General 100k Miles Panda Cross

[PaulD]

I’ve not contributed much recently. Today, though, there were two palindromic numbers on the odometer of my late 2014 Panda Cross Twinair- 99999 and 100001 miles. Time then for an update. I’ve had the car since new and it’s been serviced by the main dealer for the first 30k miles and subsequently by an independent garage - Advanced Repair Solutions of Barford, Norfolk.

Apart from plugs (NGK), oil (Selenia) and fluids the only items to report are: new front and rear discs and pads; rear shock absorbers; due to a fracture in the exhaust down pipe at 70k miles a replacement front pipe, catalytic converters and lambda probe - sourced from breakers yard for 150 pounds and fitted by ARS with no problems at all; two new sets of Goodyear Vector 4 seasons tyres. The battery is original and the stop-start functioning as when new. All the bulbs are original with no failures at all.

I’ve had two replacement windscreens and wiper blades.

The interior is clean and smart. There are no dash scratches and the faux leather inserts and seat bolsters show no signs of cracking, splitting or tearing.

The car is used daily for a 50 mile commute and regularly for longer trips to the north west, the west highlands of Scotland and France. Economy averaged over the 100k Miles has been 52.4mpg - based on the trip computer so probably up to 10% less but who is counting?

The car is fun to drive, robust, stable and safe on potholed roads and in poor driving conditions of rain, snow and ice and good off road. I’ve thought of replacing it but cannot find any reason too yet. When I do it wil be with another new Cross, or replacement model if Fiat ever get around to it!

 

[varesecrazy]

I’ve not contributed much recently. Today, though, there were two palindromic numbers on the odometer of my late 2014 Panda Cross Twinair- 99999 and 100001 miles. Time then for an update.
The battery is original and the stop-start functioning as when new. All the bulbs are original with no failures at all.

I’ve had two replacement windscreens and wiper blades.

Economy averaged over the 100k Miles has been 52.4mpg - based on the trip computer so probably up to 10% less but who is counting?

Excellent thanks.

Some proper food for thought there..

Battery and stopstart : as new

MPG: exactly ..

2x screens and wiper blades: who'd have thought they wore as a pair

Our old 169 never needed a bulb or fuse in 15 years..93k

Italian electrics..: its all Bosch

Hoping our 2013 TA lives up to these ..

Charlie

 

[gar074]

Thanks for the update! I was alarmed when you described it as your "late" Panda, but it's obviously still in fine fettle! Mine's only done just over half the mileage of yours (53k) but it hasn't missed a beat, and nothing has broken or fallen off. I still can't get anywhere near your mpg, though!

I might try the folks out at Barford for my 54k service, as it's handy for work. Are they the same guys that used to be Fiat dealers, back in the day?

 

[gullyfoyle]

Best I can manage is 42 mpg, only 40k on the clock and on my third set of front discs and second rears ( they need changing soon ) on the third recent set of tyres Nokian’s

No end of stripping and cleaning the rear brakes...one brake light and a full exhaust at 24K, I’m a relatively sympathetic driver and rural driving, hence the brake problems.

 

[varesecrazy]

If you are wearing out brakes.. thats where your mpg is heading

My punto has averaged 51 over its 50k

So the panda should do a little better
(Ive seen mid60's on a run)

 

[PaulD]

I’m convinced the excellent economy is down to the fact 99% of my journeys are on B roads with no traffic and a limited opportunity to exploit the twinair’s performance potential. The same can be said for the light brake and tyre wear, the battery etc. I avoid any traffic and very rarely drive in towns.

Yes the Barford garage is the same. There is still a car dealership there specialising in used Fiat’s. I’ve found them to be excellent. They’re happy for me to provide parts and consumables when I can source them. They’re equally happy to source them themselves. They are also very open and fair. When the down pipe failed they thought they could effect a repair by welding but it didn’t last. After discussing with them and seeing the exorbitant price Fiat wanted for a new part I opted to source a used one from a breakers yard. They fitted it and then offered me a refund on the original welding job because it didn’t last.

 

[varesecrazy]

Garages like that are becoming rare

Feel free to mention them in the Garages section

 

[gullyfoyle]

If you are wearing out brakes.. thats where your mpg is heading

My punto has averaged 51 over its 50k

So the panda should do a little better
(Ive seen mid60's on a run)

Bought the car at two years old and 12.5k on the clock one cold winters night from a dealer, and discovered after a few months that the discs were shagged.. I’m not a last minute braker, I tend to anticipate and slow down gently without impeding following traffic, however my wife does drive the car also, I cannot account for her since I always drive on the occasions were together?
The discs are never worn out but badly pitted and scored, replacements have been Pagid and Bosch and pads replaced in good time.

Possibly its lack of use that’s the problem! and in fact I need to use the brakes more!!

 

[varesecrazy]

I have to drive TA's and 1.3 mj's

TOTALLY different driving motors..

Its the freecoasting nature of the TA that builds great mpg..

Punto is 2012 just gone over 50k

No brake work needed yet.. just 2 front tyres..lasted 42k


Pandas MOT this month.. so will know soon enough about build comparisons

 

[Peter Rawlings]

This is excellent..and impressive!

My Jan 2016 Cross has covered 87,000. At 74,000 needed a new clutch so got the flywheel done st the same time. At about the same time I had problems with the turbo. B V Rees (Fiat) in Cardigan stripped it down and added a shim and although probably not giving full power seems to drive and pull well. I think that the turbo will need to be replaced in the near future if it starts giving me problems. The twin air seems as sweet - or even sweeter - than ever. I keep wondering when the exhaust is going to give up the ghost but seems ok today...

Ive had several brake replacements, a total refitting of the rear units at 85,000. Tyres do 30,000+ and are on Michelins and will be replaced in about 2,000 miles. I average 40-42 Mpg, although now doing less annual miles as pretty much retired to mid west Wales, and the car is so very well suited to the roads here!

I am impressed by this little car. The engine is so good and fun to drive except on long motorway runs when I think the burbling of the unit is a bit tiresome. But A and B road driving is light, responsive and fun...

If Fiat make the new hybrid more powerful that would be good, but unlikely...so am biding my time....just fixing the car as necessary as its little heart seems sound.

My last thought on the turbo issue, which everyone at Fiat in Cardigan and Weston-super-Mare (where I bought the car) were perplexed by, is that it does need to be taken care of...making sure the correct oil and its level is kept correct. The engine is unlike any other I have driven and I think it took me 40,000 miles to really understand how to get the best out of it as well as care for it. Now I am happy to free rev it up to 4,000rpm whereas early miles I tended to drive it according to the torque (changing gears up at 2,000 rpm). It seems much much happier to be driven at around 3,000 rpm average! Of course, mpg suffers but hey, I feel ok about that!