[FONT="]Fiat Panda 100HP[/FONT]
[FONT="]Purchase Price: £8500 OTR [inc. first registration, 12 months road fund licence][/FONT]
[FONT="]Delivery date: 01/10/07[/FONT]
[FONT="]Current mileage: 60,175[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Believe it or not, I bought my 100HP without first test driving it. In fact, I hadn’t even seen it in the flesh when I signed on the dotted line. Being a subscriber to Evo magazine, I was aware of the car after reading their review [originally scoring 4.5 stars]. They were so impressed that they ran one as a long-term test. After following the progress of their monthly updates, I knew that it was the next car for me. I visited my local Fiat dealer, sat in a standard Panda and did the deal – was I mad?![/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]First impressions? The car looked great in the early-Autumn sunshine. I didn’t have a choice of colour as the dealer only had ‘Electroclash Grey’ in stock but I wasn’t disappointed. As the salesman explained the controls, I was impressed by the level of equipment for a sub-£10k car; Bluetooth phone connection, MP3 CD player, digital climate control, trip computer. However, the 100bhp and 6-speed gearbox was more interesting and weighing in at just 975kg, making good progress was going to be fun... if a little bouncy! [/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Yes, I had read all about the firm ride, so I did know what to expect. On smooth surfaces the 100HP excels. Unfortunately, many of our roads are not and as a result, potholes and speed bumps were best avoided [the relatively-narrow track doesn’t help here, either]. The brakes were a little on the sensitive side but as that is my preference, I was happy. What my students would think however, I was about to find out.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Going from a three-door Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCI to a five-door petrol-powered Fiat Panda was going to be a good test of their adaptability. All of the main controls on the 100HP were light – the steering, brakes, clutch and accelerator. After the Fiesta, it was like going from a cart horse to a race horse – much more responsive. Fortunately, everyone successfully made the change and after a few unintentional emergency stops [by those who I forgot to mention the brakes to!], the Panda received a universally-positive reaction.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Being of an older design, visibility out of the car is superb. Have you sat in the latest Corsa or Fiesta? It’s like been locked in a postbox! This makes manoeuvres easier as it is a requirement of the driving test to stop if you are going to be a hazard to an approaching vehicle – and if you can’t see them, you won’t stop for them. The side-mirrors are small compared to the Fiesta but they are adequate [this has been addressed on the 2010MY cars]. The driving position is comfortable and access in and out of the car is good [even my 81-year old grandmother has no problem]. Having a height-adjustable driver’s seat is essential and everyone from 5’ to over 6’ can be comfortably accommodated. The steering column can also be adjusted, but I’ve only ever experienced one student who wanted to do this.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]So what don’t I like about my Panda 100HP? To be honest, the list of faults is a short one. Of course, the indicator self-cancelling ‘issue’ is the most significant and has been discussed at length elsewhere on this forum. Even for myself, it can prove annoying at best. For a novice driver, it is distracting and could lead to a test failure if they were not to reapply the signal and mislead another driver. Every other car I have driven has not suffered from this and as a result, I think that it is Fiat who are out-of-line and at fault.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]I would like to see the windscreen wiper controls copied from my previous Mark 6 Fiesta. Pushing the stalk upwards to progressively increase the setting seems far more logical [at least to me]. Similarly, pulling back for the front wash-wipe and pushing forward for the rear is opposite to that of the Fiesta and even sounds backwards when you have to explain it to someone! I don’t like how when the front wipers are on intermittently, the delay cannot be adjusted. Both of my previous Fiestas have had this feature and in my opinion, the delay is too short on the Panda. Having the rear wiper automatically-activate when the fronts are already on and reverse gear is selected is great. But why is it on constantly when the fronts may only be on intermittently? Again, the Fiesta’s rear wiper would only work intermittently in this situation.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]But hey, I am being picky – or am I? Perhaps Fiat would like to employ me as a long-term road tester?
