General End of Fiat ownership

[The Panda Nut]

I'm sorry to hear you are selling Panda, but I do understand. Whatever you do I hope you get some reliable wheels. That's all that matters in the end. When they go cars are fun. When they don't they are a total pain in the backside!

I hope the bureaucrats who created the Euro emissions rules all rot in the fires of hell for their burning incompetence creating all this rubbish for compliance that no one actually got, and making many cars unreliable in the process.

 

[murphyv310]

Hi.
The Panda is now sold. Got the full amount.

 

[AB100]

Hi.
The Panda is now sold. Got the full amount.

I think that was an excellent deal to be honest.

The Citroen won' be as easy to park but it'll be a nice sofa and a HUGE van, when needed.

 

[gar074]

Hi.
The Panda is now sold. Got the full amount.

Wonder whether they'll fix it before they list it for sale?

Ah, silly me!

 

[murphyv310]

Wonder whether they'll fix it before they list it for sale?

Ah, silly me!

No chance.
They were more interested in the paintwork, Interior and Alloys. Wasn't even started, only by myself when it was moved to take photos. Never opened the bonnet.

He told me there was a big shortage of used cars and new sales were low.

 

[murphyv310]

Hi
This is the "new old" car.
It runs nice and is in extremely good condition.
Will do for a year or so until things improve for us.

 

[Tom95]

That looks really tidy! You'd have to be happy with that.

I do like my French cars - I've had a few Peugeot's in the past (and still have a 504, in fact), and I really like the modern Citroen design language. Especially that massive front windscreen with the split A-pillars.

Congratulations!

 

[The Panda Nut]

This is the "new old" car.
It runs nice and is in extremely good condition.
Will do for a year or so until things improve for us.

Well it does indeed look very tidy and if it goes..... Its no Panda though..

I am obsessed.

AC inspection reminds me of a caravan I had years back. I had leaked and was VERY badly affected. I watched as it was just put up for sale without being repaired.. Poor people who bought that. I hope the car goes reliably for a long time. Good luck with it.

 

[jrkitching]

I do like my French cars - I've had a few Peugeot's in the past (and still have a 504, in fact), and I really like the modern Citroen design language. Especially that massive front windscreen with the split A-pillars.

I've had three Renaults, large and small; nothing bad to say about them.

I once considered an Avantime, but I've a soft spot for quirky cars. One switch could open all the windows and sunroof together; just wait for a nice sunny day, press a button and it takes all its clothes off. How very French.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

One of the first cars I had after getting married was a Citroen Dyane 6. It took a bit of getting my head round to start with mechanically and when driving but we went all over the country with it and it never let us down. Also, before I bought The Ambassador I ran a base model Renault 20 - the one with the small engine. Performance wise it was a pure slug but again, very reliable. I remember two things about it. For a couple of years I welded up holes in the exhaust system, almost every month a new hole would appear. In the end I got so fed up I managed to talk Mrs J into releasing sufficient funds to buy a complete new system - most expensive exhaust I'd ever bought by a fair margin!

The other thing was that I had to remove a front spring for some reason - maybe to do shocks? I can't actually remember - but I do remember that the extension of the spring when fully released was incredible. Normally a spring will be maybe half as long again when released compared to it's fitted length? This one though? it just kept on going and going until I had to use a second set of compressors, hooked round about half of the total coils, to further control it as it was allowed to relax. I've never seen such a long spring in my life! It was a very comfortable car for long journeys though, rather like driving around in a comfy living room arm chair!

I also tend to agree with the comment above about Japanese cars being reliable (not so sure if that still applies to Nissan? but certainly Honda and Toyota I think) The most trouble free car in our "family fleet" is the old 2008 Jazz. I mentioned some where else about my daughter in law's garage comment (it's she who owns the Jazz) when she was worried it might fail as she'd been unable to let me service and "fettle" it before it's MOT last year. They told her they fail less Hondas than any other make of car.

 

[varesecrazy]

I've had three Renaults, large and small; nothing bad to say about them.

To be fair I've owned 4 renaults

Two Pugs and 1 citroen

All well past their best.. but POOR compared to most Italian stuff I've owned

Poor design and woeful wiring being a common theme.

Putting a lot of 'additional feature' electronics .. in the roof.. just below an aerial base with no o-ring sealing it typifies that.

I was actually GIVEN the newest one.. a Laguna that decided to no longer accept its own keys

Owner drove it to work.. had to walk home

Ordered an identical part number lockset and ECU's.. £200 later he discovered the wiring was massively different

PSA stuff seemed a little better.

 

[JTD_Liam]

The C3 Picasso doesn't get a glowing report, but neither do many Italian cars and yet I've seldom had a problem with any. The semi-auto Citroen gearbox is an utter pig though (not that Fiat's dreadful Dualogic is any better), so definitely better with the manual Citroen. The 5 speed manual is as baggy as they come, but they've used them for years so there can't be much else wrong with them.

