Panda Not sure what to look for

[dazvalleys]

Hi there i am new to the site and i would like to say A BIG HELLO,and thank you for all the help and advice that i hopefully will get from all the members

I am looking for some help please my son is going to look at a 2006? or 2007 not sure myself, fiat panda diesel the 1.3 multijet could anybody please give me some help on what things, that i should be looking for as well as what i should check.

Also not sure but are these cars 4x4? i am very sorry if i sound daft, as well as if i have put this post in the wrong forum.

MANY THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND TIME

 

[Eklipze3k]

Welcome to the forum

Before we go into what you should look for, unless the model is Cross or Climbing, it's not going to be 4x4. Also, if the car is only going to be used for short journeys around town (ie. little to no motorway use) I would not recommend the MultiJet. The DPF only gets up to temperature on long journeys, so you're likely to get a lot of issues on short trips only - better to go with the 1.2 petrol

As for things to look for - nothing out of the ordinary really, check MOT history online would be a good first thing to do, look it over underneath for excessive corrosion, listen for odd rattles/clunks and make sure there are no warnings on the dash. Service history, mileage and number of previous owners all help to paint the picture of any potential issues too

 

[DaveMcT]

OK, I'm not a young guy but was amazed to find the 100HP was cheaper to insure than a 1.2 or diesel. What's that about? Something to check anyway.

That said, a good 100HP is hard to find and while I thought mine was ok, it's needed a new clutch almost immediately.

The 4x4 is great - if you need it but there is more to go wrong.

The 2WD diesel is quite quick when run at engine speeds where the turbo is working, but the 1.2 petrol is simple to maintain and cheap to run and about town will feel almost as quick as the 100HP.

I've done long runs in the 1.2 and the 100HP. While the latter is nicer to use at motorways speeds the 1.2 does the job fine.

 

[dazvalleys]

Thank you for your help my son said that he spoke to the owner of the car and he said that there was no dpf on the car but a cat could this be possible for the year

 

[DaveMcT]

Diesel cars have had an oxidation catalyst since the mid/late 1990s so it would be normal to have something. Wikipedia says the DPFs were fitted from 2007. As with all cars so fitted, they have to be regularly driven at speed to regenerate the filter (read - burn off the crud it's trapped). That's fine if you drive on all road types but not very convenient if all you do is town driving.


It's important to check it works as these are now part of the MOT.

 

[Goudrons]

I believe the diesel didn't get a DPF until later when they upped the engine output from 70hp to 75hp.

They are pretty economical, but do suffer various diesel related issues.
EGRs cause issues, turbo wastegate's get jammed, HP fuel pumps can leak and injectors play up when worn, all of these tend to cost a bit to put right and aren't really diy friendly.

Any rough running, splutters, hesitation, excess smoke or engine warning lights, walk away. Make sure it's given a thrash on test drive to make sure it boosts fully without tripping into limp.

Older diesels are now becoming a liability to own as city centres are starting to ban all but the latest Euro emission ones.

The petrol engines are a far better bet, the FIRE 1.1s and 1.2s are pretty robust if they'd been serviced regularly, parts are cheap and plentiful and they are simple enough to diy service and repair.
We've seen all their issues on here and most are simple and cheap to sort.

The 1.4 100hp isn't known to have major problems either, though the ones I see all seem to look a bit thrashed to me.

There is not much to look out for, perhaps the only item that will kill one off is the rear axle, it can rust through around the lower springs seats on all models.
You do need to get under there with a torch and have a good poke about. A replacement will be expensive.

The sump pan is also prone to rusting up a bit as it's in the firing line and not painted that well, but it's an easy and cheap fix.

The 4x4 models are called Climbing (petrol) or Cross (diesel).
The Cross has a funny bodykit on it, I think it looks a bit ugly.

Both are pretty good on the slippy stuff, though the Climbing is pretty slow off the mark and the extra 4x4 gubbins are now starting to wear out, particularly Prop centre bearing and we've seen a few rear diff issues as well.
If you don't need the 4x4, probably best to steer clear.

A good bet would be a 1.2 Eco Dymanic.
The 60hp version of the 1.2 which is a non interference engine (later had 69hp but they are interference).
They are the later models of this mark, around 2009-2011 with nicer interiors and colours, air con and £30 RFL.

 

[varesecrazy]

If your username indicates SouthWales..

Then decent climbs will make the engine work enough to keep clear of most oily: soot issues.

Biggest check is regular oil changes..

These motors have camchains and are FUSSY about good oil of the right spec.

General panda build quality is VERY good.

But no cars around in yards.. so it wants to be straight and tidy.

Charlie . Abertillery

 

[varesecrazy]

Thank you for your help my son said that he spoke to the owner of the car and he said that there was no dpf on the car but a cat could this be possible for the year

Correct early mjs are cat free.

It was often a cost option circa 2007/8

 

[Kronkron]

Catalyst isn't on the 1.3MJ till after 2010. I have the 70bhp version 2010 MJ and there is no DPF on it.

 

[Wee Smurf]

A 2006 Multijet is definitely not 4x4, doesn't have a cat or a dpf.

Best not used on too many short journeys. Will need to be able to get up to temperature regularly to keep it right. Can be fussy about fuel. Mine didn't like supermarket fuel the one time I used that money off voucher that came with the groceries.

 

[varesecrazy]

Thank you for your help my son said that he spoke to the owner of the car and he said that there was no dpf on the car but a cat could this be possible for the year

Well..

How was it?

 

[DaveMcT]

Get underneath and look for a lump in or after the exhaust manifold. No lump = no catalyst.

The 1.2 is by no means a fast car, but the performance at town speeds does not feel far from the 100HP. The latter stacks in power higher up the rev range and uses more fuel to prove it.

I hired a 500 with 65 engine and really did not like it. The 5th gear was too high yet the engine needed more revs to get anything done. On motorways I had to change down for any sort of up-slope, but downhills had it running away too fast. The Panda 60 does none of that.

I assume (maybe wrongly) that the Panda 65 has the same guts as the 500 65.

 

[varesecrazy]

Get underneath and look for a lump in or after the exhaust manifold. No lump = no catalyst.

The 1.2 is by no means a fast car, but the performance at town speeds does not feel far from the 100HP. The latter stacks in power higher up the rev range and uses more fuel to prove it.

I hired a 500 with 65 engine and really did not like it. The 5th gear was too high yet the engine needed more revs to get anything done. On motorways I had to change down for any sort of up-slope, but downhills had it running away too fast. The Panda 60 does none of that.

I assume (maybe wrongly) that the Panda 65 has the same guts as the 500 65.

Its 1248 derv..

 

[DaveMcT]

Its 1248 derv..

Fair enough but making the point that the higher power 1.2 is not as nice to use as the old 60HP.

The diesel is ok, and I love the mid range grunt of diesels, but are the cost savings over petrol that great? By the time you add the usual small diesel issues (turbo, EGR, DMF flywheel, etc, etc) it's unlikely to save anything.

 

[Kronkron]

I don't know I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the diesel Panda, as you say the mid-range grunt is great and it will certainly surprise a few cars along the way.

In the last 4 years I've done approximately 100,000 miles in mine and never had to do anything more than the basic service.

It's only ever run on supermarket fuel my worst recorded trip is 52mpg and the average over the course of the 100,000 miles is 64mpg.

That and I like the way that diesels drive I would recommend it over a petrol every time if you do the mileage that is.

 

[varesecrazy]

I get the impression

'Son of Daz' may be relatively young.

In the UK car insurance is VERY expensive.

It could well be a Derv is £400 a year cheaper to insure.. almost pays for an old panda..