[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]The Panda has been reliable [I am touching my head] and the running costs are relatively low. Coming from a diesel, fuel is more expensive but that was to be expected. However, I prefer to drive and to teach in petrol-powered cars, so it is a price I am willing to pay [plus diesels tend to make students lazy!]. I would have considered an LPG-conversion from new, but a lack of finance stopped me from investigating it further. It is a shame that the fuel tank is not of a larger capacity as refills can be every two or three days. But, it does give my students the opportunity to practice entering the filling station and refuelling the car [I don’t just teach them how to pass the driving test!].[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]As far as mechanical failures are concerned, there has been only one. An engine management light came on in December 2009 and proved to be an oxygen sensor failure [the car still ran perfectly]. This was replaced under warranty without issue.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]The original rear tyres lasted 60,000 miles while the fronts were replaced at 20k, 40k and 60k [almost certainly as a result of thousands of manoeuvres]. I have now had 195/50-profile tyres fitted in an attempt to give a slightly more complaint ride. Of course, a comparison to worn-out Goodyear Eagle F1s is impossible. However, the new tyres have taken the harshness out of potholes and speed bumps.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Everyone who drives 100HP will say that the rear brakes can suffer from ‘squeeking’ and my car is no exception. They are particularly noisy when reversing and braking gently, even more so when the conditions are cold and damp. The front and rear pads have been changed but apart from regular service items, nothing unexpected has worn out or broken.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Coming from the Ford, it was immediately apparent that the quality of materials was not as good. The air vents were of a very similar design but manufactured from more flimsy plastic in the Panda. However, everything from the leather-covered steering wheel to the seats has worn their miles well and I believe that the car still looks clean and smart. It did have Diamond Brite protection applied before delivery [FOC] but I have never polished it since. I have to add that it always give it an admiring glance when I see it being driven back to the driving test centre![/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]So what next? Well, I used my original Fiesta Zetec-S for five years and covered over 160,000 miles. It was eventually sold for £1600 [£9k to purchase as a Belgium import] to a couple who were amazed at its good condition. With that in mind, I may keep the Panda and see how it copes with prolonged everyday use. My father is an independent Aston Martin specialist, so routine servicing and maintenance is taken care of. The 100HP offers excellent value-for-money and fun-per-mile and given how good an instruction vehicle it is [ride-quality excluded], I can’t see anything else surpassing it[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT]
[FONT="]Initial Evo magazine review:[/FONT]
[FONT="]http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/204245/fiat_panda_100hp.html[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Evo magazine ‘£10k Heroes’ review:[/FONT]
[FONT="]http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/205659/fiat_panda_100hp.html[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Evo magazine long-term test:[/FONT]
[FONT="]http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evolongtermtests/208163/fiat_panda_100hp.html[/FONT]
[FONT="]Purchase Price: £8500 OTR [inc. first registration, 12 months road fund licence][/FONT]
[FONT="]Delivery date: 01/10/07[/FONT]
[FONT="]Current mileage: 60,175[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Believe it or not, I bought my 100HP without first test driving it. In fact, I hadn’t even seen it in the flesh when I signed on the dotted line. Being a subscriber to Evo magazine, I was aware of the car after reading their review [originally scoring 4.5 stars]. They were so impressed that they ran one as a long-term test. After following the progress of their monthly updates, I knew that it was the next car for me. I visited my local Fiat dealer, sat in a standard Panda and did the deal – was I mad?![/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]First impressions? The car looked great in the early-Autumn sunshine. I didn’t have a choice of colour as the dealer only had ‘Electroclash Grey’ in stock but I wasn’t disappointed. As the salesman explained the controls, I was impressed by the level of equipment for a sub-£10k car; Bluetooth phone connection, MP3 CD player, digital climate control, trip computer. However, the 100bhp and 6-speed gearbox was more interesting and weighing in at just 975kg, making good progress was going to be fun... if a little bouncy! [/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Yes, I had read all about the firm ride, so I did know what to expect. On smooth surfaces the 100HP excels. Unfortunately, many of our roads are not and as a result, potholes and speed bumps were best avoided [the relatively-narrow track doesn’t help here, either]. The brakes were a little on the sensitive side but as that is my preference, I was happy. What my students would think however, I was about to find out.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Going from a three-door Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCI to a five-door petrol-powered Fiat Panda was going to be a good test of their adaptability. All of the main controls on the 100HP were light – the steering, brakes, clutch and accelerator. After the Fiesta, it was like going from a cart horse to a race horse – much more responsive. Fortunately, everyone successfully made the change and after a few unintentional emergency stops [by those who I forgot to mention the brakes to!], the Panda received a universally-positive reaction.