start peeling or worse. Then, it becomes a question of find the right sort of paint....! Any thoughts....?

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I don't see why they couldn't be repainted black, the same as any other part of a car can be resprayed.

Oh and as Wee Smurf said, they're easy enough to retrofit, you just have to remove the covers over the holes on the roof of the car.

I've a pair of genuine long bars up for sale.
Ready to fit with bolts.
PM me

HI:


How much are you asking, and what do they look like? Are they the type that fit flush to the roof of the car, or are they raised with a gap between the rail and the roof?

They are genuine Fiat Panda longitudinal roof rails.
They are the same as this
http://www.greencarsite.co.uk/GREENCARS/fiat-panda-1.3.htm

They are black with black end caps.
The bolts and rubbers the bars sit on are all present, you just need to remove the four plastic bungs in the roof and bolt them on.

I fitted them to our old Active, but when we traded it in, I took them off.
They owe me £70.

I'm not sure they did the flush fitting ones on this model, both our '14 cars are fitted with flush ones.

Right. How much do you want for them, and any idea about postage costs?

If you don't get these ones, I fitted the Alessi ones on my Blue 100HP with no problems.
The end caps are white plastic and assume the bars are painted.

I actually like them white as the car stands out in a car park!
I put a post with pics up on here somewhere.

Many thanks: Grey area: if the end caps are plastic, do you know what the bars are? My Panda is metallic orange, so white will not look right as all the rest of the trim, is the standard black. I am not sure what sort of paint should be used, though. Sprays can be messy and they do drip. Whatever it is, I am looking at a matt black finish.

Just found the link I bought mine from and it does state they are prepainted in ice white
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/231197305432?cmd=VIDESC&gxo=true

If you planned to use them it might be worth considering a matt hammerite paint than can be brushed on. It's much tougher and less likely to chip.

Many thanks. I dropped by my local body shop this morning, and he showed me how to spray them myself. He says that Wilkinson's do a range of plastic paint. I'm not too sure about that. The hammerite product sounds more appropriate because spraying can be very messy.

I'll take some pics of mine and send them through to you.

I'm a little busy at the mo, so hold on.

The bars are alloy and would paint ok, as said, a matt black hammerite or a silver with black end caps would look good.

The plastic end caps might not paint up too well though.
The paint to paint plastic needs a plasticiser in it, so it flexes, otherwise it flakes off.
A body shop would mix it in with the original colour, but trying to find a black for metal and a black for the plastic the same shade could be difficult, plus most "plastic" paint in cans doesn't have much plasticiser in it to start with.

Hi Goudrons: Many thanks. Some pics would be very helpful. Do hold onto them for me, please.