General Nothing Lasts Forever (Honest John Future Classic Friday)

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General Nothing Lasts Forever (Honest John Future Classic Friday)

I thought I was just buying a cheap run about after not having a car for a good few years, but I've kind of fallen for the Panda.

It's cheap to buy, to run and all the work I've had to do on it has been simple enough to do myself (still not got round to the cambelt like an idiot) and all the parts have been cheap.

But what I love most is how nimble it is. It's not fast but it's so small compared to most cars, it's easy to drive on narrow winding country roads or city streets where other cars have to slow right down to squeeze past other people. It'll sit at 70mph+ quite comfortably on the motorway and it returns great mpg as well.

I'm 6'4" and about the same width, yet there's stacks of room inside. My head is nowhere near touching the roof like a lot of other cars I've squeezed into.

The visibility is fantastic. Easy to see all round thanks to big rectangular windows and the a-pillar doesn't obscure a lot of the view like many modern cars.

I think the only thing I don't like is how small the mirrors are, but that can be fixed with after market convex mirrors. Plus the washer jets that seem to adjust themselves every time you drive over a pebble.

It's been a great little car so far and I hope it keeps running for years. I have no desire to get rid.
 
It's cheap to buy, to run and all the work I've had to do on it has been simple enough to do myself and all the parts have been cheap.

In 1.2 form, it's just about the cheapest car to run you could have bought at the time. IMO the 60HP Euro4 Dynamic Eco's from 2009-2010 were the best of the lot; everything you needed, nothing that you didn't, a fail safe engine and (at least for now) £30 road tax. Back in the day, you could bag one for about six and a half grand; easily £2000 cheaper than anything else that could remotely have competed with it at the time. I can't comment about the price of the parts, because after 85000 miles, it hasn't needed any beyond front brake pads & discs (about £40 all in). And if all that isn't enough, 55+ mpg too
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still not got round to the cambelt like an idiot

Providing you haven't got one of the 69HP cars, perhaps not so much of an idiot as you think. I've not yet seen one reported failure, and if it does break, you could, at a pinch, replace it at the roadside and drive home.

There have been more failures due to the belt having been replaced incorrectly.
 
Providing you haven't got one of the 69HP cars, perhaps not so much of an idiot as you think. I've not yet seen one reported failure, and if it does break, you could, at a pinch, replace it at the roadside and drive home.

There have been more failures due to the belt having been replaced incorrectly.

Ohh, good to know. I've got a 1.2 (with the flat oil cap rather than round one) which I think is the 59bhp model?
 
I like the article. He seems to like the Alessi as a collectors item, although I'm not so sure it is that special, really just a brightly coloured Eleganza.
But I've had mine for 8 years now, longer than any other car I've owned, and still love it. It makes me smile even before I drive it.
 
Back in the mid 1970s, the Suzuki GT750 water-cooled two stroke triple motorbike was seen as fat, overweight and poor performing. They are now appreciating classics worth up to £10,000 for a good original one and a lot more for a concours example.

My point? The 169 Panda Alesi may well become a future classic as rarity does attract and it's great car. After all who would have expected Renault's Avantime to be so popular. Try finding a good one these days that's not north of £5000.
 
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