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Being of an older design, visibility out of the car is superb. Have you sat in the latest Corsa or Fiesta? It’s like been locked in a postbox! This makes manoeuvres easier as it is a requirement of the driving test to stop if you are going to be a hazard to an approaching vehicle – and if you can’t see them, you won’t stop for them. The side-mirrors are small compared to the Fiesta but they are adequate [this has been addressed on the 2010MY cars]. The driving position is comfortable and access in and out of the car is good [even my 81-year old grandmother has no problem]. Having a height-adjustable driver’s seat is essential and everyone from 5’ to over 6’ can be comfortably accommodated. The steering column can also be adjusted, but I’ve only ever experienced one student who wanted to do this.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]So what don’t I like about my Panda 100HP? To be honest, the list of faults is a short one. Of course, the indicator self-cancelling ‘issue’ is the most significant and has been discussed at length elsewhere on this forum. Even for myself, it can prove annoying at best. For a novice driver, it is distracting and could lead to a test failure if they were not to reapply the signal and mislead another driver. Every other car I have driven has not suffered from this and as a result, I think that it is Fiat who are out-of-line and at fault.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]I would like to see the windscreen wiper controls copied from my previous Mark 6 Fiesta. Pushing the stalk upwards to progressively increase the setting seems far more logical [at least to me]. Similarly, pulling back for the front wash-wipe and pushing forward for the rear is opposite to that of the Fiesta and even sounds backwards when you have to explain it to someone! I don’t like how when the front wipers are on intermittently, the delay cannot be adjusted. Both of my previous Fiestas have had this feature and in my opinion, the delay is too short on the Panda. Having the rear wiper automatically-activate when the fronts are already on and reverse gear is selected is great. But why is it on constantly when the fronts may only be on intermittently? Again, the Fiesta’s rear wiper would only work intermittently in this situation.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]But hey, I am being picky – or am I? Perhaps Fiat would like to employ me as a long-term road tester?
[/FONT][FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]The Panda has been reliable [I am touching my head] and the running costs are relatively low. Coming from a diesel, fuel is more expensive but that was to be expected. However, I prefer to drive and to teach in petrol-powered cars, so it is a price I am willing to pay [plus diesels tend to make students lazy!]. I would have considered an LPG-conversion from new, but a lack of finance stopped me from investigating it further. It is a shame that the fuel tank is not of a larger capacity as refills can be every two or three days. But, it does give my students the opportunity to practice entering the filling station and refuelling the car [I don’t just teach them how to pass the driving test!].[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]As far as mechanical failures are concerned, there has been only one. An engine management light came on in December 2009 and proved to be an oxygen sensor failure [the car still ran perfectly]. This was replaced under warranty without issue.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]The original rear tyres lasted 60,000 miles while the fronts were replaced at 20k, 40k and 60k [almost certainly as a result of thousands of manoeuvres]. I have now had 195/50-profile tyres fitted in an attempt to give a slightly more complaint ride. Of course, a comparison to worn-out Goodyear Eagle F1s is impossible. However, the new tyres have taken the harshness out of potholes and speed bumps.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Everyone who drives 100HP will say that the rear brakes can suffer from ‘squeeking’ and my car is no exception. They are particularly noisy when reversing and braking gently, even more so when the conditions are cold and damp. The front and rear pads have been changed but apart from regular service items, nothing unexpected has worn out or broken.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Coming from the Ford, it was immediately apparent that the quality of materials was not as good. The air vents were of a very similar design but manufactured from more flimsy plastic in the Panda. However, everything from the leather-covered steering wheel to the seats has worn their miles well and I believe that the car still looks clean and smart. It did have Diamond Brite protection applied before delivery [FOC] but I have never polished it since. I have to add that it always give it an admiring glance when I see it being driven back to the driving test centre![/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]So what next? Well, I used my original Fiesta Zetec-S for five years and covered over 160,000 miles. It was eventually sold for £1600 [£9k to purchase as a Belgium import] to a couple who were amazed at its good condition. With that in mind, I may keep the Panda and see how it copes with prolonged everyday use. My father is an independent Aston Martin specialist, so routine servicing and maintenance is taken care of. The 100HP offers excellent value-for-money and fun-per-mile and given how good an instruction vehicle it is [ride-quality excluded], I can’t see anything else surpassing it
[/FONT][FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT]
[FONT="]Initial Evo magazine review:[/FONT]
[FONT="]http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/204245/fiat_panda_100hp.html[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Evo magazine ‘£10k Heroes’ review:[/FONT]
[FONT="]http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/205659/fiat_panda_100hp.html[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Evo magazine long-term test:[/FONT]
[FONT="]http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evolongtermtests/208163/fiat_panda_100hp.html[/FONT]