Me, the Parents and Sister/Brother-in-Law have had loads of French cars:

RENAULT
1992 Clio Petrol
2002 Clio Petrol
2002 Laguna DCI
2008 Laguna Petrol

PEUGEOT
1987 309 Petrol
1996 306 D-Turbo
2001 206 Petrol
2005 206 HDI Van
2010 207 HDI
2010 Bipper Van (essentially a Fiat Fiorino but with Peugeot HDI engine)

Citroen
2008 C2 HDI
2015 DS3 HDI

The Clio's both needed a lot of work - one was 8 years old and had done 100,000 miles by the time we bought it but the other was brand new, so no excuse. Far more unreliable than any of the 6 Italian cars i've owned. Both Laguna's were virtually trouble free - just a turbo replacement under warranty at 2.5 years on the 2002 DCI. It definitely felt more mechanically fragile than either the PSA vehicles or Fiat Group cars we've owned though.

PSA cars have been much better - only the 309 letting rain pour in to the boot and having various engine problems stand out as serious problems. The only other problems we've had is the windscreen washer fuses blowing very quickly if you forget to let the nozzles thaw out before using them in the Winter (C2 had that) and the 306 had an airbag warning light. The 206 Van had something up with the rear axle, but it was on 150,000 hard miles by that point, so could happen to anything I imagine.

I'd definitely have no qualms about buying most PSA vehicles (except some of their auto gearboxes or anything with the 1.6 THP Prince engine) and I believe Renault are a lot better post-2010 than they were before that point. Fiat do tend to do a better job of Right-Hand-Drive conversions than PSA though - some of the PSA cars have had some weird/uncomfy pedal layouts and also hopeless gloveboxes, where PSA don't relocate the fuse box.

 

[murphyv310]

Hi.
First impressions of remember a 10 year old car
Nice to drive, quiet (other than a whine between 30 and 40mph in 4th and 5th, allegedly they all do it. Clever packaging with a lot of space for a small MPV, comfortable seats, feels lively for a 1.4, everything works as it should.
I've been over it thoroughly and a couple of things have now been sorted, namely that the alleged service was a joke. Why change the oil and leave the filter that was well by its sell by date. The top end was rather noisy but a new filter, drain of the unknown oil and a refill with 5w30 C2 oil has cleared up the tappet noise, quite amazing.
The antifreeze was no doubt original, a flush and new OAT with a proper bleed sorted that out. A good look under I could see brand new rear discs and pads, new rear springs too, the front has had recent struts and springs, all good there. There is some corrosion on the rear beam but not serious, I've already cleaned it up so a coat of Hydrate 80 and then Dynax will do there.
The car rides with no rattles or squeaks, the clutch is light and smooth. The doors didn't sound nice on closing but both front striker plates were loose...... Odd.
So a lot has been done. I'm sure it will do fine for a year or so.
I'm hoping that in a year or so I'll perhaps think of a 500L
We will see

 

[Phils panda]

thats a great car trev.. i sold my Twinair a while a go and i now have a Citroen Berlingo Multispace 1.6 Hdi.All ready its been like a Swiss army knife ..so versitlie.I pick up a full size dishwasher today and put it straight in the back..Reason for TwinAir sale..sevice costs..hope you enjoy your C3..thanks Phil.

 

[Phils panda]

Here is my Citroen Berlingo Multispace 1.6 Hdi

 

[Al D]

Good decision murphyv310 Phils panda
My TA 4x4 had oil pressure switch code. New one didn't cure. Did I forget to put oil spec in email to garage last autumn with last oil change?! Possibly. Anyhow I'd had enough. Taken advantage since March when traded that in of trade in values. Got all money back on Picanto that had so many gadgets it drove me mad. Now have '13 Yaris 1.33 automatic. Great car.

 

[murphyv310]

Hi.
With slightly over three weeks of Citroen c3 picasso ownership I will be honest here.
Firstly we had our first break together and the first for me since 2009. The weather was glorious and we had a good time. There were exceptions though. I was struggling with a flair up of lumbar spinal stenosis and it culminated in a trip that caused agony.
I also had a couple of issues with the car, the clutch started to drag and a wheel bearing got really noisy. Other than that no issues. I did 715 miles with tank to tank refills giving me 53.4mpg, performance was excellent for 1.4 litres and 95bhp.
On return I contacted the dealer and they had it for two days and replaced the wheel bearing and clutch, no questions asked. The car is now running like a dream.
I've fitted a Touch screen stereo with bluetooth, mp3 input, sat nav etc. There were a couple of small issues I put right during the first week but overall I'm happy with the car. For its overall size it's roomy and has a large glass area that makes it feel very airy. I did like my City Cross, up to the time I had issues I thought I'd have it till it dropped, oh it did drop but not in the way I ever thought it would.

 

[murphyv310]

Hi.
Just a quick message to say the spacesaver and tools sold on FB.