Driviing instructor - GP130 or Panda multijet?

[Dougiebob]

At present i'm using a Citroen C1 HDi which to be honest is the finest learning hack i've had in my eight years of teaching. But every now and then i start to hanker after a Fiat. You know how it is eh?
I read somewhere that the Panda came 8th in the Top Gear owners survey which is swaying me towards it.
The only question now is, do i choose the diesel or the 100hp.
The diesel is the sensible choice but the 100hp would be a helluva laugh on my days off.
i'll probably have a go of a 100hp at the weekend and i'll keep you posted.

Thanks for your opinions, keep them coming.

 

[mountainmachine]

GP! I wouldnt want to learn in a teeny wee car, not realistic to learn to drive in a panda unless you own a car that small.

 

[T14086]

get a yaris, or a micra

yaris I agree with but micra

 

[serin]

i started learning in in a yaris, and it was a horrible HORRIBLE car to learn in.

so I wouldnt say get one

 

[dave]

go diesel and re map it

 

[Dougiebob]

Re-map a diesel panda.........hmmm! never thought of that one.
what hp and torque improvements would you get.
Doesn't that knacker your warranty though, and the insurance?

 

[dave]

no dealer wont check for a remap, insurance can be told if you like
http://www.angeltuning.co.uk/ for details of bhp and torque

 

[x Alex x]

no dealer wont check for a remap, insurance can be told if you like
http://www.angeltuning.co.uk/ for details of bhp and torque

they do check, that what put me off buying the gp130, well he said they check anyway with the increasing amount of remaps going on

 

[hmallett]

ive driven both and the turbo on the panda is no match for the gp130!

Wierd, I was expecting a 70bhp 1.3 Multijet to be as fast as a 130bhp 1.9 Multijet.

Having driven the Panda Multijet for 27k miles, and driven a GP for a day, I'd say the Panda would be easier to learn in. The visibility is much better (except for the wing mirrors), especially rearwards. The seating position is higher, the steering is more communicative (on the GP the steering wheel is attached to the wheels, but I'm not sure with what - possibly some sort of jelly).
The GP would be more practical as an everyday day as it's bigger, but I wouldn't have thought the Sporting would be the best learner car.
As for "you shouldn't learn in a small car unless you're going to own a small car", er, whatever I'm sure they work differently.

 

[snotcolouredfiat]

Hi All!

I'm an ADI too & personally, I'd go for the Punto - it's safer, more spacious & it'll appeal to a wider audience!

As for the alloys issue, you could swop them for cheapy steels, or maybe plumb for those anti-wheel knacking tyres with an extra wide 'lip' around the rim! They work a treat when my wife's driving...

 

[Andy_sx]

my dads an adi and has currently a mitsubishi colt (everday learner hack along with doing speed awarness courses and all the other stuff he does (loads and loads of bits n pieces)) and he also has a gp eleganza, the 120 bhp diesel 5 door with he man dual controls that he also uses for speed awarness and a few other things (mums daily car) got to say the gp is a darn sight better to drive in every respect to the colt, and persoanlly the feeling of it being a bit larger gives a feeling of better safety from the inside

my dads just picked up his new learner car though to replace the pain in the arse and quite simply god awful colt, a bimmer 116... wouldnt listen to me when i sdaid go for the diesel and not the boggo spec version... oh well!

 

[Dougiebob]

I still haven't managed to find a diesel Panda in my neck of the woods, damn things are like hens teeth. I see quite a few driving about but nothing for sale.

I'm off to have a shot of the Panda 100hp tomorrow. I'll let you know how i get on with that soon. While i was in looking at the 100hp i nipped next door to the Alfa dealer and blagged a shot of the Brera 2.2jtd demonstrator, jeezo!!! that thing can't half shift.

 

[hmallett]

I still haven't managed to find a diesel Panda in my neck of the woods, damn things are like hens teeth. I see quite a few driving about but nothing for sale

You're looking second-hand then?

...i nipped next door to the Alfa dealer and blagged a shot of the Brera 2.2jtd demonstrator, jeezo!!! that thing can't half shift.

The Brera was Evo magazine's most disappointing car of 2006

 

[jug]

The Brera was Evo magazine's most disappointing car of 2006

sexy to look at, but thats all. the sure sign of an italian thoroughbred

 

[brett]

i learn in a pug 307 and its ok but like the gp it isnt ideal for manouvers, a panda has basically a flat back so its easyer to judge things etc if u no what i mean, it would make life easyer for the learners

 

[Dougiebob]

I drove the 100hp on monday and it was a lovely wee car but the suspension is just a bit too hard 'cos learners don't always dodge pot holes and don't always slow down for speed bumps, even the the big red plastic ones with the white triangles painted on them seem to be invisible to learners.

My local Fiat dealer has managed to source a Multijet for me to try, but that won't be until next Thusday. I'll let you know how that goes.

I can't believe that Evo found the Brera dissapointing. Just because it doesn't do 190mph and 0-60 in five seconds doesn't make it a bad car. With speed cameras and traffic calming measures around every corner and diesel costing nearly £1 per litre you have to start judging cars on how they look, and more impotantly how they make you feel when you drive them. Ask yourself this: would you rather have an Audi tt, a Nissan 350z or an Alfa Romeo Brera.

 

[JTDSTILO]

id go for the Panda, having driven afew GP130s, they are too much, little learner puts theyre foot too far down in it, once the turbo kicks itl just pull them into next week.

 

[allanhelen]

When driving a GP like many modern cars you have use ESP to work out where the ends of the car are especially the bonnet, so as a car for a learner car i would be more tempted by the panda

 

[The Beard]

I've used my Panda MJ for nearly 30,000 miles so far and it's been great. Most of my tuition is done in other people's cars (qualified drivers) but I quite often undertake 250 mile round trips so you can make quite long journeys in it and still be comfortable. Fuel consumption around 55 to 65mpg and performance is quite adequate for most situations. I would say it depends what you want to do with it on your days off. Just watch your pad wear. Mine wore down to the rivets at 23500 miles just 2 days before its service.

 

[faster4_tec]

panda will be easier for them to park as its a box with lots of glass.
the gp would be the nicer car, you won't be bagging it quite as much when their driving. but not so easy to park as its a blob.

both 1.3 and 1.9 jtd's are legends, new 130gp's can be had for £11k straight with all the trimmings on *that* internet car site.pandas's more like £7k

I wouldn't have the 17" alloys on the gp with learners in it. put it on 15" steelies, and only put the 17" on for when your driving it on your hols etc