General Now then....Punto V Panda

[Fred Mumford]

Our Panda Mamy had to go in for the correct roof bars and a set of alloys.
The sales lady ( who to be fair is top notch ) let us have her car for the day.
What we didn't expect is the job on our Panda to last more than a day.

Anyway, we had a Grande Punto for a day and a half. My wife came home in it and said that she was really fed up and wanted a Punto rather than the sodding Panda. To be fair the Punto looked terrific especially with the sunroof and red paint.

I took it across town and back and this is my assessment.

The petrol engine doesn't respond unless you floor it. When you do that it does pick up and make all the right noises but feels like it's standing still.

The seats are not compatible with the ram rod straight back the military insisted I have so I was very uncomfortable...and they don't even hug a lard-arse when cornering.

The wife was still sulking this morning on the way to collect the Panda. I was glad I wasn't going. It's not like I talked her into getting the Panda. She did that all on her own.

Anyway, something strange has happened to the Panda. The grip is now brilliant, the car's like a little rocket and the brakes seem better. Body roll is amazingly deminished too.

Happily, the wife came home with a huge grin and said 'I love my Panda now'....

So there you have it. Change your steelies for alloys and reap the benefits.

 

[Jai]

guess what the panda is toasting?

glad all is well now

 

[percymon]

If my experience of the tyre pressures on my GFs Panda are anything to go by, you may well have had over inflated tyres before, causing a very jiggly and bouncy ride. Fitting the alloys probably meant one of the technicians actually got the pressures somewhere near this time round.

Glad she is enjoying the transformed car.

 

[Fred Mumford]

It was a bit like driving a car that you've repaired yourself with sellotape. We just felt like it may swap ends at a moment's notice even though I had checked the tyre pressures myself.
I talked with one of my mates today who has had two puntos. His first one had the same continental 'fuel saving' tyres and he said he felt like he was tip-toeing around too. No such problem with a set of alloys and Avons.

 

[percymon]

The fuel saving tyres aren't renowned for their traction levels for sure - they are designed for low rolling friction. Then again neither are Avons !